France's heatwave breaks records, with people rushing to supermarkets early in the morning to stock up; deodorant sales surge nearly 50%
Recently, France's meteorological agency stated that this heatwave is the strongest on record. The cashback app "10%" has processed over 300,000 receipts during this period. When compared to the two weeks prior, French people’s daily routines have been completely disrupted.
The first change is in timing of outings. 32.7% of transactions now occur between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m.—up from 28.9% previously. During the hottest part of the day, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., transaction share dropped from 35.6% to 32.2%—no one wants to brave the supermarket under the scorching midday sun.
Diet has also shifted entirely. Cold food now accounts for 55.7%, up from 38.7%; hot meals have dropped by 17 percentage points. Ice cream is now present in one-third of shopping carts. A supermarket employee said, "The ice cream section now needs dedicated staff monitoring—it's the most critical area in the store, and it can't run out."
But the most amusing trend is in non-food categories—the top-selling item: deodorant, up 43%.
Even body odor has become measurable through sales curves. This wave of extreme heat has laid bare the truth of "lifestyle data" in France. Early queues, cold food as the staple, constant ice cream supply, and deodorant always at hand—a full set of strategies. Far from fighting the weather head-on, the French are reorganizing their entire 24-hour rhythm.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1870244005441544/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author.