These French followers of the “treasure hunt” in destocking signs

“It makes the inaccessible, accessible», Enthuses Ana, 37 years old. For five years, she has regularly visited destockers: “I am less ashamed than before“, She admits,”And the savings made are really advantageous.” Decoration, textiles, jewelry or even food… these stores are veritable caverns of Alibaba. If the shelves are regularly messy, the prices are indeed very interesting. With the inflation that continues to increase, more and more French people push the door of these stores, which have managed to dust off their image. Among the acclaimed brands: The Dutch Actionwhich now has more than 700 stores in France, Noz, formerly Le Soldeur, which has more than 320 and Stokomani, which has 130.

For her food shopping, Ana goes to the Destock’halles store in Monteaux, in the Vaucluse. “In February, I paid 250 euros in food for a month, for four people, with meat, cheese, cremerie and a little vegetables“, She specifies,”The prices are unbeatable“. To lower the bill, the mother peel promotions and does not hesitate to buy products at the limit of their expiration date, which she freezes to consume later. She supplements her shopping with a few purchases at the convenience store in her village, for an amount of 100 to 150 euros per month.

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“It changes our habits”

If the prices are attractive, Ana recognizes however that it is necessary to compose with the offer proposed in store:We buy what there is, it changes our habits. When you cannot afford to eat as you want, it is not very serious if there is chicken rather than pork, you don’t care because it is still meat.The 30-year-old works in crafts and her companion is self-employed. For two, they earn 2,500 euros net monthly, but “No longer have the right to go to social grocery store“. It is therefore necessary to compose with the means at hand.

Beyond these necessary savings on the food budget, Ana regularly goes to Noz, in Beaune to treat herself. She mainly bought gifts and artistic equipment, and lets herself be tempted by some “favoritesIf they do not exceed 20 euros. However, she finds it difficult to buy stocks of closed to bankruptcy, as Monochrome Or Made.com, whose products have recently been bought by Noz. “I have the impression of enjoying the misfortune of othersShe blows.

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“The worst as the best”

Each week, destockers offer new references, according to their arrivals. On Facebook, dozens of groups lists the most interesting products on a daily basis. There is something for everyone, and for all budgets. “Noz is the store of surprises, the worst as the best“Indicates Charlotte, 59, who has known this brand for thirty years. If it notes notorious quality differences between products, Noz is essential to it: “It is not only for the superfluous, it is the only way for me to be able to dress and put myself in my budget more than limited.Each month, this accompanying student with disabilities receives 903 euros, part -time.

“With the rampant inflation that we know, I only fear one thing: it is the closure of my favorite store. It would be a real problem for meShe says. At destockers, prices are at least 30% cheaper compared to supermarkets. Some products even challenge any competition, such as a sachet of frozen scallops 1.5 kg at 10 euros at Noz, against 14 euros for 500 grams at the classic supermarket. For Charlotte, “do not be afraid of quality – which is there – and dare to buy food“. According to her, “you also need to have the time to hunt for bargains and scour the stores“.

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All social classes

This “treasure hunt»Put more than one consumer. “The stores look like flea markets and I love going there to hunt for the best items.“, notes Odile, 62, who hopes to find”surprises“. Unlike Ana and Charlotte, this human resources director has no limited budget, with a salary at more than 5,500 euros monthly. She thus buys little food, and is more oriented towards clothes “of English or Italian brands», «cosmetics and decorative items“.

Destockers are thus popular with the working, middle and upper classes, and are therefore not about to fill up. “Between February 2022 and January 2023, at least six out of ten French people have been to these stores at least once», Notes Emily Mayer, Business Insights Director at IRI «and volume sales jumped 21% during this period“. According to the expert, if other consumers do not frequent stock clearance stores, it is not out of lack of interest but because a “store is too far from home“.

It is also for this reason that Action has initiated a national extension plan to multiply its infrastructures on the territory. In 2021, the brand had achieved a turnover of nearly 3 billion euros, all countries combined, against 550 million euros in 2021 for Noz and Stokomani.