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Summary
The French card industry, historically robust, has undergone changes due to digitization and changing consumer behavior. Despite digital alternatives challenging traditional card sales, the market has proved resilient. In 2020, the market landscape is characterized by the significant presence of generalist retail chains such as Fnac Darty, with sales of 7.5 billion euros, and specialized players such as Groupe Editor and Draeger - La Carterie, with revenues of 52 million euros and 40 million euros respectively.
The personalized cards and photo albums segment is also notable, with companies such as Planet Cards Groupe and Carteland achieving sales of 22 million euros and 4.2 million euros in recent years. The sector is highly seasonal, depending heavily on the influx of tourists and the festive season for peak sales. The trend towards personalization, environmental concerns and the development of innovative, diversified product offerings have played a key role in maintaining market momentum.
With substantial fragmentation and a visible duopoly at the top, competition from digital services remains a strategic challenge, while sustainable practices and respect for intellectual property rights remain central regulatory and operational considerations.
Dynamic trends in the French card market in the digital age
The French card market has a long and rich history, and continues to demonstrate resilience in the face of the rise of digital alternatives. Consumers are attached to tradition, and show sustained demand for tangible forms of communication such as postcards and greeting cards. Despite a slight dip in sales, with figures close to 365-370 million euros recently, the market retains its vitality, stimulated by the emotional ties and personal attention associated with physical cards.
An interesting aspect of the French card market is its cyclical nature, with around 80% of postcard sales taking place during the summer months. This seasonality echoes the habits of tourists and aligns with peaks in "postcard" searches during the summer, a clear indication of the intrinsic link between the card market and the tourism industry.
The market has a high proportion of impulse purchases, contributing to the 145 million cards bought each year, with greeting cards alone generating around 246 million euros. Fancy labels and other miscellaneous products make a negligible contribution in terms of value and volume, underlining the predominance of traditional card categories.
Innovation seems to be the key to maintaining demand in a market faced with digital convenience. Companies such as Editor renew part of their collections every year to keep up with trends, thus directly addressing the market's predominantly young, female audience. Changing consumer habits reflect a broader trend in which digital technology both competes with and complements traditional cards. Services such as Fizzer capitalize on this trend, combining the physical and digital worlds to create a new postcard experience.
With demand still rooted in the cultural significance and personal touch of traditional cards, the French card market shows an interplay of continuity and change influenced by technological advances
As we navigate the French card industry, we see companies that have become synonymous with creativity, cultural charm and market resilience.
- Fnac Darty is a giant in cards and stationery, with a vast network of stores across France. True cultural crossroads, these stores offer a range of products including books, music, electronics and, of course, an assortment of cards for every occasion. Fnac's commitment to providing a varied selection of stationery reinforces its reputation as a key player for customers looking for general and specialized cards.
- The Editor Group is the embodiment of tradition and innovation. By acquiring small companies and reviving their charm, Editor has become a major player in the industry. Its strategy is to frequently refresh its collections, adapt to the latest trends and ensure that greeting cards and gift wrapping remain relevant in the digital age. Editor stands out not only for its entrepreneurial spirit, but also for its commitment to sustainable practices, with production attentive to environmental standards.
- Draeger - La Carterie showcases the enchanting fusion of art and emotion through its range of exquisitely designed novelty cards, postcards and packaging. Their products reflect France's artistic heritage and attention to detail, making them a celebrated name among those looking to offer a tangible sign of affection or celebration.
- Editions Cély, though smaller in size, stands out for its unique offerings that showcase the nuanced art of cardmaking. With a focus on quality and customer satisfaction, Cély represents the personalized touch of the industry - where every card has a story and every message has a deeper meaning.
- Planet Cards Groupe, a forerunner in the online market. Its innovative approach to card personalization appeals to digital-savvy customers, making it easy for them to create unique, personalized greetings and keepsakes. From wedding invitations to birth announcements, Planet Cards meets each customer's individual needs with a personal touch that only a bespoke service can offer.
- Carteland is emerging as a versatile player, combining the world of digital convenience with that of traditional paper-based products. Their services range from personalized cards to memorable photo albums, and they constantly strive to stay at the cutting edge of technology, ensuring that cherished moments are preserved with style and individuality.
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Inforamtion
- Number of pages : 30 pages
- Format : Digital and PDF versions
- Last update : 08/11/2021
Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Presentation
The card industry has existed in France since at least the 18th century, initially in the form of postcards and then extended to greeting cards, reaching a golden age between 1900 and 1920.
The cardboard market is traditionally based on a rigid support such as paper and cardboard, but the emergence of digital technology has also given rise to a digitalized cardboard market on which it becomes possible to send a greeting card or a "digital" postcard by e-mail or html link.
The market for stationery in France covers the production and distribution of products belonging to one of the following three categories:
- Postcards : simple" cards illustrated with an emblematic photograph, and mainly intended for mailing;
- Greeting cards (also known as "double cards") : themed cards, purchased and sent on the occasion of a specific event (birthday, wedding, birth, new year, etc.);
- Gift wrapping : gift bags, tissue paper, bolduc, gift bags, gift paper, etc.
In addition to these categories, the market also includes fancy labels, albums, etc., which nevertheless represent a negligible share in terms of volume and value.
List of charts
- Taille de marché de la papeterie/carterie
- Proportion of people who use postcards to keep in touch with family and friends
- Evolution of the interest in the "postcard" search
- [Copy] Evolution of the interest in the "postcard" search
- Proportion de Français partant en vacances
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Latest news
Papierfleur, ecological and poetic stationery | Papierfleur : ecological and poetic stationery - 12/10/2023
- Franck Bansart founded his own agency, Papierfleur, in 2009.
- Papierfleur has developed nearly 300 products since its creation.
- Papierfleur manufactures several types of paper, some containing wildflower seeds or aromatic plants.
- In 2018, the company created its own industrial process to print on this unique paper.
- Papierfleur has also created many other products, such as cards, notebooks, posters, calendars, gift wrap and gift wrapping.
- In France, only 60% of gift paper is recycled.
- Papierfleur paper is entirely biodegradable and zero waste.
- B2B accounts for 90% of the company's business.
- Papierfleur is 100% made in Paris.
Antalis always greener | Greener with Antalis - 11/10/2023
- Antalis belongs to the Japanese group Kokusai Pulp & Paper (KPP). KPP is a leading distributor of paper, packaging and communication products.
- The group is present in 29 countries.
- It generates sales of 563 billion yen, or around 3.578 billion euros.
- Antalis is the leading BtoB distributor of paper and industrial packaging.
- Antalis is also number two in the distribution of visual communication media.
- Antalis employs 3,800 people.
Fnac Darty completes acquisition of MediaMarkt in Portugal - 08/10/2023
- Fnac Darty has announced its intention to acquire Media Markt in Portugal
- Media Markt has 10 stores in Portugal.
- The company has 450 employees.
- Media Markt's sales in its 2021-2022 financial year were around €140 million.
- The acquisition consolidates Fnac Darty's position as number two in the Portuguese market.
- Media Markt's activities in Portugal will be 100% consolidated in Fnac Darty's accounts from October 1, 2023.
Carrefour wants to compete with Mirakl, the marketplace specialist | Fnac Darty fights Mirakl - 06/10/2023
- Fnac.com and Darty.com account for 21% of Fnac Darty Group sales.
- Third-party merchants on these sites account for 20% of the group's online business.
- fnac Darty recorded a net loss of 163 million euros in the first half of 2023.
- Ceva Logistics, Fnac Darty's partner, achieved sales of $19 billion in 2022.
- Ceva has 1,300 logistics sites in 170 countries.
- Fnac Darty has 1,000 stores for order collection.
- The e-commerce logistics market is estimated at $80 billion.
- The market for the creation of marketplaces is estimated at $30 billion.
Fnac Darty joins forces with CMA to better compete with Amazon and Cdiscount - 06/10/2023
- The Fnac Darty group and Ceva plan to set up a joint venture, Weavenn, offering comprehensive logistics services to e-retailers and connecting them to any marketplace.
- Ceva, a subsidiary of CMA CGM, has sales of €16 billion in 2022, including €3 billion in France.
- Ceva has 23 warehouses and a total of 90 sites in France.
- The future joint venture will initially target the 3,000 third-party sellers in the Fnac-Darty marketplace, representing 20% of the group's online sales volume.
- from 2025, Weavenn will target all e-tailers.
- Fnac Darty and Ceva estimate that the sales of their joint venture could reach 200 million euros within 5 years.
- Ceva's pending acquisition of Bolloré Logistics could make Ceva the world's fifth-largest logistics player, with sales of $24 billion.
- Fnac Darty's network of stores includes 1,000 points of sale for click-and-collect parcel collection.
- The European e-commerce logistics market is estimated at 80 billion euros, with annual growth of 10%.
The NAP group (Maison de la Presse) continues its transformation - 31/07/2023
- The NAP Group has around 1,250 sales outlets.
- Around a third of these outlets are located in towns with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants.
- The NAP Group has grown by +1 to +1.5% in value since the beginning of 2022.
- The group achieved sales of 2 billion euros in 2022.
- The NAP group represents 17% of press sales in France.
- It is the 4th largest bookstore chain, excluding food retailers.
- The group plans to launch corners, with an initial estimate of around one hundred by the end of 2024.
- On average, a Maison de la Presse welcomes over 400 customers a day.
- By 2022, the NAP Group expects to have collected 900 million euros in tobacco sales.
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