French share their way through recession

The French are responding to Europe’s stagnant economy by sharing rather than consuming.

People have seen that, statistically, most people with a power drill use it for 12 seconds each year, so now they are wondering: why bother buying one?

The same principle is being extended to a widening range of goods and services – from children’s toys to commuting – saving billions in the process.

Advocates for collaborative consumption describe it as a revival of the old way of doing things – sharing, renting, swapping – but for the internet generation.

Al Jazeera’s Charlie Angela reports from Paris.