France retail & motor trade next 3M sales: clothing
France retail & motor trade next 3M sales: clothing stood at -14.6 Balance of opinion (%) in Sep 2026, according to INSEE – Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques (BDM). It is one of the indicators in the INSEE business surveys table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 2003 to Sep 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the INSEE business surveys table
| Indicator | 09-2026 | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | |||||||||||
| Monthly survey in retail trade and in trade and repair of motor vehicles - Business development (sales) in the next 3 months - Income: Clothing and leather goods | -14.6 | -9.7 | -17.7 | -20.5 | -25.8 | -24.4 | -19.6 | -8.5 | -14 | -5.7 | |
| Monthly survey in retail trade and in trade and repair of motor vehicles - Business development (sales) in the next 3 months - Income: Household equipment (furniture, appliances, information-communication) | -13.2 | -30.3 | -17.2 | -29.7 | -51.4 | -31.1 | -17.9 | -17.5 | -31.5 | -24.8 |
Understanding france retail & motor trade next 3M sales: clothing
Apparel boutique owners, footwear specialists, and leather goods store executives evaluate the direction of customer transactions expected over the upcoming quarter. This specialized metric isolates specialized fashion and accessory retail from general merchandise and food stores, capturing distinct consumer discretionary trends. Respondents indicate whether anticipated turnover will rise, fall, or remain stable relative to seasonal expectations.
Fashion retail is heavily influenced by seasonal wardrobe transitions, making the seasonally adjusted balance of opinion necessary for analyzing underlying trends. Analysts should note that early survey estimates can be subject to revision as late submissions arrive from specialized merchants. Comparing this apparel-focused expectation index with broad retail measures highlights sector-specific consumer behavior that aggregate indicators might mask. Observing persistent multi-month directional changes provides a more reliable read on sector momentum than reacting to single-month volatility.
Frequently asked questions
- Which types of retailers contribute to this specific series?
- Clothing stores, footwear specialists, and leather goods merchants provide these survey responses.
- Does this measure reflect past sales or future expectations?
- It measures anticipated business developments over the next three months.
- Why might apparel expectations diverge from general retail trends?
- Fashion and footwear purchases are highly discretionary and often respond differently to shifting consumer confidence.