Voluntary

chain

The voluntary chain is a form of distribution: these are independent companies wishing to carry out promotional and marketing actions together.

The French Federation of Voluntary Chains (FFCVN) considers the voluntary chain as “an association of independent traders formed on the initiative of one or more wholesalers to ensure the coordination of wholesale and retail functions, to organize the purchase and sale in companies but respecting the legal and financial independence of each of them”.

The voluntary chain shares commonalities with candor, including the exclusive sourcing obligation and the brand or brand license.

The essential difference between these contracts is the characteristic obligation of the franchise contract, namely the transmission of know-how from the head of the network to its franchisees. This know-how transmitted involves managing and assisting points of sale, in addition to the provision of commercial, managerial and marketing methods in particular.

The voluntary chain is a less successful distribution model than the franchise, it provides the purchasing function but also certain functions such as management and assistance at points of sale. The contract for access to the chain may sometimes include the obligation to submit to a certain commercial policy that is similar to a concession contract. When the head of the network transmits know-how to its partners, the voluntary chain must be qualified as a franchise contract.