Amazon has been told to withdraw its advertising for pre-Black Friday discounts in France after the government decided it was unfair for small shops who had been forced to close.
Since Friday October 30, France has been under another national lockdown, which includes the closure of non-essential stores.
Junior Economy Minister Agnes Pannier-Runchaer asked Amazon to suspend its campaign around pre-Black Friday sales.
READ MORE: Why Amazon Prime Day may have ruined the Golden Quarter for UK retailers
Speaking to Europe 1 radio on October 31, Pannier-Runchaer said “it was not at all appropriate at a time when 200,000 businesses will have to shut their doors”.
Originally, Amazon France’s campaign would run between October 26 and November 19, a week before Black Friday on November 27.
The decision comes as England also prepares to move into a second national lockdown on Thursday.
Non-essential retailers that rely on bricks and mortar stores across the country now face one of the most difficult ‘golden quarters’ in living memory, as they contend with enforced closures for all of November.
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