French Luxury Faces a Slowdown Despite Summer Sales

With the start of the sales season, luxury retailers are hoping to attract customers, but the once-resilient sector is now facing a challenging period.

On the Champs-Élysées, many foreign tourists still visit luxury boutiques, but French consumers are increasingly rare and more cautious. For example, a shopper hesitated before buying a €340 coin purse, saying that such purchases require serious thought.

One key issue is rising prices, which are making customers reluctant to buy. Major luxury groups are seeing declining sales—LVMH reported a 2% drop in Q1 2025, while Kering (owner of Gucci and Saint Laurent) reported a 14% fall. Iconic bag prices have surged: Chanel bags are up over 62% in six years, and Louis Vuitton’s prices have increased more than 55% according to Luxurynisght.

As a result, many customers are now saying “enough.”

Discover more information in the latest France Info episode, featuring Luxurynsight's data.