Marijuana could soon be legalised in Copenhagen, after the city voted overwhelmingly in favour of a scheme that would see the drug sold through a network of state-run shops and cafes.

So when I revisited Moscow, the Russians were stuffing themselves on a rich diet from the daily newspapers, although they still queued up for meat and vegetables in the state-run shops.

Little markets selling delicious fresh produce do exist, but state-run shops are woefully inadequate.

Liulichang, southwest of the Front Gate, is a long street flanked by state-run antique shops where many travelers pick up a few Chinese-style vases or calligraphy works.

The Serbian authorities, who have issued a written order to block food and commercial goods to all but state-run shops in Kosovo, have effectively cut supplies to Glogovac and nearby rebel-held areas.

The free-market stalls specialize in goods manufactured in China but intended for export, so none of the state-run shops have this particular kind of merchandise.

With 25,000 square feet of shopping space, Shannon remains popular for its low prices, which are due in part to its being one of the few European airports with state-run duty-free shops.

He could not afford the $110 for a battery someone brought from West Germany, so he wound up getting one from the friend of a relative who got the battery from a state-run truck-repair shop.

When they are, acute shortages of detergents to clean the diapers force people to use scarce dollars to buy soap powder in state-run shops that accept only Western money.

But most of the pressure is bottled up, reflected only in longer lines at state-run shops and widespread anger over the scarcity of goods worth buying.