Several weeks ago, French President Nicolas Sarkozy told Parliament that the burka is not welcomed in France. Around the same time, a lady by the name of Carole was told to leave a swimming pool in a Paris suburb for wearing a burkini, supposedly for hygiene reasons. The casual observers might be forgiven to think that France has something against Muslims. But this week, a new development occured that may suggest otherwise.
It seems that French businesses know where there’s money to be made. This week France saw its first ever TV commercial on halal foods aired during the holy month of Ramadan. It looks like French supermarkets have discovered that sales do go up in the month of Ramadan. And it is no surprise that some 400 different halal products have appeared in French supermarkets. In the current economic situation, the halal market has suddenly become an important market for these supermarkets. Not surprisingly, spaghetti bolognese, pizza, gratin, ravioli, minestrone, milk and fruit, all strictly halal, have all sprung up on the shelves of French supermarkets. In supermarkets that offer halal food, Muslim customers could potentially account for up to 20% supermarket’s customer base.
How big is the halal market in France? One research agency says it is close to 4 billion euro for 2009, and is estimated to grow at annual rate of 15%. That’s big money, and so halal food is welcomed in France, but not the burka or the burkini.
How do the Muslim community think about this first ever halal food advertisement? French Arab Mounafia had this to say: “There are a lot of Arabs in this advert, and it’s the first time I’ve ever seen such a thing in France. Finally we count economically in this country.”
Think about it. Businessmen know where the opportunities are, and how to get a good return on investment. Do we?
Earlier posts:
Burka Not Welcome In France
Burkinis – Different Strokes In France And UK
I must say it was a smart move by the businesses, since most of the French footballers – many claimed to be world’s best – I know are Muslims. Expect big returns this season.