(FILES) People walk past a board displayed on the shop window of a department store advertising discounts up to 50 % on the first day of the French summer sales in Paris on June 25, 2025. 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 Emma DA SILVA / AFP via Getty Images)