In France, Clothing Reigns Supreme During Winter Sales Period

France’s winter sales period—a government-regulated nationwide sale, which ran from January 11, 2017, to February 21, 2017—just wrapped up.

Nearly 72% of internet users in France ages 18 and older said they bought apparel during the sale, according to a February 2017 report from Toluna.

Leading Product Categories Purchased by Internet Users in France During the Winter Sales Period*, Feb 2017 (% of respondents)

Winter sales periods have been extended to six weeks since January 2015, one week longer than previous years.

Clothes are by far the most popular purchase. Sporting goods was a distant second—bought by just a third of respondents.

Roughly 18% of those polled purchased personal care and beauty products as well as home furnishings during the sales period.

Electronics weren’t a big hit during the winter sale: Just 14.0% of those surveyed said they bought consumer electronics.

Because of the recent extension, however, it’s hard to say whether there’s more enthusiasm for the winter sales period in France, or whether the additional week eventually pushed more people to make a purchase than they otherwise might have.