The knife and cutlery market - France

The knife is a kitchen utensil designed for cutting food and cooking. The knife and cutlery market in France refers to economic activity relating to the production and sale of kitchen and table knives, but also knives for other uses such as hunting and butchery. the French cutlery network is highly developed and even renowned on the international scene: there is a particular tradition of French cutlery and even a cartography of regional knives. In the cutlery sector in 2022, over 70% of French exports are destined for European countries (with Germany at 19% of the total, Italy at 16% and Spain at 10%), while the majority of imports come from China (70% of total imports). In 40 years, from 1980 to 2018, the French industry's workforce has been halved, as a result of competition from Asia and especially China. However, in recent years, French companies have been able to bounce back, thanks in particular to investment in R&D, a move upmarket and improved product design. According to figures from the Fédération Française de la Coutellerie, French knife production is concentrated among 20 manufacturers, who share around 75% of the country's total sales. These include such influential brands as Opinel, Laguiole, Lion Sabatier, Thiers-Issard, Perceval, Le fidèle and Fontenille Pataud. In 2020, the health crisis linked to Covid-19 had a negative impact on the cutlery sector in France, with sales down bysales were down 6.94% on the previous year, as was the tableware sector (-7% over the same period). This is directly linked to closures in the CHR (Cafés, Hôtels, Restaurants) sector. However, by 2021, sales have resumed their upward trend of +20%, testifying to the sector's dynamism. In 2023, French cutlery sales rose by 8.1%.