Many consumers and professionals in France, Europe and around the world find products and services that are distributed through efficient and well-functioning networks: franchises but also systems of commission-affiliation, license, concession, cooperatives, selective distribution or exclusive distribution in particular.
The French franchise system, leader in Europe and still growing steadily, has seen the number of its networks double over the last ten years. In fact, for 2017, the FFF (French Franchise Federation) estimated the number of franchise networks in 1976 at 74,102 points of sale, or 670,000 jobs and sales of 59.55 billion euros.
This is happening in established sectors while emerging trends are being confirmed. Historically, franchises mainly developed in the seventies and eighties for personal goods and household equipment, hotels, food and hairdressing. These sectors are continuing to flourish thanks to strong, mature and dynamic networks. A success that each year attracts new followers in several sectors, beyond various businesses: auto services, fast food and themed restaurants, services to persons, business services, building, cleaning, training, hotels, travel and real estate.
Clothing for children and adults, sports clothing and equipment, shoes, flowers, bakeries, perfumes, floor coverings, furniture, kitchens, leather goods, automotive equipment, tires, beauty products, toys, undertakers, and even renewable energy are all prosperous activities that call on various network heads.
Some of them are successfully finding their international growth drivers, whether through joint ventures, master franchises or direct franchises. In all cases, financing, protection of intellectual and industrial property rights, contractual practices, NICT and financial risk prevention are among the keys to their success, beyond in-depth knowledge of the chosen sector.
In these conditions, the law, taken from a cross-cutting dimension, is quite naturally an essential, if not primordial, instrument for all the players in these networks.
