While the coronavirus pandemic has affected France’s construction sector, going forward there are new opportunities for domestic cement producers as they support a shift in focus, creating a different landscape to address climate change. By Syndicat Français de l’Industrie Cimentière (SFIC), France.

France was hit by the unprecedented and unexpected COVID-19 pandemic health crisis in March 2020. To slow the spread of the virus, the country’s president announced a strict nationwide lockdown which came into effect on 17 March and had caused an abrupt halt in economic activity.

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In April (which represents a full month of lockdown), economic activity fell by 30 per cent against normal activity, according to the French National Institute of Statistics (INSEE). As a result, the country’s GDP is expected to drop by around nine per cent in 2020.