Avon France to be closed by end of October

Cosmetics giant Avon Products has decided to close its French operations by the end of the month.

Avon office in Paris says only current orders will be guaranteed and it is unsure if its self-employed representatives will be able to get supplies after the end of October.

Avon has been in France for almost 50 years.

It employs about 120 staff in Paris, supporting 11,000 representatives who visit customers in their own homes.

Angry workers in France have accused Avon of keeping them in the dark for months and not acting in line with Avon’s publically stated values of being a socially responsible company that upholds values of trust, respect and integrity and a culture of “open and candid communication”.

Further meetings are taking place between workers’ representatives and the management.

Avon is one of the world’s largest beauty companies and sells most of its products through direct selling by self-employed representatives who visit customers in their homes.

The US parent company has been through a string of reorganisations and management changes.

Two years ago, Avon turned down a takeover offer from rival cosmetic company Coty.