a winning cocktail for Toulouse merchants?
It is barely ten o’clock this Saturday morning, rue Alsace-Lorraine, in the city center of Toulouse, the first customers are rushing to come and do their Christmas shopping.
The Soccer World Cup versus Christmas races
In a week, it’s Christmas Eve. Isabelle, a shopping bag under her arm, walks with a determined step in the main shopping street of Toulouse. This legal assistant has already planned everything, she wants to be efficient: “We did some scouting before, now I’m just going to buy the presents.”
On the other side of the street, Aymeri, with a Christmas bag in her hand, found her parents’ present. Olive oil, vinegar. This student postponed his purchases as much as possible, he wanted to be efficient too. So much so that he set his alarm clock on this Saturday morning: “In the afternoon, it’s out of the question to mingle with the crowd.”
©Radio France
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Alexandra Lagarde
In the shop “Chez Zel”, customers follow one another, among them Marine, look at the vases. This thirty-year-old came with her mother, she gave herself the day to find all her presents. No choice this Sunday she is busy: “I’m going to watch the World Cup final” she lets out with a laugh.
Even chosen for this other client, Yohan made a list, anyway he’s not free this Sunday either: “I’m going to watch the final, it’s not very good, but I’ll be in front of my television”.
Decline in turnover during the final of the Blues
Like Marine and Yohan, many Toulouse residents have organized their Christmas lessons around the World Cup final. Usual it’s the December main weekend for Elodie Fontoura, the manager of Chez Zel. This year she has no illusions: “We expect to lose 40% of our turnover this Sunday. The World Cup brings everyone together, even those who do not usually look at the foot.”
For the occasion, the shop has planned to make a discount on the purchases of its customers at each but marked by the Blues. Notice to football fans and Christmas latecomers!