Russian citizens have been increasingly buying outdoor goods during the past few months, as research conducted by the Moscow-based think tank OFD Platform shows. For instance, since the withdrawal of the retail lockdown on May 12, physical sales of tents have increased by 11 percent from the same period of the previous year. In July of 2020, sales were 14 percent higher year-on-year – which, as the analysist said, is a record-breaking result.
On the other hand, the Russia’s ongoing economic crisis has undermined the purchasing power of the population. Russian citizens are opting for the cheapest outdoor goods. The average order size amounts to 2,371 rubles (€27.3-$32.3), which is 5 percent lower than during the same period of the previous year.
Russian citizens are currently barred from international travel, and so they are more interested in outdoor activities than ever, OFD Platform reported.
Some Russian stores have experienced a shortage of outdoor goods in the past few weeks, according to the local news outlet Yahta. They have in particular run out of sleeping bags and other camping goods. In some product categories, sales appear to be nearly five times higher than during the same period of the previous year, Yahta estimated.
Some stores have had to expand their staff to handle the increased customer flow, the analysts said.
