“dissatisfied pants” sent to the Ministry of Ecological Transition

The Action Culottée association denounces the “clumsiness” of the sobriety awareness campaign at the end of November.

A month after the broadcast of advertising spots encouraging consumers to be sober, the anger of certain traders has not abated. “Action cheeky”, an association of independent traders specializing in underwear, is mobilizing in turn to denounce “awkwardness” of the awareness campaign at the end of November, which encouraged consumers not to buy. A campaign which does not benefit traders or even the Minister of the Economy and Finance.

At the end of December, the association is calling for “as an apology and compensation, a new advertising spot in 2024 highlighting local businesses that guaranteeaccording to her, of the attractiveness of city centers, tax collectors, job creators and working in an increasingly eco-responsible approach for a new, more virtuous economy.

In recent days, linen workers have sent “dissatisfied panties” to the Ministry of Ecological Transition and the Agency for Ecological Transition (Ademe), both at the initiative of this campaign broadcast before Black Friday and one month from Christmas. “We are already experiencing a crisis in terms of clothing and with this advertising, they are encouraging people not to buy new products, to consume what they have, ultimately to go to thrift stores but not to buy new”protests Wednesday December 27 on France Bleu Picardie, Florence Gruyelle, member of Action Culottée and manager of a lingerie store in Saint-Quentin.

A clumsy campaign

In one of the clips broadcast at the end of November, a man who came to buy a polo shirt ultimately left the store empty-handed because a “reseller” advised him not to give in to the -70% discount and explained to him that the one he worn already suited him very well, with the advantage of being -100%. But these humorous spots did not make organizations such as the Commerce Alliance, the Union of Textile Industries (UIT) or the CPME laugh, which asked that they be withdrawn.

On franceinfo, the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire deplored a campaign “regrettable” And “clumsy with trade” Who “fights” and who knows “difficulties”, thus criticizing his colleague at the Ministry of Ecological Transition Christophe Béchu. The latter refused to remove the clips from the screen but admitted clumsiness.

Traders aware of climate change

“Clumsiness” is also the term used by the Action culottée association. “It is not so much the message but the clumsiness of this spot which offended the needlewomen. It targets physical, local commerce instead of pointing the finger at the fast fashion players, particularly online, who are the main responsible for textile pollution and those least concerned about ecology”explains on the social network Linkedin, the collective of 200 managers of independent lingerie stores.

“We, traders, were very affected by this clip which misses the target with quite disastrous consequences in this month of December which is very important for us. We have already suffered greatly from the latest economic, health and social crises these last years.”

Anabelle, manager of a lingerie store

on the Action culottée YouTube channel

Anabelle, member of the collective, ensures that traders “feel concerned by all these issues” ecological and that they “try to find more responsible products”. She concedes that “the textile industry is extremely polluting”but she believes that these clips should have featured and “targeting the giants of international e-commerce do much more harm with often low-cost, low-quality products that come from the other side of the world and are manufactured in unworthy working conditions”. The Action culottée association was born during the Covid-19 crisis to protest against the closure of non-essential businesses.