Will the end of lockdown prompt the sale of the century?

Struggling retailers stuck with unsold stock after weeks of lockdown are slashing prices, but there are not the only ones: airlines, hotels and restaurants are also offering special deals to woo consumers. In retail, the biggest price reductions tend to be on goods that have sat on store shelves for weeks and are now seen as out of date. Seasonal clothing is a particular headache for the industry. Yet retailers have less need to discount other products, from video games to bicycles, that have sold well during the lockdown. Casual "athleisure" clothing is in demand because people working from home want something comfortable to wear.

The outlook for prices is also cloudy in other sectors, including aviation. Lower fares may tempt passengers to book, but will only add to financial pressure on airlines, many of which are already strapped for cash because of the grounding of the global fleet. Several airlines have said they are braced for a price war as restrictions on travel are slowly loosened.

Whether special offers will be enough to tempt back customers — many of whom remain worried about catching Covid-19 in planes, restaurants or shopping malls — is also an open question.

full article: Will the end of lockdown prompt the sale of the century?