Every end of November, a special breath crosses France. The windows light up, the screens flash, the mailboxes burst into flames: White Friday, Black Friday, mega promotions, flash sales… The same words come back, like a now well-established ritual. One might believe that it is just an imported tradition, another commercial meeting. But in France, the story took another turn. It has become more nuanced, more anchored in people’s daily lives. More human, above all, because behind these promotions, a whole evolution in the habits and priorities of the French is taking shape.
Last year, Black Friday or White Friday depending on the brand, literally shook up the habits of the French. According to FEVAD, more than 1.8 billion euros were spent online in 2023, a level never reached. In stores, the movement was also felt: spending increased by 7% compared to 2022. A YouGov survey carried out in October 2024 shows that 62% of French people planned to take advantage of promotions at the end of November, many to reduce the budget for Christmas gifts before the big shopping trip in December.
But behind these rising curves, there are above all human stories. Families looking to optimize an increasingly tight budget. Traders who hope to make up for an often calm autumn month. And brands that must respond to consumers who have become more demanding, more informed, and sometimes more suspicious.
1/ When White Friday becomes a benchmark in the household economy
To understand what pushes so many French people to participate, you just have to listen to what is said in homes. Between the increase in food prices (+20% in two years according to INSEE) and the rise in energy costs, households are seeking to make strategic choices. White Friday becomes an opportunity.
A PwC study published in 2024 shows that 39% of French people specifically use this period to buy Christmas gifts at reduced prices, while 27% favor purchases of household appliances or technological products. Perhaps the most telling number is this: 52% say they are voluntarily postponing certain purchases to wait for promotions at the end of November.
In other words, White Friday is no longer a bonus: it has become a pillar of financial planning.
2/ A shocking event also for French traders
For traders, the event is both an opportunity… and a challenge. Large brands and marketplaces traditionally take advantage of this period. Amazon, Cdiscount, Fnac and other giants capture a large share of traffic. But in 2024, we are observing a new trend: White Friday is gaining ground among small retailers, particularly those who accelerated their online presence during and after the pandemic.
According to FEVAD, the number of independent retailers offering discounts last White Friday increased by 18%. Some are organizing themselves to offer a more ethical or more local alternative. Others focus on personalization, service, experience, values that consumers overwhelmingly seek.
For a city center merchant or an artisan, November sometimes represents the final stretch to secure an entire year. A day like White Friday can help “save” a gloomy month, or on the contrary, start a dynamic cycle before Christmas. But this requires preparation:
- inventory management,
- marketing strategies,
- logistics,
- customer service…
Nothing is left to chance.
3/ Between consumption and consciousness: an event that is transformed
In France, the event took a particular turn. Many brands prefer to talk about White Fridaya “softer” version, more oriented towards transparency, ethics or redistribution. This change is not trivial but it reflects the evolution of consumer expectations.
According to a 2024 LSA survey, 46% of French people could give up on a product on promotion if the reduction seems misleading, and 60% now check prices several weeks before the event. The French consumer is no longer there to “buy at all costs”. He wants to make a good choice. A fair choice. A useful choice.
This is also what explains the rise of responsible initiatives. In 2023, several French brands launched “Green Friday”, “Fair Friday” and “Make Friday Green Again” operations. These initiatives were supported by more than 1,300 companies in France, according to the organizers of the movement. And even if they remain in the minority, they demonstrate a shift: buy yes, but not under any conditions.
4/ A key moment for French commerce and for society
What happens around White Friday goes beyond the simple act of purchasing. It is a moment when the French express their priorities. Their difficulties. Their hopes. For some, it is an opportunity to access products that they would never have been able to afford otherwise. For others, a way to prepare for peaceful end-of-year celebrations. And for traders, a moment of truth.
The most striking observation is perhaps this: never have French consumers combined pragmatism and conscience so much. White Friday version 2024 is not a mad rush. It’s a delicate balance: that between the need to save and the desire to consume differently.
If the trend continues, White Friday could become, in the coming years, a more mature, more regulated event, perhaps closer to French values: transparency, moderation, usefulness.
5/ Towards an even more strategic White Friday 2025?
All the projections confirm it: the 2025 edition should still break records. FEVAD anticipates growth of 5 to 8% in online sales during the event. The French, for their part, will undoubtedly continue to use this date as a benchmark in their year of consumption.
One question remains: how far can the model go? Will White Friday continue to establish itself as an essential part of French commerce? Or will environmental, economic and social concerns end up completely reshaping the event?
One thing is certain: behind the numbers, there are always people. Stories. Choices. And White Friday, with its sometimes sparkling promotions and its controversies, above all tells the story of the way in which France consumes, adapts and seeks guidance in a changing world.
