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The Dakar traders, some of whom gathered in the collective "Auchan dégage", accused the French brand of causing their slow death. And policies join the protest.
"The customers are sorely lacking, says Mohamed Moustapha Leye, owner of a food stall in the Dakar market of Castor. It's hard to know how long we will keep in these conditions. "In the viewfinder of the trader: the brand Auchan, which is expanding rapidly in Senegal.
At the Castor market, a collective "Auchan dégage" has recently emerged to denounce the voracity of the French group. "We are ready to fight," says Mohamed Moustapha Leye. It's about our survival for all. Even moms who sell small things retail have no customers. "
An insolent growth
With twenty supermarkets in Dakar, more than 1,500 employees and projects all over the country, Auchan Senegal has experienced an insolent growth since the opening of its first store in the capital, in 2015 – helped by the financial strength of the group belonging to the wealthy Mulliez family. At the heart of this success, very low prices and a location in both the wealthy and popular areas of the capital.
"Above all, they took advantage of a legal deficit to occupy all strata of trade, said Ousmane Sy Ndiaye, executive director of the National Union of traders and industrialists of Senegal (UNACOI). Result: they compete with everyone, even the traditional market! As for their so competitive prices, one may wonder whether this is not dumping intended to acquire a de facto monopoly in Senegal.
Consequences on employment?
According to Ousmane Sy Ndiaye, at least 1,500 small traders in the capital's markets would now face repayment difficulties vis-à-vis the banks. Not to mention the situation of semi-wholesalers and their difficulties in obtaining supplies from wholesalers. "Auchan captures all," he says.
In the eyes of his detractors, the voracity of Auchan could prove to be dramatic in terms of jobs. According to the National Agency for Statistics and Demography, Senegal's economic fabric is composed almost exclusively of informal enterprises (97%), with an over-representation of commercial activities (52%). At the slightest shock, this prevalence can therefore have dramatic consequences for the job market.
"We disturb"
"Thanks to the many potential industrial ramifications, mass retailing can also be a source of many jobs, estimates Laurent Leclerc, General Manager of Auchan Senegal. It also benefits the Senegalese economy, by paying VAT, various taxes and customs duties. This money can help build schools and hospitals – something the informal economy does not do. If Auchan makes so much noise in Senegal, it is because we disturb by forging new habits. It forces others to adapt.
With the prospect of elections scheduled for next February, the Auchan Senegal affair has inevitably political resonance. Candidate for the presidential election, former tax inspector Ousmane Sonko has gone on a crusade against supermarkets in Senegal. "Personally, I have nothing against Auchan in particular – and my criticism is not animated anti-French feeling, he explains to Young Africa . But these banners, which do not employ many people, risk destroying thousands of jobs. Our country is not ready to face globalization. We must be able to protect our businesses before delivering them to international competition. »19659016]
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