Cafes in France Losing Customers in Droves Due to Smoke
05/20/06
Only 41% of French visit cafes regularly, down from 81% in 1997
PARIS (AFP) - The French have been deserting their country's trademark cafes in droves in the past decade, preferring more sophisticated bars or other smoke-free venues, a study showed. Only 41 percent of French people said they regularly visited cafes -- compared to 81 percent in 1997 -- although a majority still said they saw them as an important part of French culture.
Asked why they had changed habits, consumers cited high prices, smoke, and a lack of good music or entertainment, according to the study on consumption patterns, carried out for the drinks group France Boissons.
The move away from cafes also signaled a broader trend, with 80 percent of people saying they were now staying in more often, because of rising prices and the challenge of finding smoke-free areas.
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