Purchasing power: shopping to the penny for many French people

To eat, some French people have a tight budget. They look at the promotions, and count to the penny. On a Norman market, on the morning of Wednesday, February 9, the stalls are stocked, and the baskets are filling up. A couple met by the France Télévisions teams, who live with a small pension, must make choices. “We buy practically the same thing, but in smaller quantities”, says the man. Virginia Cucurula shopkeeper, noticed this reduction in the budget devoted to shopping. “They are going to put themselves on cheaper products: potatoes, carrots, basic”, she explains.

When it’s time to put away the goods, a customer shows up to do her shopping. She Explain to come “at the end of the market to have more attractive prices, so that it is cheaper”. To reduce their expenses as much as possible, some French people only go to discount supermarkets. Amandine now does all her shopping with a calculator by hand. “Honestly, there are beginnings of months [où] I’m going shopping, I’m depressed to go [les] To do”, she acknowledges. She and her husband earn less than 2,000 euros per month.