Additional resources and “new skills”. The state wants to find a buyer for the magazine with 60 million consumers, published by a public body since 1970, highlighting its difficulties while employees and even former minister delegate Olivia Grégoire deplore this decision.
For the former minister responsible for consumption, Olivia Grégoire, 60 million consumers is “the title of consumer information” which presents “the best guarantees of quality, neutrality and independence”.
The magazine has been published since 1970 by the National Institute of Consumption (INC), a public body based in Malakoff, in the Hauts-de-Seine, and which employs around fifty people.
Multiple alerts
While staff representatives have repeatedly warned in recent months of a deterioration in its financial health, the office of Secretary of State for Consumer Affairs Laurence Garnier announced to AFP on Monday that the State “wishes to take” measures to find a buyer for the magazine. .
The aim is “to provide the magazine with new resources and skills, which will allow it to attract new readers”. For the moment, no buyer has been identified.
“The sustainability of the title requires a professional and expert buyer in the sector, capable in particular of investing in digital and of leading a new marketing and commercial strategy”, further specifies Laurence Garnier’s office, noting that the magazine has been meeting “since several years” of “great difficulties”, with the number of subscribers rising from 140,000 in 2019 to 76,000 in 2024, and “a persistent deficit for 7 years, which has exhausted its cash flow”.
A significant point, in a context of seeking savings for the State, “this evolution of the magazine’s status will also contribute to optimizing the use of public funds”. A 2022 parliamentary report already mentioned a “gradual decrease in the amount of the grant” to the INC between 2012 and 2020, from €6.3 million to €2.7 million.
“Splendid” for employees
For the workers’ representatives, this is “astonishing”. At the beginning of November, they invited Prime Minister Michel Barnier to continue on the path chosen by the government led by Gabriel Attal, that of a “rebound scenario for the INC” through a “state financial contribution of 3.2 million of euros.
Monday’s announcement “is disastrous because it will considerably weaken the information provided by independent experts serving consumers, leaving more space for sponsored monologues by influencers and fake news on consumer problems”, worry the workers’ representatives, regretting that “the ‘Public interest is rarely financially profitable.”
“Will the first Secretary of State dedicated exclusively to consumerism sound the death knell for the National Consumer Institute? What will become of 60 million consumers without engineers, lawyers, economists… All these professions who have been working for the newspaper for a long time? What will become of the INC without its mainstream media? », ask the staff representatives, asking for “the maintenance and application of the Olivia Grégoire plan”.
In a statement sent to AFP, the latter said: “I bitterly regret that the arbitration I was able to obtain” in favor of a revival of the title through state investment “has not been maintained”. He addressed his “thoughts” “to the INC employees, as well as to the consumers who they have always tried to inform as best as possible.”
The INC was created in 1966 and is responsible for providing consumers with good information and “promoting responsible consumption”. It brings together a center for comparative testing of products and services, as well as a department of legal and economic studies, as specified on its website. Its employees said in early November that without urgent state help, the INC risked not making it through “the year 2025.”
How can traditional publications effectively adapt to modern consumer behavior in a digital landscape?
Interview: The Future of Consumer Information – An Insight with Olivia Grégoire and Time.news Editor
Time.news Editor (TNE): Welcome, everyone, to this special interview on the state of consumer information in France. Today, we’re joined by Olivia Grégoire, the former minister responsible for consumption, to discuss the recent decision by the government to seek a buyer for the magazine “60 Million Consumers.” Olivia, thank you for taking the time to talk with us.
Olivia Grégoire (OG): Thank you for having me. It’s a pleasure to be here.
TNE: Let’s dive right in. “60 Million Consumers” has been a staple of consumer information since 1970, backed by the National Institute of Consumption. Why do you believe handing this publication over to private ownership is a mistake?
OG: This magazine has always stood as the gold standard of consumer advocacy. It embodies quality, neutrality, and independence—values that I fear will be compromised under new ownership. The current government’s decision to find a buyer comes from a place of financial difficulty, but it overlooks the magazine’s significant role in promoting informed consumer choices.
TNE: You mentioned financial difficulties. Reports indicate that the magazine has seen a sharp decline in subscribers from 140,000 in 2019 to just 76,000 today. What do you think could have been done to retain those readers?
OG: The decline in subscription numbers is indeed alarming. In hindsight, the publication could have invested more in digital transformation and innovative marketing strategies to adapt to modern consumer behavior. Instead, the focus seemed to be on budget cuts rather than on modernizing and attracting new readers. We live in a time where consumers are bombarded with information—having a trusted source is more important than ever.
TNE: You mentioned the need for a professional buyer who can invest in digital capabilities. What kind of expertise do you believe is necessary to help “60 Million Consumers” thrive in a competitive landscape?
OG: A buyer needs to not only understand traditional publishing but also how to navigate the digital landscape effectively. This includes leveraging social media for outreach, improving user engagement through interactive content, and developing membership models that can create a sustainable revenue stream. Without this expertise, I worry the magazine could become irrelevant.
TNE: The government’s rationale is that this change will optimize the usage of public funds. Do you see any merit in this argument?
OG: The financial rationale is understandable, especially in the current climate of seeking savings. However, this decision raises pertinent questions about our commitment to independent consumer information. It may save money in the short term, but in the long term, we could lose a vital resource that empowers consumers and enhances market transparency.
TNE: Employee representatives have expressed their concerns over the implications of this sale. How detrimental do you think this shift could be for the employees and, ultimately, for the readers?
OG: The reaction from employees is completely justified. This decision doesn’t merely impact workers; it affects the integrity of information available to consumers. We could see a decline in specialized reporting, leaving a vacuum that could be filled by influencers and misinformation—far from the independent expertise that “60 Million Consumers” has traditionally provided.
TNE: As we wrap up, what steps do you recommend the government should take to ensure that consumer information remains reliable and accessible?
OG: My strong recommendation would be to invest directly in strengthening the publication rather than selling it off. A state financial contribution could help bridge the gap until the magazine establishes its footing in the digital marketplace. Supporting and promoting a model of transparency and consumer advocacy aligns with the public interest, and the government should reconsider its current approach with that in mind.
TNE: Thank you, Olivia, for your insights into this pressing issue. We hope for a bright future for consumer advocacy in France.
OG: Thank you for having me. Let’s all hope for a solution that serves the public good.