The Know Daily - Thursday 28 March

_{Read in 5m 24s ∙ Listening to Amaria ∙}

💕We’ll be back in your inbox as usual on Tuesday after the bank holiday break. If you want to hear from us before then, become a friend of The Know to get our Quarterly Hug direct to your inbox this weekend 💕

The Netherlands’ largest flower festival has returned - and it’s “pure tulip mania”, according to Time Out. Keukenhof is now in its 75th year, with the 2024 display made up of 7 million flowers overall, including irises, lilies and orchids.

🏕️ An Easter escape

Thursday afternoon is expected to be the busiest time on UK roads, as millions of Brits set off on Easter getaways.

More traffic is to be expected, right?
Right - the roads are always busy at the beginning of a bank holiday. But this weekend is expected to be even busier than normal as Easter coincides with the start of the school holidays. The worst traffic will be between 2pm and 7pm today, according to the RAC’s guide to the best and worst times to travel. 

Those travelling to the continent via Dover have also been advised to leave plenty of time for their journeys, as French authorities step up security checks at the port.

What about trains and planes?
Engineering works will impact rail journeys across the country, with London Euston closed between Good Friday and Easter Monday. National Rail has urged people to check their journey details before they travel - you can do so here.

When it comes to planes, several UK airports have told The Independent that this will be their busiest Easter ever, with passenger numbers expected to be above pre-pandemic levels.

Anything else I should know?
As BBC Weather points out, the fact that Easter falls in March means we probably won’t get the drier and more settled weather we’re hoping for.

However, what will make this bank holiday especially sweet is the clocks springing forward on Sunday. We’ll get an extra hour of daylight in the evening - with sunset at 7:30pm in London, and even later the further north you go. ☀️

🧶 The pre-loved market

Secondhand clothing is on track to take 10% of global fashion sales next year - but pre-loved platforms such as Vinted are still struggling to turn a profit.

So the secondhand market is growing?
Yep - and by a lot. It grew 18% globally in 2023, and is forecast to reach as much as $350bn by 2028, according to a new report for resale specialist ThredUp.

More than half of all shoppers reported buying something pre-loved in the past year. And while that figure rose to 65% among Gen Z and millennials, older buyers were also joining in on the trend - although they were more likely to buy in physical stores such as charity shops.

What’s driving the growth?
Two key things, says The Guardian: the rising cost of living, and a growing eco-awareness among shoppers. In addition, more brands are introducing their own resale programmes - something which ThredUp’s co-founder James Reinhart attributes to governments’ growing interest in cracking down on fast fashion.

Earlier this month, France’s lower house of parliament voted for a “pioneering” bill that would - if passed by the Senate - impose penalties on low-cost clothing.

So why aren’t secondhand sellers doing well? 
Despite the market growing overall, platforms such as ThredUp, Vinted and Depop have all posted losses - and it’s actually pretty hard to find a business that turns a profit, says the BBC. This is partly down to the hidden costs involved in processing pre-loved items, and partly down to the declining quality of secondhand clothing as ultra-fast fashion booms.

🌈 Rights win: Thailand is poised to become the first country in southeast Asia to legalise same-sex marriage, after its lower house of parliament overwhelmingly approved a bill.

💰 Energy PSA: UK households are being urged to submit meter readings this weekend to ensure they don’t overpay on energy when cheaper prices come in on Monday. 

🌊 Sewage spills: Water companies released raw sewage into England’s rivers and seas for a record 3.6m hours last year - more than double the 2022 figure. 

⚽ Rubiales latest: Spanish prosecutors are seeking a 30-month jail term for Luis Rubiales, the ex-head of the country’s football federation who kissed player Jenni Hermoso without her consent. 

🫣 A sorry sight: An “eyesore” sculpture of Prince Philip in Cambridge is to be taken down - years after it was put up without planning permission.

Help your friends feel better about the news - and support The Know at the same time. Get them to sign up using your personalised code 👉 https://theknowmedia.beehiiv.com/subscribe?ref=PLACEHOLDER 👈 and we’ll reward you with goodies from HURR, Grubby and CRU Kafe!

The Know is an independent media company on a mission to help everyone start their day feeling informed and hopeful. We only recommend things we genuinely love but sometimes we make money out of the links and content we share. This directly supports keeping our journalism free for all.

Here are four ways you can support our work:

⭐ Get clicking - this tells our partners that readers are interested in our content. Let’s get started with this one (or maybe this one!).

⭐ Become a friend of The Know - back independent, female-founded journalism for just £1.25 a week. You’ll also get exclusive editions, supporter-only giveaways and more.

⭐ Add us to your contacts or safe sender list - this makes sure we reach your inbox (and everyone else’s) each morning.

⭐ Shop our merch - support The Know and look great while doing it!

Trivia answer: C) Chris Lewis, 74, has set the Guinness World Record as the longest-serving lifeguard, having come to the aid of swimmers for 58 years 🤯.

Need fewer emails? Click here to hear from us once a week.