A customer walks past the entrance of a department store bearing a placard promoting French summer sales on the opening day in Beziers, Southern France, on June 24, 2026. The summer sales kick off on June 24, 2026, amid scorching heat, "a godsend" for air-conditioned department stores where consumers take refuge, but a source of concern for downtown shops, which fear purchases will shift to ultra-fast-fashion online platforms. (Photo by Gabriel BOUYS / AFP via Getty Images)