SUMMARY
This study by Intercommunalités de France analyzes the role of the local economy (food retail, construction and personal services sectors) as a pillar of regional attractiveness and vitality.
The methodology is based on an unprecedented survey conducted by Intercommunalités de France of 345 companies with fewer than 250 employees (distributed by CCI France and CGAD in April 2025), supplemented by interviews with 20 intercommunalités between March and May 2025 to identify best practices in both rural and urban areas.
The study shows how these activities, which cannot be relocated, contribute to local employment, social cohesion and territorial resilience. The publication also highlights the ways in which local authorities can support these players: economic strategies, network management, support for business start-ups and transfers, and integration into regional planning and development policies.
Keywords: crafts, best practices, local commerce, local economic development, local employment, companies with fewer than 250 employees, territorial resilience, local services, personal services, rural and urban areas, vitality of town centers.
Illustration: Intercommunalités de France ©
10 proposals from intercommunalités de France to support the local economy:
1/ Develop and update a contact database to invite, dialogue and better understand the needs of small businesses in the local economy, and put them in touch with each other.
2/ Improve the accessibility of town and village centers and commercial outletsto ensure they continue to attract customers (pedestrian walkways, bicycle and car parking, public transport, etc.) in a context of aging populations.
3/ Coordinate commercial and artisanal offerings on an inter-communal scale (inter-communal management of action cœur de ville and petites villes de demain programs) to ensure that offerings complement each other and meet the needs of all communities in the catchment area.
4/ Encourage the transfer/takeover of businesses via support structures (consular chambers and business start-up support) to maintain know-how and jobs.
5/ Support the modernization and enhancement of physical reception areas (stores, etc.) to maintain the appeal of town centers (support fund).
6/ Introduce local residents and employees to the products and services available in the area (guide to artisans and shops, trade fairs and markets, participative financing of projects, etc.) to encourage local consumption.
7/ Acquire and make available small surface areas (land, workshops, business premises) on a lease or hire-purchase basis to encourage the installation or transfer of tradespeople and craftsmen.
8/ Help local businesses to improve their recruitment conditions and methods to make their businesses more attractive (employer groups, etc.).
9/ Continue to open up public procurement to VSEs, SMEs and SSE players (allotment, grouping, inclusion of environmental and social inclusion criteria, etc.).
10/ Support the digitalization of retailers and craftsmen and their adaptation to environmental requirements (compliance with standards, waste ....)
L’image présente une infographie aux tons doux qui met en avant la dynamique de l’artisanat comme un tissu économique en constante régénération. Elle indique que 250 000 entreprises artisanales ont été créées en 2023, soulignant le renouvellement permanent du secteur. Elle montre aussi le vieillissement d’une partie des dirigeant·es, avec 25 % de personnes de plus de 60 ans et 11 % de plus de 66 ans, ce qui met en évidence l’enjeu de la transmission. Enfin, elle annonce que 700 000 entreprises devront être transmises entre 2022 et 2032, rappelant l’importance de l’accompagnement des porteur·euses de projets et des repreneur·euses pour assurer la continuité et la vitalité économique des territoires.
L’image est une infographie aux couleurs claires qui met en avant le poids important de l’économie de proximité en matière d’emploi. Elle indique qu’en 2024, 84 % des intercommunalités comptent plus d’un emploi privé sur trois dans les secteurs du commerce de détail alimentaire, du bâtiment et des services aux personnes, soulignant leur rôle central dans l’emploi local. Elle précise également la place de l’économie sociale et solidaire, qui représente 14 % de l’emploi privé et 10 % du produit intérieur brut. L’ensemble de ces chiffres montre l’importance de ces activités pour la vitalité économique des territoires et pour l’emploi des habitant·es, quels que soient les contextes territoriaux.
