Putin’s War Upended Consumer Economy in Ways Pandemic Didn’t
- Retail trade had sharpest drop since 2015 and slump continues
- Broader economy fared better than expected under sanctions
A closed Uniqlo store at a shopping mall in Moscow on Feb. 13.
Source: AFP/Getty Images
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Navigating a wartime consumer economy is proving expensive and time consuming for Larisa Rudenko.
The 45-year-old homemaker from Voronezh, in central Russia, says buying clothes for her teenage daughter has become all but impossible after the disappearance of cheaper western brands while the Russian knockoffs are too pricey and outdated. With the family’s budget stretched, the choices are no easier when it comes to food or durables.