The latest figures published in February 2024 by the French Franchise Federation testify to the essential role played by franchising in the French economy. Growing for 50 years now, this model of entrepreneurship has a considerable economic impact, creating jobs and generating added value throughout the country. Explanations.
On March 6, Banque Populaire, in partnership with the French Franchise Federation and Kantar, announced the publication of the first chapter of its 20th annual franchise survey. This five-part study will be published progressively between March and July 2024, and reports on the franchise market. Key figures for the sector have been available since February, enabling us to assess the economic weight of franchise networks in France in 2024.
Franchising is once again a key player in France’s trade and economy.
France leads Europe in terms of franchise development and sales. This year’s figures confirm a solid growth dynamic, with 951,620 direct and indirect jobs attributed to franchising, up 13% on the previous year.
In 2024, French franchise networks still lead European countries in terms of economic weight, development and sales. In fact, the Fédération Française de la Franchise (French Franchise Federation) estimates that by 2023, 951,620 direct and indirect jobs can be attributed to franchising in France. The number of franchised outlets has risen by 9% compared with 2022, bringing the total number of franchises in France to 92,132 for 2,035 networks (+3.2% compared with 2022).
When it comes to sales, the franchise model is no exception. In 2023, franchised businesses generated total sales of 88.49 billion euros, up 15.6% on 2022.
Top-performing sectors
The franchising model appears to be dynamic and growing, a trend that is confirmed at sector level. By 2023, almost all business sectors will be growing in terms of number of outlets and sales. However, some sectors are doing better than others.
This is particularly true of the personal services segment, which performed particularly well in 2023 on three key indicators: sales (+45.6%), number of outlets (+40.9%) and number of franchises (+34.5%). In 2023, the most represented sector will still be food, with sales of 32.45 billion euros, up 15.1% on 2022, and 18,029 outlets. Next come the automotive sector (10,243 outlets for sales of 4.05 billion euros), personal goods (10,232 outlets for sales of 6.29 billion euros), personal services (10,070 outlets for sales of 3.81 billion euros) and miscellaneous retail (8,375 outlets for sales of 8.68 billion euros).
Becoming a franchisee: an attractive way to start a business in 2023
Franchising offers many advantages: by becoming a franchisee, the entrepreneur gains access to a proven concept, a recognized brand and support. So it’s no surprise that this model attracts new entrepreneurs every year. According to the 20th franchising survey, of the 32% of French people polled who want to start their own business in 2023, 43% plan to do so as a franchisee. The same survey also presents franchising as a good way of changing lives and retraining: 76% of people who decide to go into franchising are former employees.
“We can only rejoice at the growing desire of the French for entrepreneurship! With a real quest for meaning and autonomy in their career paths, the franchising model is a real response to the expectations of entrepreneurs, particularly younger ones. This latest edition is further proof of the model’s ability to reinvent itself and respond to the needs of entrepreneurs, the new desires of consumers and the challenges of our economy. Franchising gives entrepreneurs the security and peace of mind of knowing that they’re benefiting from the expertise of a brand – a major advantage in today’s economic climate! The figures speak for themselves: the franchising sector is continuing to grow, and by the end of 2023 will have achieved exceptional results”, concludes Véronique Discours-Buhot, General Delegate of the Fédération Française de la Franchise.
