Recently, the French federation of wholesale markets took stock of how management status has evolved, following a reform that was introduced some four years ago.

Generally, managers of French wholesale sites are quite happy about what has happened since the reform. Of course, it has not been a bed of roses - but on the other hand, it has not been a total failure. The new deal implemented by the state provided more dynamism in terms of management, made for better relations between the market authorities and the tenants (if this was the only positive point to have been drawn from the reform, it would still certainly have been worth it), and created a real separation between the markets’ management boards and the traditional owners of the markets, i.e. town authorities and regional councils.

Wholesale markets have invested heavily in the modernisation of their premises, ploughing some €250 million (£191.4m) into improvements between 2003 and 2007. This has probably made them feel they have secured their future.

Now, they want to act on behalf of their commercial neighbourhood, primarily on the sensitive subject of urban deliveries, and also in securing the durable aspects of the trade (alternative transport, waste management and so forth).

Wholesalers also want to push promotions on local produce, and lead a proactive policy in order to find new companies from the area which can supply them. These points form key tenets of the federation‘s strategic plan.

Meanwhile, on another note, wholesale markets that do not have the “national interest” label refuse to give up, despite the competition they are facing.

Wholesalers in the town of Béziers, in Languedoc in the south-west of France, have taken the decision to run their market by themselves. Some 16 companies joined together as an ad hoc body and negotiated with the town authority, the then landlord of the market, which was unwilling to invest in the site’s future.

The wholesalers are now in charge of the management, and the premises, of the market. The fighting spirit of the local residents, known as Biterrois, is renowned, especially on a rugby field: who among us doubted it would fail to show itself when the life of a wholesale market was at stake?