00:00Many shoppers were still out on the shopping streets doing last-minute Christmas shopping.
00:06Since online orders no longer arrive in time, brick-and-mortar stores benefit particularly in the days leading up to Christmas.
00:14As pressure mounts on late shoppers, retailers are now racing against the clock.
00:18Gift vouchers, toys, books and fashion are once again in high demand.
00:23Retailers in Austria are pleased and expect a modest but slight increase in sales this year.
00:30Last-minute also?
00:31Ja, leider.
00:32Haben Sie es früher nicht geschafft?
00:35Nein, eigentlich nicht.
00:36Mit Doni haben wir ein bisschen Stress gehabt, deswegen ist es jetzt anders leider nicht ausgegangen.
00:40Aber wir hoffen jetzt mal, dass wir die letzten noch finden und dann soll sich alles gut ausgehen.
00:44Ich glaube, es war ein solides Weihnachtsgeschäft angesichts der Rahmenbedingungen.
00:48Wir dürfen nicht vergessen, woher wir kommen.
00:50Schwierige Phase der letzten zwei Jahre.
00:53Ein kleines Plus, so hoffen wir uns, ja.
00:55Aber das ist trotzdem einfach in dem setting ein gutes, solides Ergebnis of kein euphorischer Jubel.
01:02In Lille, France's third largest wholesale market, the excitement is at its peak and everything is negotiable.
01:09Surrounded by pallet trucks and crates of fruit and vegetables,
01:12at this market more than thousand tons of produce were sold in a single day.
01:16In central Athens, streets filled with people carrying shopping bags.
01:33Girls dressed as Santa Claus welcomed residents and tourists alike,
01:38singing and dancing to the sound of festive Christmas music.
01:41Shop windows and streets were filled with glittering decorations, festive music and colourful lights the day before Christmas Eve.
01:48However, shop owners say they are experiencing a slower pace this year,
01:53noting increased financial concerns among consumers.
01:56In general, the world has an opportunity, but it is very supportive and looks at first the portfolio
02:04and then to solve the needs that they have.
02:10I see it as a shop owner, because the people who were more comfortable in the past,
02:16they are more destructive and maintain their prices until the end.
02:22While some Orthodox churches celebrate Christmas on January 7, Greece celebrates Christmas on December 25.
02:30This is because the Greek Orthodox Church follows the Revised Julian calendar,
02:33which currently aligns with the Gregorian calendar for fixed old days, such as Christmas.
