1.1 Introduction

Guarding is the activity related to private security in France, generally carried out by service companies: the services offered are human surveillance in a building but also the surveillance of goods (buildings, companies, businesses, banks, etc..).

This sector experienced a major boom between 2001 and 2005 following the traumatic events of the New York and Madrid attacks, which led to a sharp increase in the demand for human surveillance, fueled by the persistence - and even the increase - of the terrorist threat. After experiencing growth of around 30% between 2010 and 2015, the market continued this good trend in 2016 and 2017, due to the attacks that took place in the last two years, pushing for the strengthening of private security in France. Guarding accounts for more than three quarters of the private security sector's turnover in France.

A multitude of companies have emerged in the sector, increasing competition and lowering the quality of service. Various factors (unfair competition, 35-hour working week, squeezed margins) continue to weaken the sector year after year. Since 2008, we have also witnessed a vast concentration movement causing the disappearance of thousands of companies. The other striking fact of the sector is the professionalization of the personnel with the issue of a professional qualification certification (CQP) mandatory since January 2008, which has allowed to eliminate the unprofessional actors.

Currently, almost one out of two security companies belongs to a foreign group. The 100% French players such as Néo Security are playing the tricolor card to gain market share, while more diversified players in home services such as Onet are developing strong skills in terms of security. Some players are riding the wave of innovation and using drones to enhance private security. In 2022, the security sector will be under heavy pressure due to recruitment difficulties as well as competition from remote surveillance.

1.2 The global private security market is booming

There is no data available for guarding on a global scale. Nevertheless, we can take a broader look at private security systems. The latter have been booming for a few years. Indeed, more and more countries are opening up to private security, to the detriment of public security forces. Today, about ...

1.3 National market

In **** in France, according to the site Making our world safer, the security market was estimated at *.* billion euros, of which **% concerned private security and **% security systems. Thus, the national private security market was valued at *.* billion euros. According to the index of the turnover of the sector provided by the ...

2.1 Demand and drivers

The demand for guarding, and therefore surveillance, is above all dominated by companies. INSEE data, which covers guarding, patrol and cash-in-transit services, shows that nearly **% of the turnover is generated by services to companies [***].

Distribution of revenues from guard, patrol and cash-in-transit services by type of client France, ****, % Source: ****

Building ...

2.2 The security issue at the heart of people's concerns

New alarms now allow households to have a security system at home, without having to rely on a service provider. Somfy alarms are connected and meet the needs of French people to be able to monitor their homes at any time.

But security issues are multiple and the majority of French ...

2.3 A demand in search of digitalization

Companies, which represent the largest segment of the demand for security services, no longer have the same expectations of security companies. They are looking for a certain upmarket service that is no longer limited to physical surveillance, with security guards.

Thus, the growth in demand continues to be very important on ...

3.1 Market organization and dynamics

In ****, approximately ***,*** people were employed in the private security sector, including security guards (***). [***].

Distribution of the workforce in the sector France, ****, in % Source: ****

The sector is dominated by medium-sized and large companies (***). Microenterprises still account for **% of the market.

Breakdown of security revenues by company size France, ****, % Source: ****

Large companies are ...

3.2 Production costs for the entire sector

Production costs in the private security sector have increased slightly at an annual rate of *.*% over the past ** years [***].

evolution of production costs for private security France, **** - ****, base *** in **** Source: ****

The main costs in the sector are related to the personnel employed (***), nearly **% of whom are full-time. The average hourly ...

4.1 Products and/or services

The guarding gathers a whole of missions carried out by security agents. It is above all a question of protecting buildings, which can be done for example by the control of the entries and exits, rounds... The websites of Securitas and Atlas Sécurité give an outline of these missions related ...

4.2 Prices and household budgets

Arcadis, a private security company, presents on its website the rates for guarding according to the amount of time included in the contract. Given the intense competition in the sector, the prices should not differ much from those of Arcadis. On the other hand, the costs associated with specific services (***) per ...

4.3 The market is about to be revolutionized by startups

Considered for a long time as an essentially physical activity, security guarding has managed to resist direct digitalization (***). However, some start-ups are now challenging this idea.

A complementary offer to guarding for individuals

The start-up Securkeys offers to keep the keys of private individuals and return them in less than an ...

5.1 Rules specific to guarding

The code of internal security regulates the activities of private security companies. Title VII of Book II specifies the laws concerning guarding. Thus, when the size of a residential building justifies it, it is necessary for the inhabitants to provide guarding. [***] The main measures regulating guarding are as follows:

Administrative authorizations ...

5.2 The role of the CNAPS

The CNAPS (***) regulates the activities of private security companies. This organization has three missions:

Administrative police: delivery, suspension or withdrawal of authorizations, approvals and professional cards Disciplinary: on-site and off-site control of private security companies, and initiation of disciplinary action if necessary Advice and assistance tothe profession: answering questions from the ...