Around 10% of in-store and 18% of online purchases of retail items are returned after the holidays, which totaled to $48B last year. This holiday season, the National Retail Federation is projecting $860B in returns.

It comes as the economy continues to move toward a full reopening.

COCKEYSVILLE, Maryland (AP) — People used to go to Valley View Farms to buy five tomato plants and end up with $5,000 in patio furniture. This year is different. After a record burst of sales in March, the showroom floor is almost empty of outdoor chairs, tables and chaises for people to buy.

Roscoe Street stores face competition for workers, shortage of products even as shoppers come back after Covid-19 restrictions end.

More companies are working toward a circular economy, potentially indicating a critical shift from rapidly buying more new stuff to supporting reuse, repair and resale. Such a shift could create a turning point that puts consumerism on a more sustainable path.

Western consumers are starting to indulge in services that were off limits during the lockdown. Businesses, economists and policy makers are trying to discern whether that shift will mean a cutback in spending on goods.