Year over year, France’s total spending on imported products fell by -4.7% from $814 billion in 2023.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2023, France uses the euro which depreciated by -3.5% against the US dollar since 2019 but appreciated by 2.6% from 2022 to 2023. The weaker European Union currency after 2019 made France’s imports paid for in stronger US dollars relatively more expensive when converted starting from the weaker euro.
Domestically, France’s inflation rate for average consumer prices increased by 5.634% in 2023 versus an average 5.904% for 2022.
France’s 5 most valuable imported products in 2023 include cars, petroleum gases, crude oil, refined petroleum oils, and automobile parts or accessories. Collectively, that leading subgroup represents over one-fifth (21.5%) of spending on all goods imported into France during 2023.
Taking a global perspective, French imports represent 3.1% of overall global imports which totaled an estimated $25.392 trillion in spending one year earlier during 2022. That percentages is lower than France’s 3.6% score for the prior period.
Best Suppliers for France’s Imported Products
The latest available country-specific data shows that 70.8% of products imported into France was supplied by exporters in: Germany (35.6% of France’s global total), mainland China (7.5%), Belgium (5.2%), Italy (5.1%), United States of America (4%), Spain (2.8%), Netherlands (2.7%), United Kingdom (2.2%), Switzerland (also 2.2%), Poland (1.8%), Türkiye (1.7%) and Ireland (1.3%).
Applying a continental lens, over three-fifths (61.9%) of France’s total imports by value in 2023 was purchased from fellow European countries. Trade partners in Asia satisfied 22.8% of import purchases by France while 8.3% worth originated from North America, with another 5.2% exported from African nations.
Note that 58.7% of France’s spending on imported products was collected by fellow members of the European Union.
Tinier percentages came from Latin America (1.4%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Oceania (0.3%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Given France’s population of 65.8 million people, its total $775.4 billion in 2023 imports translates to roughly $11,800 in yearly product demand from every person in the European Union nation. That per-capita average lags the $12,300 one year earlier in 2022.
France’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in France’s import purchases during 2023. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into France.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$107.3 billion (13.8% of total imports)
- Machinery including computers: $89.9 billion (11.6%)
- Vehicles: $87.4 billion (11.3%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $69.3 billion (8.9%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $36.3 billion (4.7%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $27 billion (3.5%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $23.3 billion (3%)
- Organic chemicals: $14.5 billion (1.9%)
- Iron, steel: $14.3 billion (1.8%)
- Articles of iron or steel: $14 billion (1.8%)
France’s top 10 imports accounted for well over three-fifths (62.3%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
The fastest growers among the top product categories were vehicles (up 19% from 2022), pharmaceuticals (up 11.9%), then machinery including computers (up 5.4%).
Leading the declines were France’s imports of mineral fuels including oil (down -31.9% from 2022) and organic chemicals (down -22.5%).
France’s Best Mineral Fuels Imports
In 2023, French importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.
- Petroleum gases: US$40.7 billion (down -35.8% from 2022)
- Crude oil: $31.2 billion (down -10.5%)
- Processed petroleum oils: $28.8 billion (down -22.4%)
- Electrical energy: $3 billion (down -81.9%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $1.8 billion (down -36.3%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $607.4 million (down -34.4%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $373.7 million (down -48.5%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $333.6 million (down -12.6%)
- Natural bitumen, asphalt, shale: $123.6 million (down -34.9%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $101.8 million (down -27.1%)
Among these import subcategories, French purchases of crude oil (down -10.5%), high temperature distilled coal tar oils (down -12.6%), then processed petroleum oils (down -22.4%) recorded the mildest setbacks from 2022 to 2023.
These amounts clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported fossil fuels-related products among French businesses and consumers.
France’s Best Machinery Imports
In 2023, French importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery-related products including computers.
- Turbo-jets: US$15 billion (up 24.3% from 2022)
- Computers, optical readers: $9.9 billion (down -9%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $3.8 billion (up 6.7%)
- Machinery parts: $3.3 billion (up 2.9%)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $3.2 billion (down -2.4%)
- Printing machinery: $3 billion (down -2.7%)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $2.9 billion (up 8%)
- Refrigerators, freezers: $2.8 billion (down -0.9%)
- Air or vacuum pumps: $2.6 billion (up 2.7%)
- Air conditioners: $2.5 billion (up 9.6%)
Among these import subcategories, French purchases of turbo-jets (up 24.3%), air conditioners (up 9.6%) then miscellaneous machinery (up 8%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.
These amounts and the percentages within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among French businesses and consumers.
France’s Best Vehicles Imports
In 2023, French importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles.
- Cars: US$46.3 billion (up 23.7% from 2022)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $19.3 billion (up 13.4%)
- Trucks: $8.1 billion (up 22%)
- Tractors: $5.6 billion (up 24.6%)
- Motorcycles: $2.3 billion (down -2.4%)
- Trailers: $1.4 billion (up 0.3%)
- Public-transport vehicles: $1.2 billion (up 27.4%)
- Motorcycle parts/accessories: $1 billion (down -14.1%)
- Special purpose vehicles: $669.5 million (up 17.6%)
- Automobile bodies: $611.2 million (up 32.6%)
Among these import subcategories, French purchases of automobile bodies (up 32.6%), public-transport vehicles (up 27.4%) then tractors (up 24.6%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.
These amounts and percentages within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported vehicles among French businesses and consumers.
France’s Best Electronics Imports
In 2023, French importers spent the most on the following subcategories of electrical products including consumer electronics.
- Phone system devices: US$13.7 billion (up 1.5% from 2022)
- Insulated wire/cable: $5.5 billion (up 5.9%)
- Integrated circuits/microassemblies: $5.1 billion (down -15.8%)
- Electric storage batteries: $4.3 billion (up 30.8%)
- Electrical converters/power units: $4.1 billion (up 11.3%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $3.9 billion (up 3.3%)
- TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $2.97 billion (down -7.9%)
- Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $2.96 billion (down -9%)
- Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $2.5 billion (up 25.8%)
- Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $2.3 billion (down -3.5%)
Among these import subcategories, French purchases of electric storage batteries (up 30.8%), electrical or optical circuit boards and panels (up 25.8%) then electrical converters and power units (up 11.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.
These amounts and the percentages within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among French businesses and consumers.
See also France’s Top Trading Partners, France’s Top 10 Exports and France’s Top 10 Major Export Companies
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles. Accessed on April 6, 2024
International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (National Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on April 6, 2024
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on April 6, 2024
Richest Country Reports, Key Statistics Powering Global Wealth. Accessed on April 6, 2024