Energy crisis dims festive sparkle in Europe’s shops

Retailers in Europe are having to strike a delicate balancing act with this year’s Christmas displays: how to create enough festive sparkle to loosen cash-strapped customers’ purse-strings, while acknowledging the impact of the energy crisis.

Across much of Europe, in cities from Madrid to Frankfurt, there will be fewer, more energy efficient lights, switched off earlier at night, while shops will be heated less, in a show of solidarity with households facing soaring utility bills, reports Reuters.

Even in Paris, known as the City of Lights, they will be dimmer this year.

What the French government calls “sobriety measures” come as retailers are seeking to draw in shoppers with events and extravagant window displays – eager to resume celebrations disrupted by the pandemic and wary that this Christmas could be the worst in at least a decade as shoppers plan to curb spending due to the rising cost of living.