Amazon drops ad campaign on French Black Friday as lockdown begins.

Key points:

1.  Amazon is removing advertisements for pre-Black Friday discounts in France.
2. The opening of non-essential stores requires the curbs put under it.
3. A page with discounted goods under the heading “Black Friday ahead of time” was live on Saturday on its French website.
4. Black Friday, a discount shopping day that takes place globally, typically corresponds with U.S. Friday.
5. The French campaign by Amazon was due to run around Oct. 26 and Nov. 19.
6. On Friday, Fnac Darty, which sells books as well as electronic goods.

Just after the government said the promotion was unfair to smaller stores at a time when a coronavirus lockdown forced them to close, Amazon is removing advertisements for pre-Black Friday discounts in France.

To try to curb a surge in infections, France entered its second national lockdown on Friday. The opening of non-essential stores requires the curbs put under it.

The group has decided to end its radio advertisement campaign around pre-Black Friday sales, a spokesperson for Amazon said.

However, a page with discounted goods under the heading “Black Friday ahead of time” was live on Saturday on its French website.

Agnes Pannier-Runchaer, the Junior Economy Minister, said that she had asked Amazon to stop the initiative. She told Europe 1 radio on Saturday, “it was not at all necessary at a time when 200,000 companies would have to close their doors.”

Black Friday, a discount shopping day that takes place globally, typically corresponds with U.S. Friday. The weekend of Thanksgiving.The French campaign by Amazon was due to run around Oct. 26 and Nov. 19.

During the country’s first lockdown this spring, after clashing with unions over sanitary conditions there, the online retailer had to close some of its warehouses in France.

Asked if Amazon will be allowed to continue a promotion this year for Black Friday sales, Pannier-Runacher said it was not yet clear. It’s a problem we’re going to have to work with all the retailers on, “she said.”

For at least the next two weeks, French establishments, cafes and shops that do not sell essential products will have to close.

In particular, the regulations caused an uproar across the nation over bookstores, with opposition politicians and literary figures pressing for them to stay open.

On Friday, Fnac Darty, which sells books as well as electronic goods, said it would close down its culture section out of solidarity in the coming weeks after chain stores came under attack as some would stay open.