Collaborative economy, Syntec Numérique Odoxa survey December 2015

The French and the collaborative economy

• 82% of people surveyed have a positive opinion of it
• For83% of those surveyed, it saves money for an equivalent product or service.
• 65% of those interviewed have already used it or intend to do so

A phenomenon favored by the French population

The collaborative economy has emerged from its “niche” and is now part of everyone’s daily life: the survey reveals that more than 8 out of 10 French people are convinced by this new form of organization, and this near-unanimity is true across all categories of the population, young (85% of 18-24 year-olds) and old (82% of those aged 65 and over).

Concerned by the decline in their purchasing power, 83% of French people believe that collaborating with others saves them money on a product or service, as well as enabling them to meet new people (79%), reduce pollution (74%) and save time (66%).

The negative criteria proposed were overwhelmingly rejected: the idea that the collaborative economy would be primarily aimed at young people (56% think this is not the case), dangerous for employment (59% think not), or a passing fad (64% disagree).

The only downside is that 64% of French people believe that this economy presents many risks of scams, and this is a major challenge for the development of the collaborative economy. As these sites are not businesses like any others, they cannot guarantee the loyalty of all their “collaborators”, but they can reassure users about the security of payments, the reliability of rating systems and the possibility of recourse in the event of a problem.

French people are becoming more and more accustomed to this technology.

Often criticized for its cumbersome nature, France is nonetheless showing a real openness to the development of the sharing economy. While a few years ago studies showed a “niche” use (young urbanites in particular), today two-thirds of French people say they have already used it (36%) or intend to use it (29%) in the coming months, and only a third (34%) are not yet considering taking the plunge.

Users or future users are in the majority in all age categories, although the proportion of young people is higher than that of older people: 72% in the 18-25 age group (of whom 45% are current users), 54% in the 65+ age group (of whom 24% are current users), with a steady decline as age increases.

“This upheaval in the economy has been made possible by digital technology, which facilitates contact between economic players – whether professionals or private individuals – and their constant evaluation. The resulting competitiveness in terms of price and quality of service has led to high satisfaction rates, which are constantly boosting its adoption. Interestingly, two-thirds of French people believe that using these alternative modes of consumption saves time.

Above all, the majority of our fellow citizens reject the idea that this is an ephemeral movement reserved for young people. For them, the collaborative economy is aimed at all citizens, and is set to take root over the long term. It’s a formidable challenge for our companies, and a great opportunity for future generations, who will no doubt find in this sharing economy the solutions to many of the problems of our current lifestyles”. says Muriel Barnéoud, President of Syntec Numérique’s Collège éditeurs.