The u.s. group of internet commerce Amazon plans to develop its offering in the food in France, said in le Journal du Dimanche the director general of its French subsidiary, Frédéric Duval.
“It is an axis of major development for Amazon, since the launch of our Amazon Fresh in the United States in September 2016”, he explains in the weekly Sunday service. “The redemption of the Whole Foods Market in June 2017 will mark a new step in this ambition.” “We very much wanted to launch this service in France”, he adds, while noting that Amazon already offers subscription options to current products and that going further involves a major investment.
An alliance possible with System U
He recalled that Amazon has invested more than two billion euros in France since 2010 and will be recruiting in 2018 2,000 people in employment contract of indefinite duration, at all qualification levels, and on all its French sites. It also ensures that there are more “carefree” with the tax authorities French and denies that Amazon is “put in the same bag” as the other american giants of the internet, the “Gafa”. “I trust the public authorities to recognize those who are truly virtuous,” adds Frédéric Duval.
In the same edition of the JDD, the French minister of Economy and Finance, Bruno Le Maire, assures that Amazon is “welcome in France”. “My absolute priority, it is the creation of jobs, and Amazon represents thousands of jobs”, including those with no or low qualifications in areas not very attractive, ” he says.
He admits that competition from Amazon “requires changes” to the great distribution and recalls that partnerships are in discussion between the american group and the French groups, in particular in the sector of food products. Thus, System U is continuing discussions on a possible alliance with Amazon, announced on Wednesday the chairman of the grouping of independent traders.
