A new study undertaken by Worldpanel by Numerator indicates that ‘bulk is better’ for many French consumers, with more than two fifths (40.6%) purchasing items in bulk when they visit the store.
This is a 1.6% percentage point increase on the previous year, indicating a ‘sign of a renewed interest in this more sustainable mode of consumption among the French’, according to the report.
‘Deeply rooted’
Worldpanel by Numerator says that the motivating factors that encourage French consumers to buy in bulk have become more ‘deeply rooted’ in consumer consciousness, with two thirds (64%) of consumers saying they buy in bulk to ensure they have the right quantity of product, while 52% say they do so to reduce the amount of unnecessary packaging they accrue.
‘Less packaging, less waste: strong convictions at the heart of the purchase,’ it said.
However, despite the slight growth in user base, bulk shopping remains largely infrequent, with French households that consume bulk products doing so 5.5 times per year, on average, the data showed.
Their average basket size is €8.11, leading to an annual spend on bulk items of approximately €45.50 per household. This represents a 3.2% increase in yearly spending compared to 2024, according to the data.
The study also highlights a couple of obstacles to more widespread adoption of bulk products – the perception that bulk products are more expensive, and questions around hygiene.
Price levels
Separate data from Insee, the French statistics body, indicated that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in France rose by 1.0% year-on-year in July, maintaining the same rate of increase as recorded in June, with the price of food and services showing a slight acceleration.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices increased by 0.2% in July 2025, compared to a 0.4% rise in June. Read more here and here.
