Winter sales: five weeks instead of six

Winter sales were supposed to be shortened and to cover 4 weeks instead of six, like this year. This matter should be met halfway then: five weeks of winter sales for 2002. It is the wish of François Patriat anyway, State secretary in charge of commerce, who suggested the following dates: from January 9th to February 17th 2002. At the beginning of the month, Laurent Fabius, minister of the Economy, already announced he was in favour of setting the same date for the end of the period of sales and the end of the use of the franc planned on February 17th. For next summer sales, François Patriat expressed another wish: one starting date all over France, which would be on July 4th 2001.