Organizers of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games have begun selling products used in the Games as souvenirs and for reuse.
The first sales event took place on Saturday in the Parisian suburb of Saint-Denis. People who wanted to buy certain items waited in lines around the venue from early morning.
Various items displayed at outdoor booths included volunteers’ T-shirts, outfits worn by torch relay runners, and national flags used at medal ceremonies.
Pricing was budget-friendly, with cups costing about one US dollar and shirts 11 dollars, resulting in brisk sales.
One shopper said he bought a Japanese flag as soon as he found it. He added that his best friend was a judge in the goalball event, in which the Japanese team won gold. He said he spent about 275 dollars in total.
The organizing committee’s Circular Economy Manager Caroline Louis said the Paris Games were the first to focus on the circular economy, such as by encouraging reuse. She expressed hope that the Games helped people enjoy sports in daily life more than before, and contributed to boosting environmental activity.
Sales events will take place every weekend around France through mid-October.