Many French people fear being penalized by the choice of large banking groups.
For several years, many changes have been made by banks. Customers have changed their habits and establishments have adapted their services to best meet demand. Adjustments which, over the years, could nevertheless penalize some French people. Recent decisions by several large banking groups risk having repercussions on the daily lives of households. And this, in the short term since the effects are already being felt.
Many banks are planning to close part of their branches soon. By 2027, around 4,200 branches of different banks should close, according to Damien Schmitt, from the management consulting firm Sia Partners, interviewed by Le Figaro. According to forecasts, it is mainly agencies located in city centers that could bear the brunt of this policy. The first details are already known.
This will be particularly the case for Crédit Mutuel which, among Echoesindicated that by 2027, all agencies with fewer than seven employees would be closed. Its president, Daniel Baal, however, did not indicate how many establishments this would concern. For its part, Société Générale also planned to trim the real estate and social fat: by the end of the year, 650 agencies were to lower the curtain, according to management forecasts, leading to the elimination of 900 positions. Figures that the press service did not confirm to Linternaute.
For its part, the CCF (formerly HSBC) has already announced the color: 84 closures are planned as well as 1,400 layoffs. Finally, BNP indicates to Linternaute that “agency groupings and network adjustments are continuing”, without giving any figures on possible agency closures over the coming months.
This policy results from a change in customer practices. Only one in three physically visits an agency every quarter. However, on a national scale, France would remain the country with the largest banking presence per inhabitants. Today there are 492 agencies per 1 million homes, compared to 371 in Spain, 231 in Germany and even 40 in the Netherlands.
Beyond the reduction in human contact between the banker and his customers, these closure decisions could cause a more serious problem for the French: the drop in the number of ATMs. Generally, they are attached to agencies.
If these close, the distributors will also disappear. As it is city center agencies that should lower the curtain, the impact should however be limited. However, some establishments charge fees when withdrawals are made at banks other than the one where the customer is engaged.