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Until now, the cost of living crisis has been most closely associated with energy bills – but soon food costs will overtake energy as the main inflation driver.
Food costs are set to overtake energy bills in driving up UK inflation this summer, a new report has warned, reports The Manc.
The report by the Resolution Foundation has found that the cost of living crisis – until now dominated by sky-high energy bills – will soon be driven by rocketing food prices, once again hitting poorer UK households the hardest.
According to the report, whilst energy prices have risen faster in the UK it is still food that makes up the largest share of a typical household’s outgoings.
As a result, as food prices continue to rise whilst energy bills fall back this summer it is predicted that the cost of eating will become the biggest threat to people’s finances.
Food prices have increased by 25 per cent over the past year and a half, greatly impacting the squeeze on living standards in low and middle-income households.
And now, grocery bills are expected to increase again over the summer.
According to the thinktank behind the report, it was not clear that politicians were currently prepared for another year of food price rises or that “policy debates have caught up with the scale of what is going on”.
Food price inflation reached around 19 per cent in March, the highest in almost half a century. As a result, the report asserts that food prices will be ‘contributing far more than energy to CPI inflation through the remainder of 2023.’
The report said: “By this summer, food costs will have overtaken energy bills in the scale of the shock they are administering to family finances.”
The Resolution added that it can also model the scale of the impact across individual households, suggesting that this summer 16 million households (56 per cent) will face a big shock when it comes to paying for their food.
The Bank of England governer Andrew Bailey told business leaders earlier this month that he was ‘concerned’ that food and other non-energy prices would remain elevated.
Typically, food prices in the UK fall in the summer as locally-grown crops replace those imported from abroad.
However, factory gate prices for milk, meat and other foods have accelerated, in some cases by more than 50% year on year.
The Resolution Foundation’s report, Food for Thought, says food prices are expected to contribute “more to overall inflation than energy” in the months ahead.
“Between March and September 2023, food prices are expected to contribute around 2 percentage points to inflation each month, while the contribution of energy prices is set to fall from 3 percentage points to less than 1,” the report estimates.
The cost to the nation from higher food prices since the 2019-20 financial year would be £28bn by the end of the summer, compared with an extra £25bn cost from higher energy prices, it added.
Lalitha Try, one of the report’s authors, said: “Everyone realises food prices are rising but it’s less clear that the scale of the increases has been understood in Westminster.”
“What rising food prices have in common with surging energy bills is that they pose a greater challenge to lower-income households, who spend a higher proportion of their income on food – 15%, compared with 10% for the highest-income households in 2019-20.
“As a result, the effective inflation rate for the poorest 10th of households was almost 50% higher compared with the richest 10th of households in March.”
Featured image – RawPixel


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August 21, 2018 1 min read
The most recent Sea of Thievesupdate introduced skeletal crews, but when the Forsaken Shores expansion drops on September 19, pirates will contend with a deadly new threat: mother nature.
Forsaken Shores is going to heat up the high seas with volcanoes that can rain fire and sink unlucky ships, but thankfully, we'll have access to a nimble new rowboat to make island hopping a little easier. You can find rowboats out in the world and dock one to your ship and take it with you.
This week at gamescom, Rare also announced a line of merchant delivery quests called Cargo Runs arriving with Forsaken Shores. You'll have to safely transport precious cargo including bottles of rum, expensive cloth, and plants that need to not break, not get wet, and stay hydrated, respectively. That sounds complicated, to put it mildly, but it's a clever use of existing systems in Sea of Thieves.
Finally, for those of you craving more player-on-player interaction, the game is getting a Reaper's Mark flag that you can fly to show your ship on everyone else's map. In other words, "Come to Snake Island in the next 20 minutes if you want an ass kicking."
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New Delhi–Nokia on Friday announced the elevation of Sanjay Malik as the new Head of India market, effective from August 1.
He takes over from Sandeep Girotra, who will oversee the Asia-Pacific and Japan markets.
“In his new role, Sanjay will lead customer operations, drive the business growth strategy and superior customer engagement services for the India market. He will be based in Gurgaon,” a company statement said.
Malik is currently Head of Network Implementation at Nokia Global Services and is credited with efficiently driving growth and delivering strong performance both in terms of revenue and operational efficiency.
Girotra had been heading the Indian market since 2011.


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From left: Elizabeth Bramson-Boudreau (CEO and Publisher, MIT Technology Review); Arvind Sethumadhavan(Chief Innovation Officer, Dentsu Aegis Network Asia Pacific); Vivek Puthucode (General Manager, Public Sector, Microsoft Asia Pacific) and Uptin Saiidi (Multimedia Correspondent, CNBC Asia).
Dentsu Aegis Network has launched a white paper examining the progress of Asia Pacific’s smart cities, including local deep-dives into eight key markets in the region.
In its third year, this series on Asia Pacific’s digital disruption aims to deliver thought leadership to arm Dentsu Aegis Network and its agency brands’ clients and partners with the insight they need to succeed in the digital economy.
This year, in collaboration with MIT Technology Review, the report argues that increasingly, smart city initiatives in Asia Pacific are being developed and driven to improve quality of life for the region’s citizens and consumers, to manage cities’ growth sustainably, and to maintain their global competitiveness.
The paper – titled “Connectivity and QoL : How digital consumer habits and ubiquitous technology are driving smart city development in Asia Pacific” – outlines six common themess: leveraging cloud technology; creating ‘open’ and accessible ecosystems, and through this harnessing the power of startup ecosystems; consumer-driven application development; mixing ‘greenfield’ and ‘brownfield’ smart city experiments; IoT and sensor-based platforms; and cashless economies.
Nick Waters, CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network Asia Pacific, said, “Asia Pacific has enjoyed robust economic expansion in recent years, with cities at the heart of this growth. With development comes challenges, but cities in the region are transforming these challenges into opportunities with the help of technology and innovation. Smart cities in Asia Pacific are quickly becoming pilot markets for the digital economy.”
Asia Pacific also has an unique approach in its efforts to engage private sector players in developing smart cities. More collaborations have emerged between the government and the region’s leading technology firms – China’s Alibaba, India’s Reliance Communications, Japan’s Panasonic, and others – to deliver smart city projects.
Elizabeth Bramson-Boudreau, CEO and Publisher, MIT Technology Review, explained, “While no two Asia Pacific markets have the exact same mix of smart city strategies or assets, we have found that nearly all such projects attempt to use smart cities to serve two goals simultaneously: address immediate infrastructure or service delivery challenges while ‘future-proofing’ their economies against threats looming on the horizon.”
Arvind Sethumadhavan, Chief Innovation Officer, Dentsu Aegis Network Asia Pacific, added, “Smart Cities are empowering Asian consumers to boot as the ‘fabric of the data surrounding them at all times’ makes them aware of the things they need without even searching. The fabric of available new data will herald the onset of pervasive personalization of marketing messages.”
Click here to access the white paper.
MARKETING Magazine is not responsible for the content of external sites.


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Digital artist Fvckrender, in collaboration with LVCIDIA and Fair.xyz, is introducing an evolving NFT, called FLUX, which will be exclusively available on the Base blockchain as part of Coinbase’s “OnChain Summer” event, beginning August 30 for 48 hours.
FLUX represents a remarkable fusion of art and technology, presenting a novel concept – 1 NFT that hosts a collection of 12 distinct artworks.
Over the course of each month, the ERC-721 token will visually transform to showcase a new piece by an up-and-coming artist, offering them a mechanism to expand their collector base.
Since its inception 10 months ago, Fair.xyz has facilitated creators in amassing over $10 million through primary and secondary sales through a track record of launching over 4,000 digital art collections and approximately 1 million mints.
Those who choose to engage with the FLUX NFT have the option to ‘lock’ their NFT to a specific artwork, effectively making the art piece a permanent display within their growing personal collection. This interactive and gamified experience challenges collectors to choose between cherishing the current artwork indefinitely or taking a chance with an entirely new masterpiece on the upcoming month’s artistic lineup.
The inaugural phase of this 12-month artistic journey is spearheaded by Fvckrender. His debut contribution to the FLUX series, titled “FLORAFENCE//,” sets the tone for the series.
Following Fvckrender’s lead, 11 additional artists will be selected by the community over time to present their unique art pieces. For NFTs that remain ‘non-locked’ by the end of the year, they will seamlessly revert back to featuring Fvckrender’s original artwork, completing the cycle.
A noteworthy aspect of the FLUX project is that there is no limit on the number of FLUX NFTs that can be purchased during the initial sale. This unique approach grants collectors the freedom to engage with and lock in multiple artworks over the course of the year, thus contributing to the dynamic evolution of their personal collections.
In an effort to celebrate and promote the participating artists, LVCIDIA’s digital platforms will shine a spotlight on each monthly artist. This spotlight includes an in-depth interview that will be turned into an editorial article, offering audiences valuable insights into the artists’ creative processes and inspirations.
Additionally, LVCIDIA curators Bonglo, Roger Dickerman, and Ryan McCue will lead exclusive live Twitter Space conversations with the featured artists, providing audiences with an interactive and immersive way to engage with the creators.
FLUX’s arrival on the Base blockchain marks a significant step forward in the NFT space, combining innovation, artistry, and community engagement to create a truly unique and evolving digital art experience.
Editor’s note: This article was written by an nft now staff member in collaboration with OpenAI’s GPT-4.


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The ever-changing retail market is pushing packaging to its limits. Alexandra Leonards explores the peaks and troughs of package design for omni-channel.
Drastic changes are happening in the supply chain, and retail is responsible for a significant measure of that change. It’s hard to keep up with all the new channels and strategies from within the market, but it’s just as tricky for an external part of the process to adapt to omni-channel logistics.
The omni-channel approach is the way forward. That’s what Rob Carle, who works on the e-commerce team at DS Smith, thinks. In the packaging world, this means designing perfect sized boxes and packages that work for every channel and delivery method.
“It [omni-channel] also means shoppers will have an integrated, seamless brand experience no matter how they order or where they order from,” says Carle. But before the packaging can be developed, the industry needs to understand the challenges associated with the disparate methods of the omni-channel process.
Of course, on top of this, omni-channel links traditional shopping experiences with online channels, which results in even more packaging running through the logistics chains. Creating fit for purpose packaging on a larger scale is a real challenge for the industry.
“A package delivered by drone will need to withstand significant impact whereas a package left on a doorstep on a wet day will need to resist water damage,” says DS Smith’s Carle. “It is really challenging to develop packaging which suits every channel and delivery method so that’s why we have pioneered DISCS, new technology which scientifically tests whether packages can survive the pressure of the average e-commerce supply chain.”
The technology, ‘Drop Impact Shock Crush Shake (DISCS)’, involves five pieces of equipment, each of which replicates a part of the product journey to make sure the packaging can withstand different challenges.
“The biggest challenge for the packaging industry is adapting to the complexities of the modern omni-channel marketplace and designing e-commerce packaging which is fit for purpose,” says Carle. “E-commerce packaging is critical to a consumer’s perception of a brand – if a product arrives damaged because the packaging is not up to the job or if there is excess packaging inside, it creates a negative experience for the consumer.”
Packaging needs to incorporate a range of important factors. It needs to be durable, easy to open, easy to return, recyclable, and the right size.
“This last criteria is particularly tricky as consumers may order all number of products in different sizes, shapes and combinations,” adds Carle. “On average at the moment, 55 per cent of each box is empty.
“This is inefficient and means businesses are paying to ship air.”
Rachel Fellows, national accounts 3PL director of Macfarlane Packaging, says that different kinds of packaging are needed depending on the level of protection required during the different stages of delivery, and what the journey actually entails.
“For example; packages that are being sent from retailers offering delivery within a short time frame are likely to be fulfilled from hub to store and then to consumer, where the order is handled manually outside of the normal courier hubs,” says Fellows. “Standard online delivery from a fulfilment warehouse to home would need to endure several legs of the courier network with the associated risk being exposed knocks and bumps along the way.”
But it’s also important to consider the implications of click and collect. “How easy is it for the consumer to carry the package away after collection? Would carry handles make the process easier?” says Fellows. “As well as the process of sending packs to a consumer, it is important to consider the journey they may face on the way back if they decide to return the item.
“Packaging should be easy to return and a simple way to achieve this would be to add an additional sealing strip to a bag or box.”
Mark Mardel from Storopack says that from their customers’ perspective, they have seen a big change from what is expected of their suppliers, who previously were product centric in their thinking.
“Now the move is towards packaging suppliers focused on total cost of operations, not products,” says Mardel. “This industry change has enabled distributors to be flexible in terms of consultative advice and introducing best practice.
“If we treat the warehouse as an independent ecosystem and introduce anthropomorphic and ergonomic analysis; it clearly shows how personnel interact within the warehouse operation.”
He says that this is particularly relevant for organisations that have grown organically, because when you take a step back and look closely, they often have a very inefficient process. “By focusing on these processes and stream lining functions within a role the cost saving can often be in excess of the packaging spend,” he adds. “Therefore by increasing efficiencies resulting in reduced costs, this could also mean reallocation or reduction of labour, or increased capacity for the same cost”.”
But, absolutely crucial to the process, is the customer. The customer is always right, so the packaging must be both convenient and attractive for them.
“Consumers expect a consistent experience and brand journey whether they buy online, in-store or through a click and collect service,” says Macfarlane Packaging’s Rachel Fellows. “So, in order to maintain a loyal customer base it’s important for every retailer to engage with its shoppers through all channels seamlessly and branded packaging can help to achieve this. “
Ákos Dömötör, CEO of Optoforce, thinks that, in an omni-channel process, you need to make sure that you provide a unified user experience, regardless of how you interact with the customer. “This means that your customers should be able to do window-shopping at your brick-and-mortar store and then order your goods online or the other way around – she can read about your offering in social media and then get what she expects at your physical store,” says Dömötör. “While you might want to use different outer cardboard packaging for delivery to the stores than delivery to home for the sake of economies of scale, it is important that the customer experience – and so the actual product packaging remains the same regardless of the delivery channel.”
Productivity is also a key concern, because delivery windows are increasingly short, while customer demands heighten.
“It is important to consider if there is an alternative pack design that can be erected more quickly, and/or filled and sealed more efficiently to create more output and use less spare in the warehouse,” says Fellows. “Customer experience has to be front of mind for retailers as the brand message should be consistent throughout the entire journey from ordering an item to receiving it.”
This is a difficult aim, but it can be realised with packaging that reflects the value of the ordered products.
“As orders continue to increase, transport costs can become expensive and this is a real challenge for retailers,” adds Fellows. “By rethinking pack design, better protection can be achieved whilst actually reducing pack size to reduce courier costs.”
As well as customer satisfaction, the packaging market needs to take on board a whole range of considerations. “Security is a key concern, especially for retailers selling high value items,” says Fellows. “Consequently there is a greater need for tamper evident packaging solutions.
“Whilst customers still want to brand their packs, many are concerned with theft, which is why printing on the inside has become a popular alternative to deliver an enhanced brand experience without compromising on security.”
In the omni-channel process there are lots of routes a package may take. Packages that leave a fulfilment warehouse for delivery to store for customer collection should be well packed to avoid having to re-pack at the store.
Robotics & automation
“Automation is a key part of the packaging operation for many retailers and larger organisations,” says Rachel Fellows, Macfarlane Packaging. “Machinery such as auto-boxing, auto-bagging and sealing equipment helps to improve productivity creating cost savings for the company.”
She says that conveyor networks are able to speed up picking, packing and shipping products out of a warehouse, which enables retailers to offer greater delivery flexibility for the customer.
“As the number of delivery options continues to grow, automation and robotics will be important in ensuring that retailers can continue to fulfil customer demand in a timely manner,” she adds.
Optoforce’s Ákos Dömötör agrees that robotics has a key role to play in the packaging market.
“Actually, not just in omni-channel, but also in regular home deliveries as well from online retailers,” he says. “Both are facing the same challenge: how to pick very different items for individual deliveries effectively.”
Robots are tireless, he says. And to boot, they don’t confuse similar looking items with each other, and with recent developments, they just got more affordable.
“Handling different items proved to be a challenge for traditional industrial robots, but with the new force-control algorithms out on the market these robots now can handle objects with much more care than their predecessors could,” he says. “At OptoForce handling objects with care were among the first projects we worked at – our touch sensors were in fact developed in order that robots can safely pick up delicate objects as eggs and light bulbs without knowing their exact dimensions in advance.”
The never-ending want and need for more efficiency is driving a revolution within the packaging industry, says Storopack’s Mark Mardel.
“The desire to reduce cost and increased flexibility regularly leads to the use of automation or Robotics,” he says. “Providing companies with a competitive advantage, whilst contributing towards a reduction in labour costs, and not just increases in productivity.”
Storopack is seeing increasingly that e-commerce retailers are requesting for automation rather than just standard void fill integrations.
“The mundane repetitive functions within the packaging area can be replicated without the need for human interaction, with robotics often replacing simple pick and place operations,” he says. “In particular six axis robots can replicate arm and hand movements identically for greater accuracy optimising box sizes.”
Mardel says that robots work at high speed, are precise, flexible and consequently reduce labour and safety costs while increasing throughput. “Furthermore within e-commerce operations presentation is key,” says Mardel. “The exact movement of the robot can eliminate scratching or otherwise damaging the surface of the product.
“The adaptable nature of robotics contributes to their efficiency allowing greater flexibility to accommodate industry trends.
“Peak season demands for temporary labour can be negated as the robot doesn’t need to sleep, and is able to work 24 hours a day.”
Dömötör says that one of the biggest challenges in packaging for home delivery is that you often have to bundle different items together in a unique package – no two deliveries are the same. So in an omni-channel process, you now need to get a list of the bought items from an online system, as well as provide the ability for customers to be able to update their basket via other means, ie directly to the store.
“This means that using up-to-date digital data about what to pack just got even more important and robots can be an ideal tool when combined with an agile ERP and logistics system,” he says. “No wonder Amazon now has a robotics division. “The challenge here is how to pick up and hold parts in a safe manner and that is why we at OptoForce work on bringing the sense of touch to robots.
“With a multi-axial tactile sensor robots can not only make sure that they assert just the right amount of force on the packages, but they can also control the weight of the boxes.”
Packaging technologies and strategies are adapting as quickly as the retail market. “We have recently launched two new technical solutions for the e-commerce sector, which we believe will be the future of packaging – DISCS and Made2fit,” says DS Smith’s Rob Carle. “They address issues that have dogged the e-commerce industry – packaging which doesn’t survive the complexities of the modern supply chain and packaging which doesn’t fit the products – and provide innovative and welcome solutions.”
“The future is intelligent packaging which delights consumers. We hope that before long, all e-commerce packaging will be easy to source, assemble, ship, open and then either return items in or recycle at home.”
At the moment, retailers are exploring new and innovative packaging, designed to help them differentiate themselves from their competitors.
“ Augmented Reality is an exciting aspect developing in omni-channel,” says Rachel Fellows. “Augmented reality codes can bring the store experience to the online shopper’s home in a stimulating and creative way.
“It gives the opportunity for the retailer to cross sell their products and for the consumer to position these goods in their own home, it can also show the consumer how the product or appliance works with animated instructions.”
As well as this, retailers are looking to personalisation to make the customer feel special. “Key messages can be printed onto boxes such as ‘Thank you’ and ‘Open Me’,” adds Fellows. “They can also use printed boxes to create greater presence on social media by getting consumers to share images of their ‘unboxing experience’ with a hash tag that is printed on the inside of the box.”
Optoforce’s Ákos Dömötör says that logistic supply chains have been speeding up for a while now, but that this trend will continue even further.
“With advanced automation one-piece-flow based on actual customer orders now becomes a reality further up in the supply chain as well and so I expect to see more and more processes automated based on real-time data about market needs,” he says. “With this comes the need to build flexible production lines and so I expect to see more and more robots with advanced sensors and software instead of purpose built machines on packaging lines.”


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(KDKA) -- Walmart is apologizing and investigating after a spoof email went out with a racial slur from an official Walmart email address.
The multi-billion dollar company is blaming an "external bad actor."
It was an auto-generated "Welcome to Walmart" message that usually goes out to new customers. But these emails were unsolicited and referred to customers as n-words. The emails went out on Monday.
Walmart released a statement, saying:
"We discovered that an external bad actor created false Walmart accounts with obvious intent to offend our customers. We were shocked and appalled to see these offensive and unacceptable emails. We're looking into our sign-up process to ensure something like this doesn't happen again. We're also looking into all available means to hold those responsible accountable."
It is not known how many of the offensive emails were sent out.
There are 20 Walmart stores in the Pittsburgh area.
for more features.


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Russia's competition regulator has fined Apple, say that its forcing of developers to use the App Store payment system is an abuse of the company's dominant position.
The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) originally announced in July 2022 that it would be fining Apple. The regulator said that it had concluded Apple, "prohibits iOS app developers from telling clients inside the app about the possibility of paying for purchases outside the App Store or using alternative payment methods."
Now according to Reuters, following what it has described as a period of administrative investigation, FAS has levied a fine of $17.4 million on Apple.
The regulator also says that Apple must pay the fine within two months.
FAS previously fined Apple $12 million in 2020 concerning an alleged unfair advantage in the digital app economy. Apple was subsequently allowed to appeal the fine, though it's not yet known whether it will have the same opportunity with this latest one.


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McAlister's Deli, a national chain founded in 1989, has opened a new location in Fort Oglethorpe at 2675 Battlefield Parkway. Known for it handcrafted sandwiches, fresh salads, giant stuffed potatoes and its own brand of sweet tea, the deli is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Owner Michael Hayes spent nearly three decades in the trucking business, often at places that were struggling and he helped turned them around, he said. About two years ago, he and his business partners sold a business in Mobile, Alabama, and he returned the North Georgia area with his wife, Patty.
He's lived in several places around the country, "and there was always a McAlister's close by to where we lived and I liked the food. It was always good and always fresh."
After doing some research on the company, he bought the McAlister's franchise rights for Fort Oglethorpe and Ringgold, Georgia.
"I'm not sure if we'll open one there yet, but the idea is to open more," he said.
The restaurant is located in the former Holcomb's Garden Center on Battlefield Parkway. It has a seating capacity of 110 and a current staff of 55 people, Hayes said.
"We are thrilled to bring McAlister's handcrafted sandwiches, family-friendly atmosphere and genuine hospitality to Fort Oglethorpe," said Michael Hayes, owner of McAlister's in Fort Oglethorpe. "We look forward to opening our doors and serving our new community."
Hayes said the area has seen a tremendous amount of growth and therefore there is a good deal of traffic along the parkway.
"I thinks it's a good addition to the town, even if I didn't have anything to do with it," he said. "I think the market is shifting to this part of town."
In addition to dine-in options, McAlister's has an app and rewards program that allows for pre-ordering and pick-up.
McAlister's is recognized in the top 50 of the 2019 "Entrepreneur Franchise 500" and in the top three of "Entrepreneur's Top Food Franchises: Sandwiches." In 2016, McAlister's was highlighted by Restaurant Business as the #2 "Consumer Favorite Fast Casual Chain" and by CNBC.com as "America's Favorite Sandwich Shop."
Headquartered in Atlanta, McAlister's Deli has more than 450 restaurants in 27 states.
Contact Barry Courter at firstname.lastname@example.org or 423-757-6354.


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Looking to food waste for new ingredients20 Aug 2018
The food industry produces an enormous amount of waste during processing, but some are looking to give such products new life as valuable specialist ingredients.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that one third of all food produced globally is either lost at the farming and production level, or wasted at the retail, manufacturing and consumption level. During food processing, waste products include vegetable-based leftovers after the extraction of oil, starch, juice and sugars, animal-based wastes like bones, offal and hides, and waste from dairy processing, such as whey protein from cheese making.
Increasingly, researchers and innovative companies have started considering ways to extract maximum value from these products, adding them back into foods and food packaging, and also reducing their environmental impact.
The FAO has said that preventing food wastage to begin with is the best way to reduce its economic and environmental impact, but it recommends finding new uses for food products that do end up being discarded. Some examples include using coffee grounds as a growth medium for mushrooms, spent brewing grains in bread and pretzels, and tropical fruit waste in biodegradable packaging.
Scelta Mushrooms is one company taking this approach, supplying a range of salt enhancing extracts from mushroom waste, such as stems, blanching water and mushrooms that are considered visually unappealing. Swiss company FoodSolutionsTeam uses green chemistry to make functional ingredients from vegetable waste streams, including an ingredient from carrot pulp that can be used for water binding in processed foods. The company produces similar ingredients from linseed, peas and rice.
TNO is also exploring the possibility that new ingredients could be produced by fermenting waste products. The work is currently at a pilot phase, but it says potential ingredients include vitamins, antimicrobial components, fibres, oligosaccharides and organic acids for food preservation.
As almonds and almond ingredients continue to gain in popularity, the Almond Board of California is another company looking at reusing waste, such as almond hulls, husks and twigs. Currently used as low-value animal feed, it says such products could be used to produce sugar or beer, as a growth medium for mushrooms, or for biodegradable plastic.
Many companies and researchers are looking for compostable alternatives to flexible plastic packaging, and food waste streams may provide an answer. For example, researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States recently developed a flexible, transparent and biodegradable plastic-like film from crab shells and tree fibres. However, challenges still remain to scale up their work in a way that makes the packaging cost-competitive with petroleum-based plastics.
In the meantime, major companies including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Danone and Nestlé Waters have already made pledges to move toward biodegradable packaging, and are exploring food waste streams for potential raw materials.
Sustainability has grown in importance for consumers and food manufacturers alike, and previously discarded by-products are being reconsidered right along the food production chain – from ingredients to packaging. As national governments, EU institutions and organisations like the FAO continue to back new research in the area, it’s a trend that shows no sign of slowing down.
UK High Court allows Oatly to use 'milk' on packaging
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Oatly has scored a landmark victory in the use of the word milk after the UK High Court ruled against the country’s dairy industry and permitted the term to be used on packaging.Read more
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Greek yoghurt giant Chobani has purchased US coffee brand La Colombe Coffee Roasters for $900 million, furthering its expansion into beverage categories like coffee, oat milk, creamer and ready-to-drink offerings.Read more
PepsiCo to reshape convenient foods portfolio with less sodium and more plant proteins
10 Jan 2024
PepsiCo has revealed details of two nutrition goals that look to reduce sodium and boost consumption of legumes, whole grains, and plant-based proteins as part of the multinational’s expanded convenient foods portfolio.Read more
Meet the innovative ingredients showcased at Fi Europe’s New Product Zone
3 Jan 2024
The Food Ingredients category at Fi Europe’s New Product Zone featured 19 distinct and innovative products. From fermented delights to sustainable proteins, these ingredients are ready to make their mark in the market.Read more
Fi Europe’s New Product Zone elevates the nutrition of everyday indulgences
22 Dec 2023
At Fi Europe 2023's New Product Zone, eight health ingredients, each offering an enhanced nutritional profile of various products, were on display. These ingredients address the evolving needs of the food and beverage industry and cater to consumers se...Read more
MyAir plans to expand personalised adaptogen products to UK
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After launches in Japan and the US, B2B personalised nutrition company MyAir is eyeing the UK market with its white-label functional food and drink products. “Taste is a must – but it's not enough,” says its CEO. “Food has become functional and persona...Read more
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13 Dec 2023
Harnessing augmented reality as a digital tool could offer consumers increasingly personalised food and beverage experiences, opening up new ways to see and taste products, according to a report by Canvas8 and Givaudan.Read more
Colombia introduces tax on ultra-processed foods
7 Dec 2023
In a bid to curb rates of obesity and other non-communicable disease, the Colombian government has introduced a tax on various ultra-processed food (UPF) and drink products.Read more
Snack trends, ingredient claims, and plant-based perceptions: Highlights from Fi Europe 2023, part 1
7 Dec 2023
Value-led snacking, sustainability storytelling, and the importance of having a ‘star ingredient’: we asked consumer analysts and market experts at Fi Europe about the trends and innovations that are shaping the food industry.Read more
Consumers want more plant-based meat without GM ingredients
28 Nov 2023
Plant-based meat has been a hot and popular category for several years, but not all North American shoppers are embracing vegetarian alternatives that contain genetically modified (GM) ingredients, according to the Non-GMO Project.Read more


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A stretch of Evergreen Avenue in Bushwick now contains far less flavorful broth, as celebrated ramen shop Chuko seems to have closed its newest location there. It’s been listed as closed on Yelp, and the only location currently on their website is their shop on Vanderbilt Avenue.
When we covered the opening of Chuko Bushwick, owner Jamison Blankenship told us it was an arduous journey to get the restaurant open in the first place, explaining the nearly four-year process was burdened with logistical issues related to the Department of Buildings. The outpost was initially slated to launch a year and a half prior to its actual opening in May 2017, and now only a little over a year later, those long-awaited Bushwick doors have shut. The DOB’s website states that 144 Evergreen Avenue still has an active violation related to construction that was issued the same month as their opening.
Blankenship also told B+B they were hoping to have their liquor license in the weeks after opening (in the meantime, stuffed animals filled the shelves as placeholders), though that ultimately didn’t materialize; a report from Community Board 4’s monthly meeting in April noted they were scheduled to discuss their license but “notified the Community Board office that they were not ready to attend.”
Chuko isn’t the only place on Evergreen between Jefferson and Troutman Streets to have ceased operations in the past year. Their former next-door neighbor, the Russian coffee shop Dillingers, closed last October after a hefty health code violation, according to Patch, and had previously been cited for “illegal occupation of the building’s cellar.”
We’ve reached out to the Chuko team for comment, and will update the post with any response.
Those who are seeking to slurp can still visit Chuko’s original location in Prospect Heights, serving bowls of ramen and small bites like crispy Brussels sprouts and okonomiyaki tots for lunch and dinner daily.


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Ministry of Textiles had initiated a major intervention namely, the Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS) in 1999 as a credit-linked subsidy scheme intended for modernization and technology up-gradation of the textile industry in the country. The scheme has been implemented in various versions and the ongoing version of Amended TUFS (ATUFS) to be implemented up to March 2022 was launched in 2016 with an upper ceiling of subsidy for individual entities (Rs.30 crore for Garmenting, Technical Textiles, and Rs.20 crore for other segments), to ensure better targeting of MSME units. In addition, schemes such as National Technical Textile Mission (NTTM), Powertex India, Integrated Processing Development Scheme (IPDS), Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks (SITP), Scheme for Incubation in Apparel Manufacturing (SIAM), Pradhan Mantri Mega Integrated Textile Region & Apparel Park (PM-MITRA), sectoral schemes for traditional sectors viz. silk, jute, handloom, and handicraft, etc. have been launched to support the textile industry to achieve technology advancement, innovation, and modern infrastructure. The initiatives of the Government have helped in increasing textile manufacturing by building the modern manufacturing infrastructure, up-gradation of technology, fostering innovation, enhancing skills and traditional strengths in the textile sector including small businesses.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Textiles Smt. Darshana Jardosh in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
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- cotton industry2023.06.08Bt Cotton’s India Entry Delayed As Committee Seeks Fresh Inputs


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Walmart's (WMT 0.96%) aisle-scanning robots, which have been undergoing testing at a handful of locations, are headed to 50 stores. The big-box retailer likely won't see any immediate benefits, but investors could have a lot to be happy about with the expanded trials.
What the robots do
The robots, developed by start-up Bossa Nova Robotics, have a simple task that has nothing to do with jazzy Brazilian music. The machines autonomously navigate around stores and scan shelves with a tower fitted with cameras.
After gathering and processing the data, the robot will then inform a store associate if an item needs restocking, if tags are missing, or if prices are marked incorrectly. The idea is to automate tedious shelf-auditing tasks that employees may not have time for.
What's the deal, Walmart?
The retailer says no employees are losing their jobs over this move. That's probably accurate at this point as the robots are still in the test phase. But why would Walmart shell out extra money "hiring" a workforce of machines if it doesn't plan to lay off any humans?
Walmart says store employees have time to scan shelves only about twice a week. That monotonous task can be delegated to the machines, which Walmart says can do the work quicker and more accurately than humans. That frees up time for store associates to keep shelves stocked and help customers, which does make the company money.
Keeping inventory priced correctly is also important, as is making store operations smarter and more efficient. Data is powerful, and can help traditional stores optimize their operations. In Walmart's case, the robots are part of a broader effort to beat back digital retailers like Amazon, which employs thousands of robots at its warehouses to assist with order fulfillment.
Tech investors, rejoice
It remains to be seen if a deal with Bossa Nova Robotics actually makes money for Walmart, or if the world's largest chain is still trying to play catch-up to the tune Amazon is singing. However, besides robotically enhanced retailer stocks, there's another way for investors to take advantage here.
Technology is infiltrating the economy as a whole, and robotics in retail is just one example. According to technology researcher McKinsey & Company, things like optimized store layouts, self-checkout, and "smart" customer relationship management could have an annual impact of up to $1.2 trillion by the year 2025. Rather than picking which traditional store will weather the storm the best, investing in tech companies is the best route to take.
As noted above, Bossa Nova Robotics is still a start-up, but other robotics manufacturers that investors can buy include FANUC and ABB. Then there are the chipmakers that make robotics possible. Ambarella, for example, makes chips enabling computer vision -- a technology crucial to some robotics applications that tries to mimic the human eye. All of that collected data also needs to be processed, so cloud computing investment is another option. Cloud computing provider VMware is a partner of Bossa Nova Robotics in helping retailers optimize their businesses with technology.
While Walmart's new robots and other digital transformations could help the retailer remain relevant in today's world, investors looking to cash in on the trend should look to the robots themselves, or more specifically what's inside them.


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This week, we speak with Jim Bianco, President and Macro Strategist at Bianco Research. A former fixed income analyst who covers equities, Bianco was one of the first analysts who presciently explained in 2009 that the Federal Reserve’s QE/ZIRP was going to cause a huge surge in market prices.
He notes the present economic debate is over whether we have a supply or demand shock: Has the economy crashed because of the mandated closures, and stores (“Supply”) are closed? Or is it the lack of consumers (“Demand”) afraid to leave their houses to go shopping? Bianco points out that many consumers are reluctant to go out into public. How long this hangover from shelter-in-place lasts will determine if we can recover to even 90% of the 2019 GDP (As an example, the Great Depression saw a 25% decrease in GDP).
He references the “Shy Bias” as a phenomena when people change their answer to a live human being as opposed to an anonymous response online, we get a distorted response.
Bianco explains why it is so difficult to determine what fair value is for markets. The impact of the Fed has created a permanent put that protects stocks from too big of a drop. The Fed was very aggressive into the teeth of the pandemic collapse, and that has helped the current stock market recovery to rally.
His favorite books are here; A transcript of our conversation is available here Monday.
You can stream and download our full conversation, including the podcast extras, on Apple iTunes, Spotify, Overcast, Google, Bloomberg, and Stitcher. All of our earlier podcasts on your favorite pod hosts can be found here.
Next week, we speak with Henry Cornell, founder of Cornell Capital. Previously, he was the Vice Chairman and the original architect of the Merchant Banking Division of Goldman Sachs.
Jim Bianco’s Favorite Books
Books Barry Mentioned


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SINGAPORE — Automotive distributor and retailer Inchcape Singapore has picked Arena Media as its media partner. The account was won after a competitive pitch and the scope of work includes integrated planning and buying, analytics and digital media management.
“The Arena Media team demonstrated an impressive understanding of our category and we were really pleased with the quality of their recommendations based on strong consumer insights. The agency adopts a future-forward stance and we look forward to working with them to bring Inchcape Singapore to the next quantum of growth,” said Adley Low, marketing director, Greater China & Singapore, Inchcape.
“We are delighted to continue Arena Media’s business momentum with this win and excited to be given the opportunity to work on well-known brands such as Toyota and Lexus. We look forward to leveraging our media expertise to drive meaningful interactions for Inchcape Singapore and prospective car buyers across all touchpoints as well as deliver a seamless results-focused, digital experience,” said Arena Media Singapore General Manager Leroy Lim.
Lim was recently elevated to General Manager of Arena Media Singapore alongside his role as Regional Growth and Client Lead.
The account is effective immediately.


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The UK government has denied that rising levies on branded medicines has led to shortages of branded generic medicines.
In a statement published on 6 November 2023, the British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA) said that the voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing and access (VPAS) rebate rate was “a key factor” behind a rise in branded generic shortages.
The VPAS sets a cap on the total allowed sales value of branded medicines to the NHS each year, which grows at an agreed rate of 2% per annum.
Any medicine sales above the cap are paid back to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) via a levy charged on companies’ sales revenues.
In 2021, the rebate rate was 5.1% but it has risen to 26.5% in 2023, which the BGMA says is largely because of a growth in on-patent medicine sales.
In January 2023, the BGMA warned that generics manufacturers would cut back on medicine supplies to the UK if the VPAS rate continued to increase.
Figures from October 2023 released by the BGMA — which the trade body said are based on data sources that include NHS England and the DHSC — show that 111 products, including 55 branded generics, are facing supply issues.
In its statement, the BGMA said this is the highest number of medicine shortages on record and has more than doubled since the start of 2022.
Branded generic treatment areas facing supply issues include hormone replacement therapy, contraception, anaphylaxis, ADHD, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, lung conditions, epilepsy, acne, osteoporosis, depression, heart disease and immunosuppressants, the BGMA said.
However, a spokesperson for DHSC said it did not recognise the figures presented by the BGMA and has “seen no convincing evidence of higher payment percentages leading to supply issues, given available mitigations”.
They added that the current VPAS is “expected to save the NHS £7bn by the end of this year — delivering value for money for the taxpayer, while enabling investment for NHS services and supporting innovation and a successful life sciences industry in the UK”.
Mark Samuels, chief executive of the BGMA, said it was “impossible to ignore the correlation” between supply issues of branded generics and “the spiralling VPAS rebate rate”.
“Generics operate on high volumes and razor thin margins, so by adding a tax on revenues, which has increased five-fold in two years, means manufacturers have little option but to reduce or remove supplies of some products. This is not about making less profit but actually making losses as a direct result of VPAS,” Samuels said.
He added: “There is finite supply of medicines and companies are being forced to allocate their supplies to other countries where tax regimes are less punitive.”
The current VPAS started on 1 January 2019 and is in place until 31 December 2023. Negotiations are underway for the next VPAS, which will run from 2024 to 2028.
Samuels said that those involved in the negotiation “cannot ignore the consequences of a high rate and the disproportionate impact it is having on off-patent products which already have their costs significantly constrained by competition”.
The spokesperson for the DHSC said: “We remain committed to negotiating a successor scheme that supports better patient outcomes and a strong UK life sciences industry, while delivering value for money for the taxpayer and a sustainable medicine bill for the NHS.”


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The fashion industry will only achieve its sustainability targets if brands dedicate communications to making sustainable lifestyles desirable.
At least that was the message from the updated UNFCCC Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, which was among the sustainable fashion announcements at COP26. The charter calls for the industry to “align” its communications efforts to entice consumers to lead lives that help limit the global temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The guidance for the industry is to commit to accurate reporting and transparent communication efforts; avoid exaggeration or omission to appear more environmentally or socially friendly; and focus on inclusive marketing and storytelling that encourages a more equitable industry.
Fashion has been busy setting climate goals, but there’s movement for the industry to promote sustainability as a cultural currency.
It may be a tough sell for a large portion of the public. Earlier this month, Futerra published a report with Ipsos Mori showing high levels of fatalism about the climate crisis, and a growing “optimism gap” among consumers. The survey indicated about one in five young people thought it was “too late” to fix the climate crisis.
Those young consumers are precisely the ones that brands should be targeting, says Lucy Shea, CEO of change agency Futerra, which counts Tommy Hilfiger and Kering among its clients, and is a UNFCCC committee member. “The science is there, but the translation into a desirable lifestyle is the task at hand.”
Legislation is also catching up, notably on greenwashing. The US Federal Trade Commission is due to review its Green Guides in 2022, while UK watchdog the Competition and Markets Authority is currently investigating greenwashing. The updated Fashion Charter also builds on the UNEP’s 2020 report, Sustainability and Circularity in the Textile Value Chain.
What can fashion PRs do? The UNEP envisions a hierarchy of consumption, where buying new products is a last resort. Expanding alternatives including rental and resale available outside of major cities will be a key challenge in making the “1.5°C lifestyle” accessible and affordable to all. Spotlighting positive role models in campaigns, as Vogue Business reported last week, could be one way to do this, while emphasising the emotional value and durability of clothing could be another.
For fashion communicators to become a positive force in selling the lifestyle, they must firstly educate themselves, particularly on the brand’s supply chain. “There needs to be a big upskilling of fashion communicators. You need to understand the basics of sustainability or you’ll be pointing marketing and communications efforts in the wrong place, you’ll be unable to answer basic questions about it, and you’ll likely be greenwashing,” says Shea.
Free online resources and panel discussions are a great starting point, says Carrie Ellen Phillips, co-founder of consultancy BPCM, which is considering open-sourcing its methodology and creating educational programmes for other agencies. The Future Learn courses developed with Kering and Fashion Revolution are also useful, adds Eco-Age chief brand officer Harriet Vocking.
Hannah Levitt, who worked for sustainability-conscious brands including Stella McCartney and Mother of Pearl before founding her specialist PR agency, Green Banana, in 2020, says this approach helped her figure out “the right questions to ask and the red flags to look out for”. For communicators just starting out, she says the main thing is knowing where the brand is producing its garments and who they’re working with.
Otherwise, the lack of sustainability education among communicators can mislead consumers into thinking brands are being more progressive than they are, says Vocking. She points to the swell of press coverage a few years ago claiming that clothes made from recycled plastic bottles were a sustainable solution, and the eventual realisation that even recycled synthetic fibres release microplastics.
To better serve clients, communications agencies also should apply the same standards to themselves, says Vocking. “Are you a Living Wage employer? Do you pay your interns fairly? Do you have your own sustainability strategy?” By going through these processes to transform their own businesses, agencies will become more knowledgeable about the gaps and challenges their clients need to address.
Indeed, there are broad efforts in the advertising and communications industry to curb negative impacts and become a force for good. The Creative Climate Disclosure platform encourages signatories from the advertising world to disclose the percentage of turnover from high-carbon clients by the end of the year. Elsewhere, Purpose Disruptors is a network of advertising insiders working to tackle the climate crisis. Its #ChangeTheBrief not-for-profit encourages members to respond to client briefs in a way that promotes more sustainable values, attitudes and behaviours in clients’ audiences. Its Good Life 2030 campaign, showcased at COP26, creates compelling visions of a sustainable future.
Unfortunately, many communications teams have limited access to information within the company, which hinders progress when journalists and consumers alike increasingly demand transparency and evidence. “PRs have to be able to back up their claims,” says Emerge PR founder Emily M Austen. “If brands mislead us, we’ll be misleading the media.”
Better integration of the communications staff in the broader company structure could help, says Phillips. “Most communications teams sit outside of brands and they often don’t have input on what information or messages get delivered to them. There’s a need for reciprocity between brands and their communicators.” This can have tangible effects, she continues, pointing to the work BPCM has done with Longchamp, transitioning its hero Le Pliage bag from virgin synthetics to recycled nylon.
“The communications team shouldn’t sit at the end of the process, they should be involved throughout,” says Vocking. “When the sustainability team does an audit, the communications team should work with them to shape internal narratives and external press releases. Communications experts trained in sustainability are like gold dust right now.”
Engaging communicators early allows them to play a key role in holding brands accountable and accelerating progress, adds Levitt. “Ask if they’re aware of unfolding challenges in the broader industry, and stay updated with new developments and solutions,” she says.
At BPCM, Phillips was talking to clients about regenerative agriculture and biodiversity – topics which entered the mainstream in 2021 – three years ago. At Eco-Age, communicators are involved throughout the process, from strategising to product development, helping to shape internal narratives and get staff behind new initiatives as well as developing communications to consumers.
Fundamentally, brands need to adjust their expectations of communicators, says Levitt. “Brands want to drive sales and visibility, that’s why they have PR,” she explains. “Brands need to focus less on newness, and more on solutions and maintaining customer relationships.”
Levitt is working with her clients on corporate social responsibility reports that can be easily digested by fashion consumers concerned about the environment. “Brands typically hide their sustainability reports away or fill them with jargon, but they are a great opportunity for brands to focus on impacts and progress, internally and externally,” she explains.
“Consumers allow an industry to exist because society deems it acceptable,” explains writer and consultant Alec Leach. “The tobacco industry lost that social license, and the fossil fuel industry is losing it now. Fashion is gambling away its long-term credibility for the sake of avoiding short-term issues. There will be a tipping point where people will stop buying fashion because they will be feeling the effects of the climate crisis and realise fashion is contributing.”
Comments, questions or feedback? Email us at firstname.lastname@example.org.
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Current Account Deficit for Q2FY23 at record $36.4 billion
The Reuters advance estimates had already pegged India’s current account deficit for the second quarter at a record level. That has turned out to be true. On 29th December, when the RBI announced the current account deficit (CAD) figure for Q2FY23, it came in at a record level of $36.4 billion. In percentage terms, this translates into CAD at 4.4% of GDP. This is exactly double the 2.2% of GDP that the current account deficit had been in the previous June 2022 quarter. What really led to such a rapid and sharp rise in the current account deficit in the September quarter. In India, the RBI normally puts out the CAD figure after a gap of 3 months from the end of the quarter.
The current account deficit of $36.4 billion for the September 2022 is the highest CAD reported by India in any of the previous quarters in history. This breaks the long 10 year old record of the previous high reported in the December 2012 quarter. In the June 2022 quarter, the absolute CAD figure was just $18.2 billion, and in just one quarter the overall current account deficit has doubled. The previous record for the highest CAD was $31.77 billion posted in the third quarter of 2012-13 ending December 2012. The September 2022 is not only an all-time record, but it is also a good 14.6% higher than the previous record CAD of $31.77 billion reported in the December 2012 quarter.
Ironically, the current account deficit for the full fiscal year FY22 was a tad above $38 billion, so the September 2022 quarter alone has equalled the full year CAD of the previous full fiscal year. The one key factor that really led to the sharp widening of the current account deficit was the widening of the merchandise trade deficit to $83.5 billion in the September 2022 quarter. On a QOQ basis, the merchandise trade deficit alone is 32.5% higher, and the key driver of the higher than expected current account deficit in the second quarter of the fiscal. While the surplus in services managed to partially compensate the rise in the trade deficit, the key problem in Q2 was that exports suffered but imports remained sticky.
Most economists had pegged the current account deficit in the September 2022 quarter in the range of $31 billion to $34 billion. The actual CAD was well above the upper range also, showing the kind of pressure that was being exerted by the merchandise trade deficit. In the first six months of FY23, ending in September 2022, the current account deficit stood at a whopping $54.5 billion compared to just about $3.1 billion recorded in the first six months of FY22. The CAD as a percentage of GDP at 4.4%, is substantially higher than the ago ratio of just 1.3%. H1 fiscal deficit for FY23 is 3.3% of GDP and full year promises to be higher.
Several factors contributed to the spike in the CAD. There was the incessant rise in global commodity prices in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February this year. In addition, the supply chain constraints imposed by China due to its obsession with the zero-COVID policy also led to a severe spike in input costs, which also hit imports in a big way. As a result, the import bill ballooned to nearly $200 billion in the September quarter. While total trade for the full year is expected to be well above $1.2 trillion, it is going to come with a much higher trade deficit too. The bigger problem was that exports just did not keep pace with the sharp spike in the imports of goods.
If you look at exports, it got hit on two fronts. On the one hand, the merchandise imports were hit by weak demand globally. Due to a series of rate hikes, key global economies like the US, UK and the EU are expected to dip into recession in the coming year. That has dented demand for most consumer products. Secondly, to discourage rampant export of key inputs and ensure domestic supply, the government had also imposed curbs on exports through quotas and duties. That also hit exports. Despite the services trade surplus rising to $34.4 billion in the latest quarter, and services exports growing 30.2%, the overall exports and hence the overall trade deficit and the CAD remained under tremendous pressure.
Going ahead it is not too clear whether the negative impact of weak global demand on exports will outweigh the softening of imports related to the correction in commodity prices. However, the spike in the CAD is likely to have a series of repercussions on the Indian rupee value as well as on the sovereign ratings and the sovereign outlook. For now, it may not be serious, but it is time the government treads a lot more carefully.
Share Market Today
|Indices Name||Price||Price Change (% change)|
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About the Author
DisclaimerInvestment/Trading in securities Market is subject to market risk, past performance is not a guarantee of future performance. The risk of loss in trading and investment in Securities markets including Equites and Derivatives can be substantial.India consu
Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd (IREDA) had a very robust listing on 29th November 2023
- Nov 29, 2023Read More
Engineering and automation giant Siemens Ltd reported a 49.8% YoY surge in net profit, reaching ₹571.6 crore for the fourth quarter ending September 30, 2023. The company operates on an October-September financial year and declared this information in a recent regulatory filing.
- Nov 29, 2023Read More
In the early deals on Wednesday, November 29, shares of food services aggregator Zomato saw a gain of up to 3.69%, reaching ₹118.
- Nov 29, 2023Read More


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AMD’s latest processor releases have more or less been paper launches: Quad FX hardware took weeks to become available, and 65nm Athlons still aren’t in stock anywhere according to our price search engine. Now, this trend seems to have reversed rather dramatically. A new Athlon 64 X2 6000+ processor has already appeared at online retailers like Newegg, but AMD hasn’t actually announced any such product.
Judging by the product description on Newegg, the X2 6000+ is based on AMD’s 90nm process technology and runs at 3GHz with 1MB of L2 cache per core. If these specs are accurate, then this chip is the fastest desktop processor in AMD’s lineup. The Athlon 64 FX-62 and Athlon 64 X2 5600+, the two fastest offerings listed in AMD’s price list, are both clocked at 2.8GHz. Despite its high speed, the chip is priced at $599, which is cheaper than the FX-62. Thanks to DailyTech for the tip.


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Digital single market: strategy review could bring breakthrough
Today the European Commission launched the mid-term review of the digital single market (DSM) strategy.
BusinessEurope Director General Markus J. Beyrer said: “We support the mid-term review as an opportunity to focus on the fundamental objectives of the strategy and create a competitive digital single market that benefits citizens and businesses globally. This review can bring a breakthrough and make the digital single market a reality.”
Europe also needs to adopt an innovation-friendly approach to empower the digitalisation process and allow companies to compete globally, foster the creation of new business models and ensure a level playing field, with legal certainty and stability.
“Europe should rebalance its risk-averse approach to digital policy and foster the economic and societal benefits new technologies offer. Legislation is only required where real market failures exist”.
The full economic and societal benefits of digital still need to be realised. A greater focus on better regulation principles must ensure the DSM strategy remains innovation- and investment-friendly. In the rapidly changing digital landscape, rules must be future-proof, technology-neutral and should avoid steering technological development.


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Smartwatch makers try to get a jump on Apple with fitness push
Their IFA 2018 unveilings come just two weeks before Apple's big September product revelations.
Ben Fox RubinFormer senior reporter
Ben Fox Rubin was a senior reporter for CNET News in Manhattan, reporting on Amazon, e-commerce and mobile payments. He previously worked as a reporter for The Wall Street Journal and got his start at newspapers in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Shara Tibken was a managing editor at CNET News, overseeing a team covering tech policy, EU tech, mobile and the digital divide. She previously covered mobile as a senior reporter at CNET and also wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal. Shara is a native Midwesterner who still prefers "pop" over "soda."
Sitting in a corner of the Mobvoi's booth at this week's
tech conference in Berlin, Jason Zheng offers a colorful pitch for his company's smartwatches.
"You don't want to be that douche who pulls out your phone," Zheng, Mobvoi's international head of PR, said jokingly. "We think smartwatches can reduce those douche pain points in your social life."
While a performance metric for "douche pain points" (or DPP) may never get popular, Zheng was hitting on an important aspect about the future of smartwatches and how watchmakers could find ways to compete against
, the leader in the market.
launched three years ago, smartwatches have gotten plenty of interest. Even so, the devices have had a less-than-stellar start since there hasn't been a clear reason to have them and battery life is often dismal. That's been changing, with smartwatches becoming more useful by building up their health and
capabilities. They also offer quick notifications to help you stay connected without having to constantly check your phone, which could be a selling point for people worried abut phone addiction.
At IFA, several major brands revealed new smartwatches with a clear emphasis on health and wellness functions. On that list was
, whose refreshed $549 Pro Trek outdoors-focused watch includes a new "extended mode" that lets the color display last longer for days-long hikes. Also, Fossil Group's Skagen and Diesel brands launched new watches that both added GPS and heart rate tracking for fitness and outdoor activities.
All three new watches use
, previously called Android Wear. Google, too, has been focusing more on wellness and fitness, adding activity functions called "Move Minutes" and "Heart Points" to its Google Fit app. Google also created a digital wellbeing feature in its new
mobile operating system to help curb phone usage. (Apple created similar screen-time features for its phones, too.)
At Casio's IFA press event, Miles Barr, engineering director for Wear OS, said Google has found from user studies that smartwatches have worked better at getting you the information you need, then getting you back to what you were doing.
"I can't remember the last time I looked at my phone and only did one thing with it," he added.
Watch this: Would you track your kid with a smartwatch?
Apple versus everyone else
If it seems like everyone's launching a smartwatch at IFA, a primary reason is that they're all trying to get a
Apple doesn't reveal sales figures for the device, but market researcher IDC estimates that nearly half of the 43.5 million smartwatches shipped this year will come from Apple. Google's Wear OS trails behind at 12 percent. And Android Wear, which is still used by some watchmakers, should total 18 percent of shipments. By 2022, Android Wear and Wear OS combined are expected to catch up to Apple.
"While Apple will undoubtedly lead in this category, what bears watching is how Google and its partners move forward," IDC analyst Jitesh Ubrani noted in June. He said that Wear OS has been "somewhat of a laggard," and even with its changes, it faces tough competition.
, Google's biggest Android partner, has shunned Wear OS in favor of Tizen, its own operating system for watches,
and other devices. Earlier this month, it introduced its new Galaxy Watch, which starts at $330 and should give Wear OS even more competition.
CNET's Scott Stein noted that the new Samsung watch isn't much different from its predecessors in terms of design. It's a round watch with a dial for navigating the home screen and different apps. But what it adds is the Bixby digital voice assistant, as well as more exercise trackers and stress-management features. Fitness and sleep tracking are tied to Samsung's S-Health app, but the watch also connects to fitness apps from Under Armour, MapMyRun, Speedo and others.
It's still too early to tell whether these fitness and wellness pitches will get more people to buy smartwatches. Sales of the devices are dwarfed by the size of the smartphone market, so building up a bigger following could take time.
Plus, some would argue that a smartwatch works against the idea of digital well-being by offering someone yet another distracting screen to look at and while getting pulled away from a conversation.
Zheng, of Mobvoi, disagrees.
"We don't think you're going to get addicted to your watch anytime soon," he said.


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One to have for Far Cry 5
AMD has released its latest Radeon Software Adrenalin Edition 18.3.4 driver which brings day-one support for the Far Cry 5 game as well as fixing some earlier problems.
Systems with RX Vega 64, Vega 56 or RX 580
AMD has launched a limited time promotion which gives a free copy of the Far Cry 5 game to those that buy a PC system with select Radeon graphics cards.
You'll need GTX 1080 SLI for 4K at 60FPS
Ubisoft has now released official PC system requirements for its upcoming Far Cry 5 game which is scheduled to launch on March 27th on PCs and consoles.
Middle America meets cult-like Doomsdayers with mountainous backdrop
On Monday, details surrounding the upcoming fifth installment in the Far Cry franchise made their rounds on Reddit ahead of the game’s Friday reveal.


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In the realm of smartphones, rumors have a lot of weight. You can find out months in advance what the next-generation iPhone will look like, or whether OnePlus will release a “T version” of its popular flagship. A renowned source said about a month ago that the OnePlus 9T will not be released this year. While many fans and those waiting for an upgrade had given up hope, OnePlus just sent a tweet indicating otherwise.
Before Samsung debuted the Galaxy Z foldable, OnePlus threw out a smart tweet that hinted at its next possible flagship. The tweet includes a picture of an Arctic Sky OnePlus 9, however, the caption says, “The #OnePlus9 in tea.” Take it lightly.” The OnePlus 9T is expected to be introduced later this year.
Will there be OnePlus 9T?
— OnePlus (@oneplus) August 11, 2021
Previously, tipster Max Jambor tweeted, “No 9T.” Jambor has a track record of being spot-on with his forecasts, so there are even more reasons to keep a watch on this assertion. Other rumors, on the other hand, have suggested that OnePlus is preparing specific enhancements for the OnePlus 9T, including borrowing parts of the OnePlus 9 Pro’s display technology.
This year’s market circumstances have been difficult for smartphone makers, as a chip scarcity has forced numerous releases to be postponed. It’s conceivable that OnePlus meant to use the newer Snapdragon 888 Plus chip from the start, which is why Max released the information. OnePlus, on the other hand, hasn’t gone for an improved processor in its T series updates in recent years. As a result, a Snapdragon 888-powered OnePlus 9T is possible.
But, once again, OnePlus has had a unique year. The brand has merged with Oppo, which may have had an impact on its normal product selection. With the Nord series, OnePlus has recently focused on the lower end of the market. We’ve seen the Nord 2 and Nord CE in the previous two months, bringing OnePlus’ presence to the more inexpensive end of the market.
There is a lot of ambiguity, but as a customer, you shouldn’t be concerned. The OnePlus 9, which is still a strong smartphone built on the Snapdragon 888, is a good option for those looking for a premium OnePlus handset. The OnePlus 9R costs less than the OnePlus 9 yet provides almost the same user experience.
If you ask us, the latest cryptic tweet from OnePlus seems to plainly hint at the introduction of the OnePlus 9T, since the month where OnePlus used to launch its T series smartphones (September) is coming quickly. We’ll have to wait for further updates to obtain a clear picture, though! So, keep tuned to TechStory for the newest news.
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More than two-thirds of small businesses say they would be negatively impacted by a government shutdown, according to a new survey.
Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses Voices found that among the 1,554 businesses surveyed between Aug. 29 and Sept. 7, 91% said it was important for a shutdown to be avoided.
A potential government shutdown, triggered by disagreements over spending, is less than a week away. It will take effect Oct. 1 unless Congress passes 12 appropriations bills setting discretionary spending levels.
A shutdown would result in tens of thousands of federal employees being furloughed without pay, with economic spinoffs likely to become more significant the longer the shutdown lasts.
Gloria Larkin, president and CEO of TargetGov and an alumna of Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses, said it wouldn’t be fair for mom-and-pop shops to be affected by political discord.
“Small businesses shouldn’t suffer the consequences of Washington dysfunction,” Larkin said in a press release. “A government shutdown would slow the economy, undercut consumer demand, and disrupt access to government resources small businesses depend on.
“Congress must come together to find a solution that both addresses government spending disagreements and keeps the government running.”
Goldman Sachs’ survey found that among small business owners:
- 70% said their business would be negatively impacted by a government shutdown and 93% of those businesses believe their revenue would take a hit;
- 96% were concerned about national debt and federal government spending;
- 67% said customer demand would slump;
- 24% rely on Small Business Administration services;
- 21% are federal contractors or subcontractors; and
- 21% said their customers are often government employees and their revenue would be impacted.
It could be argued that collision repair facilities are in a better position to weather economic downturns due to the nature of the business. Even during downturns, people still need to travel to reach their destinations and will need to have their vehicles repaired if involved in a collision. However, mass furloughs could also lead to fewer drivers on the roadways or others deciding to put off repairs.
Independent repair centers could also be affected if they’ve applied for a federal loan, which would likely be delayed in the event of a shutdown. Work-related travel could be slowed as well.
Neil Bradley, U.S. Chamber of Commerce executive vice president, said obtaining a loan will become more difficult and time-consuming in the event of a shutdown.
“I don’t think anything is going to shield people from the fallout of this,” Bradley told Bloomberg. “…For example, [if] you’re trying to get a loan, you need your social security number verified or your income verification, that’s a lot harder to get done if the government is shut down. I think we’re going to see widespread implications from this and I think pressure is going to grow.”
He said those impacts are likely to worsen the longer the shutdown drags on.
“Duration does matter,” Bradley said. “The dysfunction is real and grows every day that the government shutdown goes on. If you think about all those people who are furloughed from work, who aren’t coming in, they had a job to do. They were processing permits, maybe they were issuing visas for people who are coming and traveling to visit the United States.
“That backlog grows every day that they’re out of the office; that they’re prohibited from doing their work, and that has a compounding effect. It’s like digging a hole. If you keep digging, it gets harder to get out of and the deeper you’re in.”
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the most recent government shutdown, which lasted 35 days from December 2018 to January 2019, reduced economic output by $11 billion during the following two quarters. Of that money, $3 billion was never regained.
The Chamber said on its website that even during a shutdown, small businesses that carry Small Business Association loans will still need to make payments. Those who’ve submitted applications for SBA loans will likely have to wait longer for them to be processed, it added.
It also advised those traveling for business to check their flight status frequently as a shortage of workers could lead to additional delays.
Featured image courtesy of Hispanolistic/iStock


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SEATTLE (AP) - Microsoft plans to lay off 2,850 people before the end of the company’s fiscal year in June 2017.
The Seattle Times reports (https://goo.gl/eZ6Ly8 ) the disclosure came in the company’s annual report, filed with regulators Thursday.
A Microsoft spokeswoman says the cuts would primarily affect people in smartphone hardware roles and their sales teams. She declined to say where those employees are located.
Officials say the majority of people being laid off have been notified.
These cuts follow Microsoft’s May announcement that the company would lay off 1,850 people and take a $950 million restructuring charge as a result of its decision to scrap much of the phone hardware business it bought from Nokia in 2014.
As of the end of June, the company said it employed 114,000 people with about 44,400 in Washington state.
Information from: The Seattle Times, https://www.seattletimes.com
Copyright © 2023 The Washington Times, LLC.


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Supreme Court ruling provides increased potential for brand owners to seek infringers’ profits
Brand owners may now have a valuable tool at their disposal thanks to an April 23, 2020, decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in Romag Fasteners, Inc. v. Fossil Group, Inc.
Although Section 1117 of the federal Lanham Act provides for an award of a defendant’s profits in an infringement lawsuit, federal circuit courts have been split as to when a profit award is available. Many circuits, including the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, have allowed a disgorgement of profits only in rare instances of willful infringement or when there was specific intent by the defendant to infringe. However, on April 23, 2020, the Supreme Court rejected these “inflexible precondition[s]” and unanimously ruled that a “plaintiff in a trademark infringement suit is not required to show that a defendant willfully infringed the plaintiff’s trademark as a precondition to a profits award.”
The case before the Court was filed by Romag Fasteners, the maker of magnetic snap fasteners that are used with various goods. Romag sued Fossil and others for trademark infringement, and the jury awarded Romag $6.7 million of Fossil’s profits for the infringement. The district court reversed the award because the jury found Fossil acted in “callous disregard” of Romag’s rights and did not find Fossil acted “willfully.” That decision was upheld by the Federal Circuit, and the Supreme Court reversed. In writing for the Court, Justice Gorsuch found the issue to be limited to the text of the Lanham Act and held that a showing of willfulness as a prerequisite for a profits award has never been a requirement under the Lanham Act.
There are some limitations to the Supreme Court’s opinion. For example, although the Court rejected a willfulness requirement, the majority opinion does not provide a test for when profits should be allowed. In two separate concurring opinions, Justices Alito and Sotomayor respectively noted that “willfulness is a highly important consideration in awarding profits” and that an award of profits for “innocent or good-faith infringement” may not be proper. As a result, willfulness will remain a factor in determining whether profits should be awarded, and district courts will now be left determining when profits are allowed on a case-by-case basis. Nevertheless, the Romag decision makes clear that willful infringement is not necessarily required for a profits award.
Takeaways for brand owners
In light of Romag, trademark registration and use of a proper trademark notice in association with a mark is now more important than ever as it may help show that an infringer knew of and disregarded an owner’s rights in a mark to support a profits award. Trademark owners should take action now to ensure that they are properly protecting and providing notice of their rights in public advertising and marketing. Notice of trademark rights is most commonly provided through the use of ® (for federally registered marks) and TM or SM (for unregistered marks) on packaging and in advertising and marketing materials that use a company’s marks. Federal registration of key marks is also more important as registration can provide constructive notice of an owner’s rights. Companies should, however, thoroughly vet every new potential mark and logo before applying for registration or using it in commerce. Willful or not, thanks to Romag, every claim for trademark infringement now carries the risk of an award of profits.
We previously provided information on intellectual property notices in the article found here. For help with evaluating any new mark or trademark notice, feel free to contact the Intellectual Property attorneys with McAfee & Taft.


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Tuesday’s reports that MP3.com, Inc. and Warner Music Group are close to settling a copyright infringement lawsuit came as extremely good news to the online music company’s shareholders.
According to published reports, MP3.com is expected to pay Warner Music, a unit of Time Warner Inc., between $15 and $20 million (US$) to settle the suit. The settlement also reportedly outlines a plan for MP3.com to license music from the record company. An official announcement is expected later this week.
Other labels are also negotiating with MP3.com, which was slapped with a copyright infringement lawsuit by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) earlier this year. The suit charges that MP3.com violated copyright laws with a service that allows users to make digital copies of CDs they own and store them on the MP3.com site — where they are then available for listening by other MP3.com users.
Court Ruling Triggers Cave In
At first, MP3.com fought back against the legal action by filing a counterclaim against the RIAA alleging unfair business practices. MP3.com argued that its service would actually stimulate record sales.
Still, the record labels stuck to their guns, asserting that MP3.com was guilty of making digital copies of more than 40,000 CDs without permission.
A ruling on April 30th by U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff sided with the recording industry and found MP3.com liable for copyright infringement. The court decision appeared to be the last straw for MP3.com.
In mid-May, MP3.com CEO Michael Robertson announced that his company would voluntarily remove “Big Five” record company content from its My.MP3.com database. The company’s decision made it impossible for users to share music from Arista Records Inc., Atlantic Recordings Corp., Capitol Records Inc., Sony Music Entertainment Inc. and Warner Bros. Records.
“We regret the need to take this step,” Robertson said at the time. “While we disagree with the court’s decision, we also want to demonstrate our good faith and strong desire to achieve an expeditious business resolution.”
No Cause for Shame
At the time, some observers scorned Robertson for beating a retreat, but in hindsight, I think he has nothing to be ashamed of. Unlike the arrogant executives of music-swapping site Napster — which is also being sued by the RIAA but has chosen to ignore the odds that it will lose the case — Robertson made the only decision a good leader could make. When he saw the war was about to be lost, he worked toward a tolerable peace treaty.
Their willingness to negotiate is evidence that the RIAA and Warner have adopted a new, more respectful attitude toward MP3.com. Perhaps they realized that it would be in their best interests to deal with someone who could at least recognize that he was outgunned, rather than with some clueless generation Y kamikaze.
Like it or not, MP3.com and Napster are not the only ones struggling for survival. The music industry must come to terms with the Internet — even if it means forging a truce with its online foes.
As a result of Robertson’s conciliatory moves, shares of MP3.com are already beginning to rebound. But more importantly, MP3.com and the record industry may be on the verge of a historic agreement.
If Napster would only acknowledge that there is a copyright infringement problem and extend an olive branch to the recording industry, maybe it too could strike a deal that will help to determine how musicians, record labels and consumers can profitably coexist in the new economy — and finally put an end to all the noise.


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Private Equity in lockdown – how has the industry fared?
The wider global economy has suffered considerably through the Coronavirus pandemic. Sector by sector, however, there have undoubtedly been areas that have capitalised on this period while others have struggled.
The travel industry and the hospitality arena have come almost to a halt while innovation in retail and health have become more important than ever before.
Private equity investment has been one of the only areas able or willing to provide growth finance to businesses looking to grow during lockdown. It is also a sector that has provided vital survival finance to firms unable to access any government support.
IW Capital – a leading SME investment firm – has funded over 40 growing small businesses since 2011, including Borrow my Doggy and Brewhouse and Kitchen. In the past few months they have supported a number of businesses looking to grow through lockdown as firms from a variety of sectors carry on with – or alter – their plans.
Luke Davis, CEO of IW Capital and private equity expert, discusses the what the last two months has meant for private equity and small businesses:
“This period has been incredibly difficult for businesses up and down the country but for those looking to grow and expand it has meant a huge reduction in the amount of available finance – something that even previously was not widely available. It has, however, highlighted the importance of effective planning and risk management in a business. While no one could have prepared for this period, ultimately, the firms that have survived are the ones that were best prepared for disruption and had sound underlying propositions.
As private finance providers, we have a responsibility to not only support growing businesses that are seeing this period as an opportunity but also businesses in industries that may be struggling and that are unable to access government support.
State-sponsored initiatives and infrastructure investment will be key to giving businesses confidence but the majority of funding is likely to come from private sources. And given that bank lending to SMEs remains a key issue limiting growth, private equity through schemes such as the EIS will be crucial to unlocking the growth potential of these firms.”
This has recently been highlighted by IW Capital’s £2m investment into online doctor service GPDQ, an innovative solution working closely with the NHS to help cope with the strain on doctors during the Coronavirus crisis. The raise – completed in April 2020 – was massively oversubscribed by IW Capital’s investor base as they looked to back the firm, even in spite of widespread reluctance in the wider investment market.
IW Capital and its founder Luke Davis have also invested in a beachfront pub development project in Hove – of which Luke is a resident – raising over £2m to redevelop a well-known landmark in the area into a new community hub now to be known as Rockwater Hove. The investment was also open to local residents and to date has received tremendous support from the local community, both from the public and the council.
One of the areas having an impact in this period is the retail technology sector. Supermarkets and shops have come under immense pressure to adapt quickly to protect shoppers and employees alike. Ubamarket – one of IW Capital’s portfolio companies – provides innovative Scan and Go app technology to eliminate the need to use checkouts when paying for the weekly shop.


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Australian rock royalty AC/DC have kept the world thunderstruck for close to five decades. To celebrate the milestone anniversaries of six of their album releases, the Royal Australian Mint is issuing coin tributes to the vinyls that have electrified generations of music lovers. These coins will be highly sought after by rock ‘n’ roll fans and gift buyers alike.
This years marks 45 years since AC/DC released their debut album High Voltage. The band’s second album T.N.T also clocks up its sapphire anniversary at the end of the year along with Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap in 2021.
Meanwhile, 2020 represents 40 years since the release of Back in Black and 25 years since the band released Ballbreaker. Next year it will be the ruby anniversary of the album For Those About to Rock (We Salute You).
The Royal Australian Mint paid tribute in 2018 to the 45th anniversary of the band bursting onto the music scene with a special edition AC/DC 50 cent coin and a $5 triangular coin shaped like a guitar pick.
- Designs are inspired by the original art from album covers of – For Those About to Rock (We Salute You), T.N.T, High Voltage, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, Ballbreaker and Back in Black
- Coin’s obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II designed by Jody Clark
- Coins feature colour print with a surrounding to make it look like a vinyl record
- Copper-nickel coins with an Australian legal tender denomination of 20 cents
|Royal Australian Mint
|Coin in surrounding in card


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(This April 21st story corrects J&F shareholders to Wesley and Joesley, not Wesley and Jose)
SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazilian financial startup PicPay has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering on Nasdaq, according to a Wednesday filing.
Founded in 2012, payments wallet PicPay is controlled by group J&F Investimentos SA, a holding company owned by Brazilian billionaire brothers Wesley and Joesley Batista, who also own meatpacker behemoth JBS SA.
With 28.4 million active users, PicPay posted total revenues of 390 million reais in 2020 and a loss of 804 million reais ($144.37 million).
The loss was mainly due to high selling expenses, which included roughly 622 million reais in payments related to the brand promotion and development, PicPay said, adding payments were settled as a capital increase.
In March, however, J&F entered an agreement to transfer the trademark PicPay to the company for no amount paid.
PicPay also has agreements with Banco Original, a bank controlled by J&F, related to cards and revolving credit lines.
The company, which has Jose Antonio Batista as CEO, said it plans to raise an undisclosed amount of money to fund its growth strategy, which may include M&As.
BTG Pactual, Bradesco BBI, Barclays and Santander will manage the IPO.
($1 = 5.5690 reais)
(Reporting by Aluisio Alves and Carolina Mandl, writing by Carolina Mandl; Editing by Sam Holmes and Diane Craft)