UK retail sales volumes rose 1.2% in May, exceeding analyst forecasts, driven by record hot weather boosting sales of fans and paddling pools, alongside strong online purchases and promotions. Supermarkets saw a slight decline.
UK retail sales volume rose 1.2% in May, exceeding analyst forecasts, due to record hot weather boosting sales of fans and pools, strong online performance, and promotions. Supermarkets were the only sector to decline.
A VCIOM study reveals Russian internet users spend an average of 27,400 rubles ($374) monthly on online purchases, a 2.6-fold increase in five years. Clothing, footwear, and household goods are top online buys, while pets and large appliances are preferred offline.
A 22-year-old Hongkonger named Elio began smoking at 16 while studying abroad in New Zealand and developed a nicotine addiction to cope with stress about his uncertain future. Despite suffering a collapsed lung in 2020, he resumed smoking and drinking, then switched to e-cigarettes when tobacco taxes rose. After Hong Kong banned vape sales in 2022, he restricted himself to one capsule every three days—equivalent to 20 cigarettes of nicotine—but continues purchasing pods online privately to avoid enforcement.
