High inflation rate pushes more Belgians to go cross-border shopping in France
More and more Belgians are shopping across the border in France, as they are able to save up to 30% on certain products, as Belgium's inflation lies higher than many of its neighbouring countries.
Belgium's inflation rate rose to 4.4% in January, according to statistics based on the European harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP).
While Belgium's inflation has increased, it has gone down in neighbouring countries, such as Germany, France and the Netherlands, the Federal Public Service (FPS) Finance of Belgium reported.
One shopper spoke to press agency EBU and said they were able to buy a month's worth of food for almost 300 euro, "I'll never make it in Belgium."
'At the moment, olive oil is cheaper than back home. Fish is cheaper and fresher. What kills me is that Belgian products are cheaper here than back home,' they added.
Another shopper said they come almost every week. "Drinks are cheaper here. Fruits are cheaper too. In Belgium, strawberries cost 8 euros, here it's 4 euros', she explained.
A popular shopping destination is the Roncq shopping center, some 15 kilometres from the French city of Lille and just 4 kilometres from the border. Shoppers say that they are able to save a significant amount of money, despite the additional costs for petrol to get there.
On average, Belgians save almost 30 euro in France on a shopping basket of 100 euro.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fashion Network
26 minutes ago
- Fashion Network
Lectra names Maximilien Abadie as deputy managing director
Lectra, the French specialist in digital solutions and cutting equipment for the soft materials industry, has appointed Maximilien Abadie, a member of its executive committee, as deputy managing director. Abadie has been working at Lectra for nearly 14 years. He was named head of strategy and products in 2022, having previously been in charge of corporate acquisitions and partnerships. Abadie notably masterminded the acquisitions of TextileGenesis and Launchmetrics, the eighth and ninth acquisitions made by Lectra since 2018. 'He has enabled the group to expand and assume a new dimension,' said CEO Daniel Harari. 'His main mission will be to continue to accelerate the deployment of our SaaS (software as a service) services. I have no doubt that he will manage to enable Lectra to reach new milestones in extending our services, whose positive impact on our business model we have already seen.' Lectra said that Abadie, working alongside the CEO and the executive committee, will be in charge of defining the group's strategy as well as its deployment. He will still oversee the group's external growth initiatives, while also supervising Lectra's product strategy. In 2024, Lectra reported revenue of €526,7 million, equivalent to 10% growth over fiscal 2023, with EBITDA of €91.1 million, up 15%.
Fashion Network
26 minutes ago
- Fashion Network
Lectra names Maximilien Abadie as deputy managing director
Lectra, the French specialist in digital solutions and cutting equipment for the soft materials industry, has appointed Maximilien Abadie, a member of its executive committee, as deputy managing director. Abadie has been working at Lectra for nearly 14 years. He was named head of strategy and products in 2022, having previously been in charge of corporate acquisitions and partnerships. Abadie notably masterminded the acquisitions of TextileGenesis and Launchmetrics, the eighth and ninth acquisitions made by Lectra since 2018. 'He has enabled the group to expand and assume a new dimension,' said CEO Daniel Harari. 'His main mission will be to continue to accelerate the deployment of our SaaS (software as a service) services. I have no doubt that he will manage to enable Lectra to reach new milestones in extending our services, whose positive impact on our business model we have already seen.' Lectra said that Abadie, working alongside the CEO and the executive committee, will be in charge of defining the group's strategy as well as its deployment. He will still oversee the group's external growth initiatives, while also supervising Lectra's product strategy. In 2024, Lectra reported revenue of €526,7 million, equivalent to 10% growth over fiscal 2023, with EBITDA of €91.1 million, up 15%.
LeMonde
30 minutes ago
- LeMonde
Paris Games balloon returns to French capital, minus the Olympic name
The 2024 Summer Olympics might be over, but French authorities are hoping Parisians and tourists can "relive" last year's magic when the iconic symbol of the Games returns next week. During the Paris Games, the Olympic cauldron tethered to a balloon flew into the Parisian sky at sunset every day, with thousands flocking to see the seven-meter wide ring of environmentally friendly fire. On Thursday evening, President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo visited the Tuileries Garden near the Louvre, where workers were installing the redesigned balloon and ring. "We are going to relive this!" a beaming Macron said in a video posted on X. The balloon, which will no longer carry the Olympic branding, will take to the skies on June 21 during France's annual Fête de la Musique festival of street music. It will be accessible to visitors every summer evening from June 21 to September 14 for the next three years, until the next edition of the Games in Los Angeles in 2028. Its flame made up of clouds of mist lit by LED rays will remain the same. The flame is still "100 percent electric," according to Pierre Viriot, communications director at state-owned power utility EDF. But unlike last year, it will be turned off at night. The reconstruction of the balloon and the ring was financed by the Olympic Organizing Committee and EDF.
