Following the Prime Minister's announcement to "close all places receiving the public that are not essential to the life of the country" on Saturday March 14 at 8 p.m., the FNMJ (Fédération Nationale des Métiers de la Jardinerie ) called for the closure of garden centers and pet stores in France until further notice.
The same evening, the FNMJ stressed to the Government the vital importance of their networks in the feeding and care of animals.
Thus, following Bruno Le Maire's press conference on Sunday March 15 at 11 a.m., details were provided on the businesses being authorized to open. We therefore immediately sent the following information to their members:
- Pet stores can open without restriction,
- Garden centers can open on condition that they only allow access to animal and general food departments,
- Drive and Click & Collect are authorized for these products.
This rule still applies today and their members have the choice to open or not according to their respective situations and with scrupulous respect for the barrier gestures that we communicate to them regularly.
The announcement of the citizens’s confinement of the President of the Republic on Monday evening, March 16, did not change the situation of garden centers, which can still open by restricting their activity to animal and general food.
However, following the rapid development of the health emergency over the past two days, the FNMJ recommends that all its members wishing to continue to open their points of sale reduce now, both the number of opening days per week, as well as the opening hours (morning or afternoon). "Indeed, as we move inexorably closer to unprecedented difficulties for our country, our solidarity and unity will be essential to the maintenance of our health system."
This recommendation therefore intervenes in order to continue to protect the health of employees in the sector as well as customers, and will participate in the decongestion effort of our hospitals. "In addition, we must participate in this containment effort by not encouraging customers to move every day, but at precise and limited hours."
"We all have an essential role to play and we are convinced that we will overcome this crisis together. The FNMJ team, in teleworking, will continue to support its members in the management of this crisis and will keep journalists informed as soon as necessary."
For more information: www.jardinerie-animalerie-fleuriste.fr
