Printemps to close seven luxury stores in wake of Covid

French department store chain Printemps, a magnet for foreign shoppers seeking high-end goods in Paris, will close some of its operations in France as it struggles to cope with the coronavirus pandemic, the CGT union said.

Retailers have been hit hard by government-enforced lockdowns to curb the virus and those that depend on tourist flows have struggled to recover because international travel remains limited.

Printemps, which sells make-up and clothes for high-end brands like Burberry and Gucci, and is owned by Qatari investors, is particularly exposed to tourist flows, especially at its Paris Haussmann flagship store.