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What's Holding Newell Brands Back
When Newell Brands Inc. (NASDAQ: NWL) released its fourth-quarter financial results before the markets opened on Friday, the firm said that it had $0.71 in earnings per share (EPS) and $2.3 billion in revenue. This compares to consensus estimates from Thomson Reuters that called for $0.67 in EPS and $2.43 billion in revenue, as well as the $0.68 per share and $3.74 billion posted in last year’s fourth quarter.
The drop in revenues that was seen this past quarter reflected headwinds from the adoption of the new 2018 revenue recognition standard, unfavorable foreign exchange and a decline in core sales.
Reported gross margin was 34.7%, compared with 32.7% in the prior-year period, resulting from pricing, productivity, lower integration and restructuring costs and the impact of the new revenue recognition standard.
In terms of its segments the company reported:
- Learning & Development generated net sales of $707 million, compared with $730 million in the prior-year period.
- Food & Appliances generated net sales of $824 million, compared with $888 million.
- Home & Outdoor Living generated net sales of $809 million, compared with $872 million.
Looking ahead to the first quarter, the company is calling for EPS in the range of $0.04 to $0.08 and net sales between $1.66 billion and $1.70 billion. The consensus estimates are $0.22 in EPS and $1.8 billion in revenue.
Michael Polk, president and CEO of Newell Brands, commented:
Newell Brands’ fourth quarter results reflect solid progress as we continue to execute the Accelerated Transformation Plan (ATP) announced one year ago. We were encouraged by the sequential improvement in core sales growth across all segments, the return to growth of our Learning & Development segment driven by building momentum on Writing, and solid margin expansion as a result of continued diligent cost management and pricing. We returned $1.1 billion to our shareholders through dividends and share repurchases and paid down $2.6 billion in debt during the quarter, exiting the year at our targeted leverage ratio. We’ve planned 2019 to be another year of significant portfolio and organization transformation. We intend to drive the ATP to completion in 2019, and despite the ongoing negative impact of retailer bankruptcies, foreign exchange, inflation and tariffs, we expect to stabilize and then reignite core sales growth, increase margins, and strengthen the operational and financial performance of the company.
Shares of Newell were last seen down about 18% at $17.81 on Friday, in a 52-week range of $15.12 to $29.55. The consensus price target is $23.36.


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Finally, New Yorkers can go to Central Park or the Brooklyn Bridge and not have to worry about losing that perfect Instagram moment thanks to a dead iPhone battery.
AT&T is the latest corporate sponsor to hook NYC up with some shiny, environmentally-friendly goodies. They've partnered up with solar power provider Goal Zero and design firm Pensa to launch Street Charge, the public mobile-charging program that debuts Tuesday in New York City.
AT&T dreamt up the idea after Superstorm Sandy left millions without power and unable to get in touch with their loved ones last fall. Now New Yorkers will be able to plug in at 25 futuristic charging stations around the city, free of charge. And to ensure that our smartphones stay glued to our faces once they're full of juice, AT&T is also introducing free Wi-Fi in 28 locations within 21 different parks.
Will Street Charge's corporate branding invoke the same kind of artistic disobedience as Citi Bikes? What kind of disaster will ensue if we allow distracted smartphone users and inexperienced bikers to roam the very same streets? It's all just part of the vast experiment that is New York City.
Photo Credit: AT&T

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PUTRAJAYA: Pakistan is ready to import more palm oil from Malaysia, which is seeking other markets following controls imposed by India on refined palm oil imports.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (pic) said the sale of palm oil was discussed by him and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan during their bilateral meeting.
"Pakistan is quite ready to import more palm oil from Malaysia," he said at a joint press conference with Imran on Tuesday (Jan 4).
This was echoed by Imran, who said Pakistan would try its best to compensate after India threatened to cut palm oil imports.
"We notice that India threatened Malaysia for supporting the Kashmir cause and threatened to cut palm oil imports.
"Pakistan will try its best to compensate," he said.
India's directorate-general of foreign trade had announced restrictions on the import of refined palm oil and palm olein where importers would now be required to apply for licences.
The Indian import controls came after remarks by Dr Mahathir regarding India's actions on Kashmir and the new citizenship law last year.
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“Medical marijuana has quickly become big business
The growth and distribution of cannabis has boomed so quickly in the United States that annual sales are predicted to reach $23.4 billion by 2022. (Related: Instead of paying farmers subsidies to grow unprofitable crops, wouldn’t it make more sense to legalize hemp agriculture and unleash billions in profit potential?)
This is good news for those who fought long and hard to have legal access to the amazing health benefits of marijuana. It is also good news for those who have spent large sums of money establishing farms to grow this precious commodity.”
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It's been an open secret amongst Google Android users after the market for applications (apps) first became available, that certain apps allowed easy searching and downloading of CD quality MP3 music for free.
The flexibility and availability of Google Android mobile handsets at price points starting from sub-$100 has seen them steadily increase their market share worldwide.
Over 550,000 new mobile phones and other devices powered by Google’s Android operating system are being activated each day. According to IDC telecommunications market analyst Mark Novosel, the market share for Android smartphones in Australia was 29.7 per cent as at Q1 2011.
There are clear signs that Google is finally starting to try to increase mobile user revenues from the current standby of mobile ads, by also selling and renting digital content.
The first sign was Google’s cloud powered music storage service, Google Music, launched in May 2011. Google Music allows users in the USA who have been invited to participate in the beta testing process to upload their “personal music collection to the cloud for streaming to … computer and Android devices”.
A week ago Google started rolling out a major worldwide update to its Android Market app which enables users in the USA to rent movies and buy books, as well as totally revamping the Market user interface to improve its look and highlight quality paid apps through an editor’s choice list.
A spokesman for Google Australia told Technology Spectator that the “new Android Market will be rolling out in the coming weeks to Android 2.2 and higher phones around the world”.
Any registered developer can add their app to the Google Android market as long as they agree to the content policies, which include a warning not to breach intellectual property (IP) rights of others as Google “will respond to clear notices of alleged copyright infringement”.
Until now Google has appeared to be playing whack a mole with music piracy apps, removing them every now and then only to have the app appear once again with a slightly changed name. As a case in point G-Tunes Music Lite was available in the Google Android Market a few weeks ago as GTunes Music Lite.
Users who download apps like "G-Tunes Music Lite" are taking a risk with their personal data because these kinds of apps often ask for a lot of user permissions such as: “reading and writing contact data, modifying/deleting storage contents and modifying global system settings”.
Tim Scully, CEO of information security specialists Stratsec, told Technology Spectator users should be careful when reading app installation caution notices in the Android Market, because of all the permissions they ask for.
“You’re going to have some apps there’s no way you should download,” Scully says.
In Google’s defence an Australian spokesman insisted that Android users were protected by “a multi-layered security model [and] applications in violation of our policies are removed from Android Market”.
Producing a hit song has been estimated to cost well over $US1 million. The recording industry has argued that downloading or copying music without paying for it results in less revenue for the artist and the industry to reinvest in the future.
Mark Pesce is an Honorary Associate in the University of Sydney's digital cultures program. He warns that in discussions about music intellectual property there are two perspectives to consider, the artist and the distribution industry.
Making it clear that he prefers the term “audience driven distribution” to piracy, Pesce explains that this behaviour has “become such a part of how we do things that people don’t think about it”.
Pesce agrees with popular sci-fi writer Cory Doctorow that "the biggest threat [content creators] face isn't piracy, it's obscurity".
According to Pesce, smarter artists have figured out that the value of digital bits of music is more as a promotional material rather than as an end in itself. A freely available and widely shared MP3 can increase the number of fans and potentially “purchase enough of their attention” that they buy merchandise or concert tickets, both of which can earn the artist far more than music royalties ever did.
The big question is whether Android users, who have traditionally favoured free apps over paid options, will be willing to rent or buy content from Google and its digital content partners. Especially when Google has to date been somewhat tardy in enforcing its policies around intellectual property breaches by apps in the Android Market.
Will Google be more pro-active at shutting down Android apps that breach IP laws and its policies in this new era where it has its own skin in the game of digital content sales?


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Fine Organics IPO kicks off: Know key details before you subscribe
The Rs 600-crore initial public offer (IPO) by Fine Organic Industries hit the primary market on Wednesday. Analysts say one can subscribe to the issue only with a long-term investment horizon. The company generates 73 per cent of its revenues from plastic additives segment and the rest from food & other additives. Consolidated sales and profit of this specialty chemicals maker has grown 13.2 per cent and 21.4 per cent compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) over FY15-17.
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Muskogee officials need to do as much as possible to encourage locally owned businesses to locate downtown.
Many of the 664 respondents to an Action in Muskogee survey say they want new retail, restaurants and entertainment in downtown Muskogee.
City officials should acknowledge the respondents’ requests by offering incentives to locally owned businesses that are willing to move downtown.
It would be great if chain restaurants or bars were willing to move downtown. Respondents suggested Olive Garden and Outback Steakhouse.
But most chain restaurants operate on such a small profit margin that they want the guaranteed traffic that Shawnee Bypass or U.S. 69 offer.
Locally owned businesses are the best answer. They have a built-in following.
City leaders must offer tax incentives or help with needed infrastructure to encourage growth downtown.
The City of Muskogee Foundation could help fund expanded culinary classes at ICTC.
Muskogee also needs to address the Muskogee Civic Center.
The venue needs to be updated and rental rates need to be revised to encourage more concerts or events.
Those events will create the necessary foot traffic for downtown businesses willing to stay open after 5 p.m.
The Civic Center needs a better sound system and improved acoustics to get more concerts.
City officials need to ensure the rental rates are low enough to attract events.
Muskogee will make up for the loss in rental revenue with additional sales tax revenue from bars and restaurants.
A new hotel downtown near the Civic Center would help as well.
The city faces the chicken-and-egg scenario: build businesses or create foot traffic.
Both need to happen. One needs the other for a thriving downtown.
City officials should look hard at what it will take to begin to bring the respondents’ vision into focus.


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On September 9, Apple unveiled the long-anticipated Apple Watch, to be released in early 2015. It will be available in three designs – Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport, and 18-karat gold Apple Watch Edition, starting at $349 presumably for the Sport version.
As demonstrated, it is clearly the most advanced and innovative smart watch, featuring a reimagined iOS Multi-Touch interface and a Digital Crown for scrolling and navigation. Beyond technical features, Apple has endeavored to make the watch very fashionable through customizable watch faces, numerous practical and elegant interchangeable bands, and a choice between 38mm and 42mm case sizes.
The watch has health and fitness apps, a walkie-talkie, and Siri along with standard iOS apps like Calendar, Messages, Mail, and Phone. Users can send sketches to other Apple Watch users, as well as taps and heartbeats that will be subtly felt by the recipient. Apple’s new, secure payment system Apple Pay is included.
There is potential for improvement and new innovations, especially in the area of health-related sensors that appear to be absent in this initial release. It is unclear if the watch will sync with a Mac in addition to a required iPhone 5 or newer. Developers will likely create many compelling apps for this new platform.
For more on the release of the Apple Watch, check out the website at:


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Social media platform Twitter on Friday launched Twitter Lite, a lighter version of its platform in India, which is among its top five audience markets globally.
The browser-based product, which will also be rolled out in countries like Indonesia and Philippines soon, uses 70 per cent less data and loads 30 per cent faster compared to the app.
It will be available in 42 languages, including six Indian languages (Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada, Gujarati and Marathi). "India is a critical market for us. It is among our top five audience markets and among the fastest growing. Our goal is to make Twitter available to everybody and we believe Twitter Lite will help in that direction," Twitter Managing Director Asia Pacific Maya Hari told PTI.
Twitter has over 319 million users globally. It does not give out country-specific numbers.
Last year, the social networking firm saw a slew of top-level exits, including that of India head Rishi Jaitly and Managing Director for India, Southeast Asia and Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) Parminder Singh.
"We have a stable leadership team. We did see a number of departures last year but that hasn't changed the core strategy of the business," she said.
Hari added that Twitter is growing and hiring in India, which is a "signal of how things are and that we are doing well".
She said the company is focusing on four pillars -- sports, entertainment, government and news -- for growth. "We have had a strong revenue focus for the last two years, and have seen significant growth. We are focusing on areas like government, automotive, telecom and FMCG for driving revenues in India," Hari said.
Twitter, which allows users to engage with peers, corporates and government using 140 characters, is also betting heavily on visual content like emojis and videos.
For 2017, the strategy is heavily anchored around being able to connect consumers who love videos and advertisers who can bring video content, associate themselves with premium video content," she said.
Talking about Twitter Lite, Twitter APAC Senior Director Business Development Arvinder Gujral said the new offering is aimed at markets like India that face challenges in terms of connectivity.
"Many users worry about heavy data consumption or don't have high-end smartphones. With Lite, they don't have to worry about huge data costs. We believe Lite will help bring a lot of new users on board," he added.
Twitter has also partnered Vodafone to provide a customised timeline of top cricket related tweets via Twitter Lite to the telecom major's 200 million subscribers throughout the T20 season.


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Furious city centre traders are uniting against plans for a huge expansion of Newcastle's Christmas markets - and have accused council bosses of "taking lunatic pills".
It was revealed last week that the festive attraction is set to be extended from its usual position around Grey's Monument this year, taking it all the way along Blackett Street and Northumberland Street.
Many of the city's big brand shops and eateries have also joined their campaign - with the likes of McDonald's and Starbucks backing a petition to move the Christmas stalls to the Bigg Market in order to protect existing traders' livelihoods.
Northumberland Street fruit and veg trader Albert Sayers said: "I am challenging the council and Ged Bell to organise a public meeting where everyone who has signed the petition can make their voice heard.
"If there is a way of relocating the Christmas market to the Bigg Market or the Quayside, they should.
"The problem we have is the location. I have nothing against the Christmas market itself, but to put them here is ridiculous.
"The idea that our business will get better from the Christmas market is total rubbish. All the people we have spoken to say that their trade goes down because of it.
"The council has a duty of care to its traders. They should tell us all now that our stalls are not going to be moved for a market stall to be put in their place. We need reassurances, we need to know what is happening."
Fellow trader Terry Milligan, who has organised the petition with Mr Sayers, added: "The council must be taking lunatic pills."
More than 150 people have put their names to the petition - ranging from street traders, to small local business owners, and large chain stores including Cath Kidston and Samsung.
Justine Calland, manager of the French Connection in Grainger Street, said that it would be "a shame" for the Christmas markets to damage local traders.
She added: "Big Christmas markets are what every city does now and Newcastle has to keep up with the times, but you have to look after your own first."
Joanne Benson, manager of Milligans bakery in Northumberland Street, said: "Christmas is when you would expect to take the bulk of your money and as a smaller business we need that to survive."
New Christmas markets operator Mellors Group Events has pledged to involve local traders in this year's attraction, which is expected to run from November 16 to Christmas Eve.
Coun Bell, the local authority's cabinet member for employment and investment, said: "Throughout the wide-ranging conversations NE1 had with city centre businesses their feedback was very supportive of the expansion of the markets.
"Evidence from other well-run Christmas markets, including Nottingham, Leeds and Manchester shows both increases in footfall and dwell time.
"Nottingham's Winter Wonderland, also run by the city's new operator Mellors saw a 6% increase in footfall to the city last year, against the national trend of falling numbers.
"The council recognises the concerns previously raised by local traders. We are confident that Mellors will create Christmas markets to benefit all, that will both offer a unique winter experience and complement the city's retail and hospitality sectors.
"Once the formal planning application is submitted, statutory consultation will be carried out with businesses with frontages facing the planned markets and there will also be an opportunity for others to formally respond so we are disappointed to receive a petition before the full details of the plans have been published.
"We have had a number of face-to-face meetings with traders and we will continue to engage with local businesses to ensure everyone benefits from what promises to be a great new addition to the city's Christmas offer."


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Cargo handled in India’s dozen major public ports climbed 27.16% in the April-June quarter to 180.609 million tonnes (mt), from 142.033 mt a year ago.
The rebound in freight volumes in the first quarter of the current fiscal year was driven by strong growth in containers, iron ore and pellet, thermal and steam coal, and coking coal, according to the Ministry of Ports, Navigation and Waterways.
The 12 major ports collectively handled 2.753 million Twenty Foot Equivalents (TEUs), 57.86% more than the 1.744 million TEUs handled in the first quarter of fiscal year 21. Of this total, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), the state-run container gateway in India, handled 1.364 million TEUs out of 848,000 TEUs during the same period last year.
Chennai Port Trust processed 408,000 TEUs during the April to June quarter, up from 213,000 TEUs a year ago.
Shipments of thermal and steam coal increased 52.36% to 26.996 t from 17.719 t, while coking and other coal increased 15.55% to 12.372 t from 10.707 t a year earlier.
Shipments of iron ore, including pellets through the 12 ports, jumped 14.26 percent to 17.643 t from 15.441 t last year.
Deendayal Port Trust, India’s leading state port in terms of freight volumes, handled 33.125 mt between April and June, up from 25.049 mt a year ago, showing growth of 32.24%.
Paradip Port Trust handled 30.384 mt of freight compared to 25.734 mt, an increase of 18.07 percent.
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust handled 18.557 mt of freight compared to 12.097 mt, registering a growth of 53.40%.
Chennai Port Trust processed 11.623 t versus 7.282 t, recording growth of 59.61%.
Kamarajar Port Ltd processed 9.632 t against 5.169 t, registering a growth of 86.34%.


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A self-confessed coffee geek, Derek Lamberton, has come up with an app that has received much applause from other coffee lovers. It also featured in The Sunday Times top app list. What is so special about his creation?
This Hampstead-dwelling coffee connoisseur has come up with an idea to help give coffee advice to the growing coffee experts on the London coffee circuit. As Mr Lamberton knows his coffee beans, he discovered that friends and colleagues were often asking him for advice about the best places to get a good cup of joe. As a result, he devised an app that would collect his tips about the best places for a cuppa and the best beans etc but nothing about catering equipment
The application is designed for both iPhone and android phones and gives the low down on more than 70 coffee establishments - from cafes to stalls – and their wares, plus details about coffee beans and an option to cast your own vote as to the best place to get a cup. It has proved so popular in fact that the app has been created for other great metropolis' with a good coffee scene in America, New York and San Francisco.
Mr Lamberton has explained one of the reasons he loves coffee in a recent interview – whereas wine snobs need serious cash to indulge their tastes in high-end wine, coffee connoisseurs do not have to break the bank to enjoy a great cup of coffee with the finest ingredients. Coffee snobbery, by comparison, is better value for money and much more affordable, much like catering equipment.


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A competition has been launched in a bid to drive more people back to city centre shops.
The Trinity Centre has brought in two promotional kiosks and two businesses will have the chance to win a couple of months rent free.
Linda Stewart, general manager, hopes it will help improve footfall for not only the shopping centre but businesses as a whole across the city.
She said: “We want to try and support businesses across Aberdeen in any way we can.
“So we decided to run the competition. We want to encourage more local people to come to the city centre and we hope this will give customers a stronger offering.
We want to try and support businesses across Aberdeen in any way we can.”
“This is something we hope will give someone’s business a bit of a chance.”
There are two available kiosks to rent on a 6-month basis and the prize will give one business the chance to win 2 months rent free – pay for four-months only over a six-month period.
The cost is normally £200 a week.
Each kiosk is 2m x 3m in size and features a counter, drawers, displays towers and a power supply.
All businesses have to do to enter is write about themselves in no more than 200 words saying what you they will be able to do with the space or why this would help their business.
It could be possible for more than one business per kiosk but it depends on the operators licensing rules.
Plan to encourage better footfall
Ms Stewart is well aware the impact Covid-19 has had on the centre.
She said: “When we first opened after lockdown the footfall went through the roof. Everybody had been locked away for ages and they just wanted to come out and shop.
People don’t want to come into the city centre because there’s a fear factor.”
“With Covid figures rising at the moment I think people are loosing confidence in shopping and just staying in their local area. People don’t want to come into the city centre because there’s a fear factor.
“They are scared but hopefully that’ll change in the next few weeks.”
The winner of the competition, run in association with Mall Solutions Europe, will be announced by Friday July 23 with the prize starting from August 2.
Entries must be emailed to firstname.lastname@example.org by July 21st.
An opening date is still to be announced for Poundland which is set to open in the Trinity Centre.
Its new premises will be the site of the former Waterstones shop.


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Wazdan has expanded its reach in forming a new partnership with Avento, in which games will be made available to six online casino brands including Casino Columbus and Aplay Casino.
Avento aims to create and deliver top-quality products and believes the Wazdan partnership will enhance its a customer-first mission, through access to tech-rich games.
Through the partnership, Wazdan MGA games will be available on Slot V and Frank Casino.
Avento is one of a number of new partnerships for Wazdan this year. In the last year, the supplier has teamed up with companies including ComeOn, Lapalingo, Nektan, Microgaming Quickfire, TGP Asia, Islands Lotto, Videoslots, SoftGaming, BetHard, River iGaming, and many more.
Wazdan’s head of sales Andrzej Hyla said: “It is thrilling to see Wazdan slot games now available through Avento to their various casinos. The team are proud, and we are all humbled to see such excitement for our technology-packed games. We look forward to entertaining their players and extending our reach.”


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UK-based denim maker VOI Jeans’ Indian partner, is aiming to double its revenue to reach Rs. 100 cr by 2021, said the top executive of the brand. VOI Jeans has a global presence with outlets in the UK, Germany, Russia, Holland, and Austria with retail sales of $2 bn.
In India, the company is a joint venture between VOI Jeans UK and VOI Jeans India. The JV consists of predominantly funding along with production support in terms of increasing the product categories like winter wear, footwear, and accessories and expansion support.
“Currently, VOI Jeans India has a 50-cr retail sale and it looks at hitting the 100-cr mark by 2021. The brand’s strategy for achieving the same consists of expanding its presence in Tier 2 towns across the country,” said Vimal Kumar Kamnani, CEO, VOI Jeans India. The company will also invest Rs. 20 cr in the next two years to open 20 exclusive outlets as well as for growing the business.
Denim and casual wear are among the high revenue categories in India’s growing domestic apparel market. The market size of the Indian denim segment was estimated at Rs. 23,076 cr in 2017 and is projected to reach Rs. 41,947 cr by 2022 and Rs. 76,258 cr by 2027 with men’s denim accounting for the largest share, expected to grow at a high CAGR of 12.7 per cent over the next decade. At present, VOI Jeans India has 18 exclusive brand outlets and over 100 shop-in-shops along with a presence on major e-commerce platforms. The brand is looking at expanding the business by increasing the number of counters.
“Our design-centric approach and unconventional methodologies have helped us to bring constant newness in the market. We always keep consumers in focus and deliver high European fashion products that are easy on Indian pocket,” said the executive.
The brand is currently present in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Vizag, Vijayawada, Pune, Delhi, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Kolkata. The brand which sells primarily through large-format retail stores generates only around 10 per cent revenues from the online channel. “It is only 10 per cent for us. We have noticed more than fresh season sales it is about discounted sales trend. So, online is more of old season stock clearance for us at the moment,” said the CEO.


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Packaged-foods producers are seldom mentioned in the same breath as growth stocks, but that's the case with Amira Nature Foods (ANFI).
The company is best known for its Indian specialty rice, called basmati rice. Although it's essentially an Indian company, the headquarters are in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as the result of a restructuring several years ago to turn Amira into a global brand.
Its products are sold in about 40 countries.
The company's strategy is to continue expanding globally. It recently started selling in South Korea and the United Kingdom.
It is also introducing new products. CEO Karan Chanana said at the Nov. 11 earnings announcement that its new Amira Organic business is doing well.
Amira's earnings doubled in the September-ended quarter as sales increased 36%. In fact, earnings soared at a triple-digit pace in four of the past five quarters.
Although a few other packaged-foods stocks have rallied sharply this year, Amira easily tops the industry group's average quarterly EPS growth over three years.
Amira's sales growth ranged from 10% to 56% over the same five periods, for a three-year average growth rate of 29%.
Analysts at Deutsche Bank, one of the underwriters of Amira's 2012 IPO, see a bullish future for the company.
"Looking ahead, we see continued strong growth potential driven by the company's plan to enter 30 new markets over the next few years ... growing global demand for basmati rice, and expansion into additional categories such as ready-to-eat meals, snacks, and the previously discussed organic business.
"While visibility into the company's various markets remains limited and more quarterly detail around the top line would be helpful, we believe CEO Chanana continues to do a good job meeting with investors and providing color around the company's growth strategy."
The stock went public on the NYSE in October 2012 at $10 a share. It traded below that until September of this year, when it broke out past resistance at 10.
Shares shot up as high as 17.41 earlier this month, then pulled back sharply to the 10-week moving average. The stock found support at that level, however.
Amira is thinly traded, which adds some risk. Also, there's ample competition in the industry.


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As a shrinking manufacturing sector and the threat of tariffs continue to loom over China, Vietnam has emerged as one of the neighboring countries reaping the most benefits of a trade influx.
But according to one shoe industry executive, the surge may just be temporary.
At the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America’s annual Sourcing and Sustainability Summit today in New York, Mike Jeppesen, Wolverine World Wide’s president of global operations, sat down with the trade group’s president and CEO, Matt Priest, for a discussion on sourcing trends amid the protracted tariff war between China and the United States.
Although rising wages and labor shortages have driven supply chains outside of China, Jeppesen noted that Vietnam’s lack of skilled workers has increasingly become a barrier to the country’s growth.
“The short-term fix is Vietnam, but it’s unsustainable because it’s basically maxed out,” Jeppesen said. “There’s really no labor availability to be found, so it has to be tapered off, [and] we’ll see the prices go up [even though] labor costs in Vietnam are lower than [in] China.”
So far, President Donald Trump has imposed a 25% levy on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods, warning of additional duties on another $300 billion that would include consumer products such as footwear and apparel.
Less than two weeks ago, Vietnam’s Customs Department released data indicating a trade surplus with the U.S. According to the report, exports between the months of January and June surged 27.4%, compared with the same period in 2018. In the first five months of 2019, the U.S. trade deficit with the Southeast Asian nation was $17.1 billion, versus $12.94 billion last year.
Vietnam is also the second largest exporter of shoes to the U.S. after China, making up 18.7% of 2018’s footwear imports, according to the Commerce Department. (By comparison, China accounted for 69.2%, a 21-year low.)
“China will still to be a part of the sourcing scene over the next five years simply because there’s so many raw materials suppliers in China,” Jeppesen added. “[But] whether this trade war manifests itself in increased duties on China or not, you have to diversify. Whether you’re a big or small company, you have to find a way to get out of China and find other sources.”
Among the countries Jeppesen expects will pick up the slack include neighbors Cambodia, Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines. However, the undertaking is predicted to be costly and time-consuming, with hundreds of shoe companies scrambling for new strategies to evade higher costs.
Mexico has also seen an acceleration in production, with direct-to-consumer brand Thursday Boot Company and footwear retailer Steve Madden among the companies with parts of their supply chains based in León, a city in the central state of Guanajato.
“We had a little bit of a head start because we have a viable operation in León, Mexico, that’s producing shoes for us [as well as] production in Brazil and Vietnam,” said Cherie Blum, COO of Steve Madden’s buying agent, Adesso Madden Inc. “It’s a matter of looking at our total business and determining what product types make the most sense to move.”
Mexican Footwear Chamber board member Luis Humberto Vela added, “This brings a great opportunity for Mexico as a good alternative for sourcing. We can deliver in one week door-to-door. We have no duties. We have very competitive labor costs.”
Over the past few months, members of the footwear and apparel industries have stepped up in droves to fight Trump’s threatened and enacted tariffs against China — even testifying before the Office of the United States Trade Representative during last month’s seven-day public hearings on additional duties.
“The administration is walking this fine line of having something short-term and impactful [that] creates leverage for negotiation,” Priest told FN at the time, “or extending this in perpetuity and then really harming the U.S. economy going into the election year.”
Watch FN’s interview with these top shoe players.
Is Vietnam the Next Target for Trump’s Trade War?
How to Legally Avoid Tariffs: The Critical Rules Every Shoe Brand Should Know
These Are the Countries That Stand to Benefit From the US-China Trade War


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Aston Martin is not going through its best financial moment. The British firm has reported some net losses of 133 million euros in the first quarter of this year due in part to interest payments and the devaluation of the pound; almost triple that in the same period of 2021.
The red numbers and the obligatory roadmap towards the electric car have pushed Aston Martin to replace the CEO, Tobias Moers.
Despite the red numbers, the brand has invoiced 276 million euros between January and March, almost 4% more than in 2021 due, according to the company’s president, Lawrence Stroll, to an “exceptional” demand, “sports out of stock for the year and DBX orders at 60%”.
As explained Financial Timesthe billing is due to a increase in sales prices during the quarterfrom 176,000 euros to 178,000 euros.
And as a backdrop for the whole industry, the war in the Ukraine, the problems in the supply chain, the rising cost of raw materials.
Delays in the manufacture and delivery of the new Aston Martin Valkyrie – only 10 units have been delivered to date – have not helped either.
This situation has led Aston Martin to carry out a change in management and to review its corporate management. Thus, Tobias Moers, who was fired two years ago from Mercedes AMG by president Lawrence Stroll, will leave the management immediately and will be replaced by the former CEO of Ferrari, Amedeo Felisa.
A movement that pushed up the shares, which fail to provide benefits after the company’s tepid entry on the London Stock Exchange in 2018.
In this scenario, the luxury firm continues its roadmap towards the obligatory electrification with new models.
The first will be the Valhalla, the supercar with a plug-in hybrid engine whose first deliveries are scheduled for 2024. After it, it will be followed in 2025 by the first Aston Martin equipped with an electric drive.
Source: Motorpasión by www.motorpasion.com.
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You can then give your Echo commands to call people on Skype; a device with a screen and a camera will default to a video call, while a regular Echo will make a voice call. From today Alexa enabled devices will be able to make calls just by saying "Alexa call Dad on Skype" if you want to call your Dad or anyone else for that matter from your contacts. Now sign in using the same Microsoft account that you use for Skype.
"With Skype and Alexa, you can now connect with your friends and family around the world completely hands-free".
To that second point, Microsoft has just announced that Skype calling is now available via Alexa, with Amazon's Echo hardware supporting basic Skype calling.
Boston Celtics: Kyrie Irving continues to carry team
Friday's game was just one of the many single-game MVP performances that lay ahead for the eccentric point guard. I felt like we addressed it a couple times . "I just can't have a game like that, in my opinion".
Over 250,000 thousand protest over fuel prices in France
Protest organisers have called for more demonstrations Sunday at about 150 locations countrywide, the minister added. Some incidents occurred as drivers not taking part tried to get around the blockades, police sources said .
Virgil van Dijk: Netherlands defender consoles official after Germany draw
All four nations are also assured of a Euro 2020 qualification play-off, in case they fail to qualify automatically. It's just a great feeling for all of us. "Hopefully [future] holds a lot, but we don't like to look too far ahead".
According to Microsoft, Skype calling is compatible with all Echo devices release thus far, going back to the first generation Echo.
It's great to see devices like the newest Echo Show able to join existing video conferencing solutions instead of going it alone with their own systems.
To add Skype to Alexa, users will have to link their accounts in Alexa's settings. Moreover, for a limited time, Microsoft and Amazon throw in 100 minutes of free calls per month for two months for those who link Skype with Alexa. It has been recommended that users should be on Skype version 8.34 or later.


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It was a party-like atmosphere outside Mellon Arena Wednesday evening when fans lined up to participate in the first American Eagle Student Rush of the regular season.
Hundreds of fans waited in line for hours to get a chance to see their beloved Penguins face off against the Phoenix Coyotes.
American Eagle provided entertainment for the crowd.
“(We want) to make sure that the kids have a great time,” Brandon Atwood, of the American Eagle marketing team, said. “We help them have a good time.
“We give them gift cards, play music for them, play games with them, give them pizza, help them meet the players and get some autographs.”
In continuation of a student rush tradition, Pizza Hut provided pizzas for Penguins’ players to pass out to fans in line.
“It’s great,” Max Talbot said. “We know they’ve been waiting for a while. You meet the fans. It’s great for them and for us.”
Talbot, along with Eric Godard, Pascal Dupuis
, Chris Bourque, Marc-Andre Fleury
and Chris Kunitz
, piled out of a vehicle parked beside the line to give away 50 pizzas donated by Pizza Hut.
“We’re so amazed this happened,” fan Kathryne Hopkins, who received a pizza from Fleury, said. “I was like ‘Fleury is going to come out here,’ and then he did.”
The players are always impressed with the fans’ commitment to the team.
“I know last year I ran into some (fans who) were camped out here all night,” Godard said. “It’s pretty intense. This gives them a chance to come out here and see the games.”
Fan Jordan Schrecengost received a pizza from Godard. The delivery was a complete surprise to him.
“We saw people cheering,” Schrecengost said. “Then all of the sudden we saw this vehicle, and all the players came out with pizza and we were like ‘this is awesome.’
“It was like whoa, unexpected, immediate Facebook-status post. It was really cool. It shows that they actually care that we’re out here, and they actually got involved and made us feel awesome. Everybody got pumped up, psyched to go to the game now.”
Chris Bourque is getting his first taste of “Student Rush,” and the sight amazed him.
“It’s awesome to see how passionate the fans are here,” Bourque said. “It’s really great to see (first hand) the support this team gets.
“It’s awesome when you get to see fans up close and personal like this. It’s exciting for the game and it’s great to have such passionate fans as this.”
Fan Robert Pellegrino had a hunch that the delivery might happen, but was still thrilled when Fleury handed him a pizza.
“Awesome dude, free pizza,” Pellegrino said. “Marc-Andre Fleury
gave it to me over this car. Marc-Andre Fleury
In addition to the special pizza delivery, American Eagle provided fans with a DJ to play music while fans passed the time in line. Boxes of apparel were handed out, and games were played with prizes, including autographed pucks and hats.
Godard sees Student Rush as a win situation for everyone involved.
“It’s great,” Godard said. “(The fans) are always fun and rowdy. They make lots of noise when they get in (to the arena), so we look forward to hearing that.”


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Mobile phone users hoping to get in the Christmas spirit may be wise to invest in an Apple iPhone, which has plenty of apps and games available with a festive twist.
Kate Currin, writing for Appolicious, explains seasonal cheer is currently "overwhelming" the App Store, before recommending several that must be downloaded.
Firstly, she says the Christmas Electric Lights Finder is good fun, as it allows users to share details and reviews on particularly good and bad displays.
Next to be identified as a good choice is the Christmas Carol Songbook, which offers people the opportunity to "hark back to your school choir days".
There are also a number of enjoyable games to be played at this time of year, such as the Christmas-themed version of Angry Birds and Dreidel Labyrinth – both of which are named as winners by Ms Currin.
The festive edition of Angry Birds – a popular game with smartphone users – follows a Halloween title released earlier this year.
Posted by Simon Thomas


text: Amid Chapter 11 bankruptcy rumors, Stage Stores, Inc. has reportedly laid off corporate staff and slated dozens of doors for closure. Stage Stores, which owns and operates the businesses, ... Sears is closing stores in Freehold, Livingston, Moorestown, New Brunswick and Woodbridge. On May 19, Pier 1 Imports announced that instead of closing half their stores forever, they were calling it quits and that all 950 stores would be closing. The retailer has recently reopened 1,100 of its 2,800 U.S. stores. The Stage Stores in Alpine, a West Texas town of about 6,000, closed late March when its Houston parent temporarily shuttered its 738 stores and furloughed virtually all of its employees. Stage Stores was trying to get itself on a better financial footing after a weak 2019 holiday season — but then along came COVID-19, which forced the company to close its stores for weeks. Stage Stores cuts staff, closes dozens of stores Dozens of locations under the Gordmans banner, which the retailer has staked its future on, are closing as … business Retail. In June 2020, Signet Jewelers announced that they would permanently close 150 stores in the U.S., and another 80 in the U.K, with another 150 stores to close by the end of 2020. Bealls owner files for bankruptcy Houston-based Stage Stores, which operates 19 mostly Bealls stores in North Texas, says it plans to conduct liquidation sales as stores … Stage Stores Reportedly Closing 60 Doors, Laying Off Staff as Chapter 11 Rumors Heat Up. The stores are expected to close … Stage Stores, which owns Gordmans, Bealls, and Goody’s, has closed all 700 locations. This comes on top of a separate report that said Stage was closing 60 of its existing Gordmans in addition to ten other department store locations that … Stage Stores to convert 70 to 80 department stores to Gordmans, close 40 to 60 others By Marianne Wilson - 03/07/2019 Get great content like this right in your inbox. Ella Chochrek. The Stage Store located in Marshall is hosted a closing sale amid the COVID-19 outbreak, with alternate store hours and safety regulations in place … Stage Stores (Stage, Goody’s, Palais Royal, Bealls, Peebles, Gordmans) RELATED: Pier 1 Has Started Liquidating Their 950 Stores 2. Stage’s plans to convert about 220 stores to the Gordmans brand by the middle of 2020 helped drive up its stock price earlier this year, even after it missed holiday forecasts, the company said. Read full article.


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Baseball great Pete Rose will join football Hall of Famer Joe Namath in Skechers’ upcoming Fall ’14 campaign for its Relaxed Fit line. Spanning TV and print to outdoor, online and point-of-sale materials, the campaign will run through 2015. “I’ve loved these super comfortable Relaxed Fit shoes from the moment I first tried on a pair, so it makes perfect sense now that I’m working with Skechers,” Rose says. “I can’t wait until everyone sees what we have planned. I know I’m in great company with the roster of legends that have worked on this campaign.”
Skechers has signed Hall of Famer Joe Namath to star in the Fall ’14 campaign for its Relaxed Fit footwear line. Spanning TV and print to outdoor, online and point-of-sale materials, the campaign will use the same humorous tone as ongoing spots for the line starring Joe Montana and Mark Cuban. “I’ve loved what Skechers has done with this campaign so far and I’m excited to be joining the team,” Namath states. Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers, says Namath will be “a great asset” when it comes to spreading the word about Relaxed Fit.
Skechers announced today that it is consulting with its advisors about leading an investment group to acquire an interest in the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team. Skechers CEO Robert Greenberg calls it “a natural fit.” He continues, “We believe this presents us with a tremendous opportunity to leverage and cross-promote both the Skechers and Clippers brands.
Thirty-eight-year-old Meb Keflezighi, the first American man to win the Boston Marathon since 1983, crossed the finish line on Monday wearing Skechers GOmeb Speed 3 shoes, triumphant in a race that has become a symbol of resilience and determination–and breaking his personal record to boot with an official time of 2:08:37. “A year ago I decided I wanted to win the 2014 Boston Marathon for the people of Boston and for the U.S.,” Keflezighi says.
Skechers announced yesterday that it would donate more than 54,000 pairs of shoes through its Bobs program to support Baby2Baby, a charity that provides families in need with essential baby gear and clothing. Working with donating partner Fashion Delivers, the first shipment of 1,600 new pairs of Bobs arrived for Baby2Baby’s third annual holiday party at the charity’s L.A. headquarters. During the event, families and children in need decorated their new shoes with celebrity guests Gwen Stefani, Jessica Alba, Michelle Monaghan, Nicole Richie, Molly Simms, Busy Phillipps and Julie Bowen.
Skechers USA yesterday announced that it will give more than 200,000 pairs of new shoes to support the children affected by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Working with donation partner Soles 4 Souls, nine containers carrying an estimated 213,000 pairs of Bobs will be delivered over the first two weeks of December through several established charity organizations.
Skechers announced yesterday that it has inked a multi-year partnership with the Houston Marathon Committee under which Skechers Performance division will become the official footwear and apparel sponsor for the Chevron Houston Marathon and enjoy a high-visibility presence at all race events including the annual Houston Marathon Expo. The company will also exclusively design, distribute and sell products featuring the Chevron Houston Marathon logo, outfit volunteers with branded merchandise and gift runners with finishers’ shirts.
On Sunday, Feb. 3, something amazing will happen: Beyonce will headline the halftime show at Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans, LA. (Something football-related will also be taking place, but let’s be honest, who actually pays attention to the game.) Last year’s Super Bowl set a U.S. television ratings record for the third year running, with an average of 111.3 million viewers, and a total of 114 million tuned in to watch Madonna’s halftime performance. But Super Bowl Sunday is about more than beer and Beyonce. Sixty to 70 30-second ads will also air over the course of the evening.
Skechers has re-teamed with Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana to shoot a TV spot for Relaxed Fit, the company’s recently launched comfort footwear collection. The ad, part of a series of spots that also feature Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, is part of a global multi-platform agreement which includes print, in-store, online and social media in support of Relaxed Fit.


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These are the top 2 richest persons in the world 2020.
1. Jeff Bezos
The Amazon CEO and founder has a net worth of $199.2 billion dollars and ranks as the world’s richest person on earth today, his position still remains the same even after divorcing his wife Mackenzie in 2019 and giving her quarter of his stakes in Amazon company. The behemoth Amazon company was founded back in 1994 out of his garage in Seattle, the e-commerce giant reaped the benefits of this Corona Virus Pandemic as more shopping are now done online.
2. Bill Gates
The co-founder of Bill & Melinda Gates foundation has a net worth of 116.9 billion dollars making him the world’s second richest man, Bill Gates founded the software giant Microsoft along side with Paul Allen but sold out much of his stakes in the company and retaining just 1% of his stakes and investing in stocks and other assets, he entered the billion dollar club last year April as when share price in Microsoft surged post-earnings. The Bill & Melinda Gates foundation is known as the world’s largest private charitable organization.


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Nintendo Switch owners now have more information about what it would take to bring Overwatch to the the console thanks to the game's director, Jeff Kaplan. Jeff has always been a very loquacious man, so it's not surprising that he has now revisited his earlier comments about bringing the team-based shooter to the Nintendo Switch. He expanded on why porting the game over would be technically difficult, detailing that the studio would have to both revisit the game's performance metrics and find a way to minimize its impact on simultaneous patching.
I think the problem is, we've really targeted our min spec in a way that we would have to revisit performance and how to get on that platform. Also, it's already challenging right now maintaining three platforms and patching simultaneously, which is something that we've finally been able to achieve.
Kaplan explained that while the studio has full control when patching on the PC, consoles are a different beast entirely - each patch has to comply with both the individual Microsoft and Sony standards, and adding Nintendo into this mix would further complicate a release schedule which Blizzard has now figured out how to stay ahead of. Overwatch patches are currently released simultaneously across all platforms, but adding the third console would bring a lot of complexity to the table for the developers.
Despite this, Kaplan has stated that he's always very open-minded about what platform Overwatch could release for:
Just because we're not on a platform right now, it doesn't mean we won't reconsider it in the future, so we stay aware of all these things.
The popular Overwatch director has stated he's a massive fan of the Nintendo Switch, though it seems like technical limitations will keep what would undoubtedly be one of its most popular third party games at bay for the time being. Nintendo fans made it abundantly clear that they'd love to have Overwatch on the portable console, but the ball is firmly in Blizzard's court in regards making it happen.
The company would have to invest some serious the time and money to figure out how to bring down the game's minimum specifications for Switch, which is something that needs to happen if Overwatch is to become playable on Nintendo's portable console. It's a big ask, but as Kaplan stated, Blizzard won't be officially ruling it out.
Do you think Overwatch will eventually find its way over to the Nintendo Switch, Ranters?
Overwatch is available now for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.


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Part of speech: noun Example sentence:Oggi siete miei ospiti: è il mio compleanno ed offro da bere a tutti! Sentence meaning: Today you are my guests: it's my birthday and I'm buying drinks for everyone!
The grand tasting gave guests a chance to speak to wine producers. How to make the most of your wine tasting experience… The post Our tips for the 2019 Decanter Fine Wine Encounter appeared first on Decanter.
With almost 500 stores across the UK Morrisons is a major player in the supermarket sector, and its wine offering never fails to impress. The Decanter team recently tasted a selection from the Morrisons portfolio at its autumn and winter 2019 showcase, selecting 14 stunners to try. From old world classics like Rioja and Châteauneuf-du-Pape to […] The post Th […]
Shares in the Penfolds and Wolf Blass owner Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) plunged overnight following the accouncement. The CEO was credited with transforming its fortunes over the past five-and-a-half years. The post Treasury Wine Estates chief executive Michael Clarke to step down appeared first on Decanter.
This year’s Christie’s and Decanter World Wine Awards auction saw over £60,000 raised for charity.Christie's Auctioneer Charles Foley at the 2019 DWWA charity auction. Christie's sale of DWWA wines raises more than £60,000 for charity... The post Over £60,000 raised for charity at annual Christie’s DWWA auction appeared first on Decanter.


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The housing is made of metal and will be protected from water and dust.
In the network appeared the characteristics of the future flagship of Nokia, which will be presented at the MWC in Barcelona in 2017. The smartphone will be released in two variants and get top performance.
According to the source, the device will come with a 5.2-and 5.5-inch displays and a resolution of 2K (2560×1440). The housing is made of metal and will be protected from water and dust. A distinctive feature will be the main camera optics from Carl Zeiss. The performance will be responsible Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820.
Also, according to unconfirmed reports, the company will announce another smartphone Nokia D1C. It will have a 5.5-inch screen with Full HD, OCTA-core Snapdragon processor 430 and three gigabytes of RAM.
Under the terms of the deal, which the company signed with Microsoft in 2013 with the sale of business phones, Nokia can’t produce smartphones before the fourth quarter of 2016. Nokia lost the right to embed their brand on mobile phones until 2024.
© 2016, z-news.link. All rights reserved.


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The Skinny on Obesity (Ep. 6): A Fast-Paced Fast Food Life
Series website: http://www.uctv.tv/skinny-on-obesity/ How stressed are you? Take the quiz: http://myuctv.tv/2012/05/18/stress-beefs-up-the-waistline-how-stre......
The Guardian 2014-03-14"In a week, this translates into an additional 39.9g of takeaway food. This weekly amount constitutes more than half a small serving of McDonald's french fries (typically 71g per serving)."
Addictive junk food is leading a growing number of Americans into obesity and creating the next great health crisis, health officials are warning. The true power of...The Inquisitr 2013-02-22
GRAPHIC images of fat on junk food labels, similar to anti-smoking shock tactics, could be resorted to in a desperate bid to curb the state's obesity crisis. Almost a third...The Daily Telegraph Australia 2013-02-26
There are a lot of myths about obesity: what causes people to be overweight, who's responsible for obesity, whether obesity is or should be a disability. There are also...The Examiner 2015-02-23
Like World News?
'Why should we accept the processed and junk food industries as appropriate to provide advice?' Photo: Rebecca Hallas We sometimes hear that obesity is ''the new tobacco''. Sixty-three years after definitive evidence that smoking kills, the global tobacco industry still flourishes. But in Australia we have seen a dramatic decline in smoking. There was no rocket science about...Canberra Times 2013-10-27
Does a highly-processed junk food diet cause some types of fatigue, a sedentary lifestyle, and a lack of motivation? Does a junk food diet make you lazy? A new study, "Food quality and motivation: A refined low-fat diet induces obesity and impairs performance on a progressive ratio schedule of instrumental lever pressing in rats," currently is published online in the journal...The Examiner 2014-04-05
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has requested the Ministry of Human Resource Development to ensure withdrawal of junk and fast foods, which include carbonated drinks, from the canteens of educational institutions. Junk food is simply food which is low in nutritional value, high in fat, sodium, calories, often produced as packaged snacks having little or no...Deccan Herald 2012-10-27
Our children are getting fatter with every passing year. Around 2 percent of urban Indian kids are obese, 8-10 percent of them are overweight, and the number of children being a victim of obesity is growing. One thing we can say is that - "Child Obesity in India on the Rise". We have Shilpa Mittal - Nutritionist, Diet Consultant and Founder of Nutrilife Health Management,...The Times of India 2013-07-06
The World Health Organization (WHO) has labelled childhood obesity as the most serious public health problem of the twenty first century. There has been a dramatic increase in childhood obesity in the past couple of decades. Attributing this trend largely to consumption of junk food coupled with sedentary lifestyle, the Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) has recently formed an...The Times of India 2013-09-10
WESTERN Australia has the most overweight and obese young adults in the country. New figures reveal half of all West Australians aged 18-24 are overweight, compared with a national average of 38 per cent. A recent review of the health sector by the Productivity Commission reported that 25 per cent more young WA people are in the unhealthy weight range than four years ago. In...The Daily Telegraph Australia 2013-03-03
There were days when people didn’t eat out, but as time passed, people started eating out. Food manufacturing companies also came up with fast foods to meet the needs of people. Unaware about the health effects of these fast food people are buying them every now and then. Junk food is an informal term for food that is of little nutritional value and often high in fat, sugar and...The Himalayan 2014-01-06
Fast food has come under criticism over concerns ranging from claimed negative health effects, alleged animal cruelty, cases of worker exploitation, and claims of cultural degradation via shifts in people's eating patterns away from traditional foods. Fast food chains have come under fire from consumer groups, such as the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a longtime fast food critic over issues such as caloric content, trans fats and portion sizes. Social scientists have highlighted how the prominence of fast food narratives in popular urban legends suggests that modern consumers have an ambivalent relationship (characterized by guilt) with fast food, particularly in relation to children.
This guilt is projected onto processed food, where bizarre tales of contamination and lax standards are widely believed. Some of the concerns have led to the rise of the slow food, or local food movements. These movements seek to preserve local cuisines and ingredients, and directly oppose laws and habits that favor fast food choices. Proponents of the slow food movement try to educate consumers about what its members considers the richer, more varied and more nourishing tastes of fresh, local ingredients that have been recently harvested.


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16 December 2019
Al-Futtaim Malls has leased 80 percent of the retail space at its 1.5 billion UAE dirhams Festival Plaza Mall in South Dubai, a top company official said.
Group director Timothy Earnest told Thomson Reuters Projects that the 64,800-square metre (sqm) shopping mall, scheduled to be opened on Wednesday, will serve the upcoming Wasl Gate mixed-use community and beyond.
“Festival Plaza will include IKEA and ACE stores and Lulu Hypermarket,” he said on Sunday on the side lines of Cairo Festival City expansion event in Cairo.
Earnest said the mall would host the second IKEA store in Dubai, spread over an area of 30,000 sqm while ACE and Lulu Hypermarket would be unveiling new concept stores.
The new mall would house a total of 120 stores, 40 restaurants, a 500-seat food court and 2,310 parking spaces, according to past press statements issued by the company.
(Reporting by Marwa Abo AlMajd; Editing by Anoop Menon)
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Read our full disclaimer policy here.
© Thomson Reuters Projects News 2019


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When it comes to advertising on Amazon, most companies use and see strong returns from search-related sponsorship options, but one digital marketing expert notes the platform has a full suite of underused options that are worth exploring to better drive...
Systech, primarily known for its serialization, traceability, anti-counterfeiting, pharmaceutical regulations and supply chain technology, has expanded into Food & Beverages introducing its UniSecure platform at AIPIA.
The cocoa and spice supplier unveiled sustainability goals in 2017 with a 2020 goal of nurturing a ‘fully traceable’ cocoa supply chain. We discussed progress with Olam's North American innovation lead, when we caught up with him at IFT.
A spike in the level of interest in food tech has resulted in an influx of investment in the sector. Last month, London Food Tech Week brought together a community of start-ups, investors and corporations to spotlight cutting edge innovation.
Givaudan opened its new ‘flagship’ innovation centre in Switzerland last week. To mark the occasion, FoodNavigator caught up with Louie D’Amico, head of the group’s flavours division, to learn about the company’s innovation priorities.
Vertical farming systems needn’t be manufactured exclusively for farmers growing produce at scale. FoodNavigator meets two innovators developing closed cultivation systems for the sitting room or restaurant.
UK environmental marketing campaign charity Hubbub is encouraging people to pack their own lunches. If you do, Hubbub says it could combat single-use plastic pollution and food waste - as well as saving you money.


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Apple customers who want to get their hands on the all-new iPhone 14 lineup may have to wait a long time for their orders to arrive, as reports suggest the new products are being delayed until late October.
In one of the industry’s biggest dates of the year, the iPhone 14 was released last week, and eager UK buyers were able to pre-order on Friday September 9, before the handsets hit the shelves. stores this Friday, September 16.
But delivery delays will now mean some shoppers will receive their orders more than a month after they are available to buy in stores.
Birmingham Live has checked availability on Apple’s UK site, and the dates for each of the four phones in the newest range are all delayed.
Shoppers who pre-order their new phones are also unable to pick them up in store, meaning many will be stuck with delayed dates.
The standard iPhone 14 is the least affected with delivery times expected between September 21 and 23, just a week after it goes on sale in UK stores.
Its largest version, the iPhone 14 Plus, is next on the list and would arrive around October 7 if ordered today, September 13.
But nearly a month after the iPhone 14 line goes on sale in stores, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will only ship between October 12 and October 26.
So for shoppers who chose to pre-order their latest device as soon as possible after launch, they’ll have to wait almost twice as long as shoppers who go to the store on September 16 to buy.
The iPhone 14 Pro Max is a popular choice among the four newest phones, featuring new camera tech with supposedly ‘film industry standard’ quality, but buyers will have to wait longer to get their hands on it. above.
We checked pre-order delivery times on a 512GB iPhone 14 Pro Max in Dark Purple, and if it were pre-ordered today, it wouldn’t ship until October 19, at the earliest.
In addition to the issue, consumers have also taken to social media to share their struggles trying to place orders on Apple, with many reporting “error” messages when checking out online.
Color choices also seem to influence availability, with popular choices like Space Black and Silver being more in demand.
Apple has yet to confirm why there are such delays, and not all retailers seem to have the same problem.


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U.S. and Chinese negotiators are nearing a trade deal, but President Trump isn't ready to sign off, White House economic adviser Lawrence Kudlow said.
The two sides are "getting close" to an agreement, Mr. Kudlow said Thursday during a question-and-answer event at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Negotiators for the U.S. and China have been working to come up with a written "phase one" trade deal in which Beijing would commit to buying American farm products and the U.S. would agree to roll back tariffs it has imposed on Chinese imports.
Both countries were initially working toward a deal that Mr. Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could sign at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Chile, but the summit was canceled because of rioting in Chile. The cancellation, combined with difficulties at the bargaining table, has disrupted the time frame.
Mr. Trump has said that China has agreed to buy up to $50 billion in U.S. farm goods annually, but The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that China was balking at making a specific dollar commitment.
The expected rollback of tariffs has emerged as a major stumbling block, with China pushing the U.S. to remove all levies while the U.S. has pushed for a limited or phased rollback as leverage to ensure China lives up to its promises.


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Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products.
China’s cybersecurity regulator has banned Chinese firms from buying chips from US memory manufacturer Micron Technology. Per Reuters, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said Sunday it found that the company’s products pose “significant security risks” to critical Chinese information infrastructure, including state-owned banks and telecom operators. The ban comes after China announced a review of Micron imports in late March in a move that was seen at the time as retaliation for sanctions Washington has imposed on Chinese chipmakers in recent years.
Idaho-based Micron is the largest memory manufacturer in the US. The Chinese market accounts for about 10 percent of the firm’s annual revenue, though the majority of companies importing Micron products into China are manufacturers making devices for sale in other parts of the world. According to The Wall Street Journal, the CAC’s ban does not apply to non-Chinese firms in China. “We are evaluating the conclusion and assessing our next steps,” Micron told the outlet. “We look forward to continuing to engage in discussions with Chinese authorities.” The CAC did not say what Micron products would be affected by the ban, nor did it share details on what security concerns it had with the company's chips.
The ban is the latest development in an escalating feud over semiconductor technology between the US and China. In recent months, the Biden administration has moved to restrict its rival's access to advanced chipmaking equipment. In January, US, Dutch and Japanese officials agreed to tighten export controls on lithography machines from ASL, Nikon and Tokyo Electron. As The Journal notes, China has been trying to find ways to hit back at the US. Micron was an easy target given that most Chinese companies can turn to suppliers like South Korea’s SK Hynix to make up for any shortfall left by a ban.


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The State of Social Media
This past holiday season nearly a quarter of online shopping was done using a mobile device – meaning it’s no longer OK for a retailer to have a good web site – they also need to master selling via smartphone. So which retailers are winning the mobile war? Yahoo Finance asked Comscore co-founder Gian Fulgoni and while some of the usual suspects topped the list, there’s a few companies that might surprise you.
Number 1 on the list was Amazon, followed by eBay. They had 69% and 63% of their traffic via mobile devices respectively. “I think they were the two pure play online retailers who really figured out the importance of mobile first,” said Fulgoni. “They developed easy to use, powerful apps.”
As Fulgoni points out, a lot of retailers were late to understand the importance of mobile devices and therefore were slow to build easily manageable apps. Just a year ago, “I don’t think [retailers] had yet understood the importance of these mobile devices, either as a device to buy a product with, or as a device that was being used by consumers to pull in information and do price comparisons, even if the ultimate purchase ended up in the store,” he said.
Comscore Media Metrix® Multi-Platform provides an unduplicated view of total audience behavior across desktops, smartphones and tablets.
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So Did Anyone "Win" the 2017 E3 Expo?
New Retail Releases: Ever Oasis, Runbow Pocket, Dead By Daylight, More
EA Sports will release Madden NFL 18, FIFA 18, NHL 18, NBA Live 18, UFC 3 this year
Gun Media is adding Jason's retro-tastic purple-and-blue look to Friday the 13th
Nintendo details Switch online service and Netflix-like subscription for classic games
EA unveils NHL 18 gameplay trailer and cover athlete Connor McDavid
Nintendo Download: Ever Oasis, RPG Maker Fes, Fatal Fury 2, more
The Adventure Log: What Happened on June 20 and June 21, 2017
Xbox Store Today: Dead By Daylight, MXGP 3, Dungeon Defenders II, more
Iron Galaxy releases two new gameplay trailer for Killer Instinct’s Eagle
All Articles: Pro Evolution Soccer 2014
Microsoft has performed their latest update of the Xbox Live Game Store and three new games are now available on the digital shelves.
The Bridge is a puzzler that features gorgeous black-and-white artwork that was inspired by M.C. Escher. It’s priced at $9.99.
Also available this week is Cartoon Network Punchtime Explosion XL ($19.99), a Smash Bros-like mashup of Cartoon Network characters, and Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 ($59.99), the latest game in Konami’s footie franchise.
More information on all three games can be found after the break. (more…)
It’s soccer day on the PlayStation Network as Sony has added EA Sports’ FIFA 14 and Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 to the PlayStation Store. EA Sports has kicked FIFA 14 onto all three Sony platforms (the PS3, Vita, and PSP) while Konami has focused on just the PS3 for Pro Evolution Soccer 2014. Though it should be noted that the PSP and Vita versions of FIFA 14 carry the “Legacy Edition” subtitle to let gamers know they’re the same game as FIFA Soccer 13, just with updated rosters.
Also available for the PS3 this week is From Software’s latest mech warfare title, Armored Core: Victory Day; the Kung Fu Factory-developed all-girl fighting game, Game Fight; and two PS2 Classics: The Mark of Kri and Tokobot Plus: Mysteries of the Karakuri.
Finally, Lone Survivor: The Director’s Cut, “a new kind of adventure where the choice of how to survive is up to you,” is available to download as a PS3/Vita Cross-Buy title.
Look! Up in the sky! It’s a new release for the Wii U!
Nintendo’s next-generation system is gathering steam as we head into the Fall gaming period and it continues this week with the release of Scribblenauts Unmasked. Supposedly, the game, which will also be available for the 3DS, brings together every DC Comics character ever in a massive superhero/supervillain crossover.
Gamers will also be able to go for the goal this week as the two biggest soccer game franchises go head-to-head. FIFA 14 (EA Sports has finally dropped the “Soccer” from the title) will be released for the PS3, Vita, and Xbox 360 this week. Meanwhile, Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 will be released for the PS3 and Xbox 360.
Finally this week, the romantic RPG Hakuoki: Memories of the Shinsengumi comes to the 3DS from Aksys in both Standard and Limited editions.


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How do you separate a food trend from a food fad?
It’s a valid, and pressing, question for the agriculture sector, because these fads can have a huge impact.
Recall the gluten-free craze of a few years ago, when many fretted over the cumulative impact on wheat prices. Or the fad diets that are basically animal proteins, fats and vegetables, which have been said to support meat prices at levels they would otherwise not have attained.
Both were very high-profile dietary trends that swept through the global economy leaving a clearly defined wake in their path. But in the end did they really amount to much?
Bread and pasta are still being made and consumed the world over, and four or five years on from the height of the gluten-free mania, little is now heard of it.
And while some still practise some form of high-protein, low-carb diets — be it Atkins, keto or any variation in between — there doesn’t seem to be a lot of evidence that it’s going to leave any larger impact over time.
In this light a few of the latest announcements in the ‘fake meat’ market space are worth pondering. For those who have been living in a cave, atop a mountain, with no cell coverage, the last year or so has seen a bombardment of hype surrounding non-animal protein sources.
If one buys the hype it would seem the cattle, pork and poultry producers of the nation should be glancing warily over their shoulder, for fear of being overtaken by faux burgers.
But just this week Canada’s fast-food brand champion announced its total retreat from this market. You’ll recall Tim Hortons launched Beyond Meat sausage patties at its 4,000 locations across Canada with much fanfare this past June.
But just a few months later it scaled that back to just British Columbia and Ontario stores. At the time the company’s rationale was the initial launch was simply a test, and the higher numbers of vegetarian and vegan consumers in both provinces warranted it remaining on the menu.
And now even those stores are halting sales of the product noting “the product was not embraced by our guests as we thought it would be.”
This marks a — thus far — rare setback for what had been a category-leading juggernaut that could well develop into a significant market for Manitoba farmers.
Beyond Meat and French ingredient maker Roquette, who are building a pea-processing plant expected to open shortly in Portage la Prairie, in mid-January announced a “multi-year pea protein supply agreement” that would “significantly” increase the two companies’ business dealings.
The Tim Hortons experience does raise a significant question: how durable will this sudden interest in plant-based protein really be?
It originally kicked off in Canada in mid-2018 when A&W Canada announced its Beyond Meat burger and consumer interest was so high that it sold out at most locations. But since then other fast-food giants including Burger King and McDonald’s have introduced trendy new plant-based products and this week even the venerable KFC chicken chain announced it was partnering with Beyond Meat.
So the hype continues, but one has to wonder, is this really a reflection of market demand? Or are food companies simply reacting to competitors and jumping in, figuring it’s better to try and fail along with everyone else, rather than miss what could be the next big thing?
It’s the food industry equivalent of the social media phenomena FOMO — or ‘fear of missing out,’ defined as “anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on a social media website.”
What was formerly the ‘meat’ industry clearly thinks this trend has legs. They’re all furiously rebranding themselves as ‘protein’ companies, including venerable names like Cargill, Tyson and even Canada’s other food brand champion, Maple Leaf Foods.
This past spring CEO Michael McCain announced plans for its wholly owned plant protein subsidiary, Greenleaf Foods, to build a US$310-million, 230,000-square-foot facility “in North America” in coming years.
That was in addition to the US$260 million spent in 2017 to acquire U.S.-based plant protein operations Lightlife and Fieldroast.
A half-billion-dollar investment speaks to the company’s belief in the market segment, but it remains to be seen if consumer demand really will develop as expected.
Those who see a great future for the sector point to the rising numbers of vegetarians, but some of their headline numbers do involve a bit of statistical flimflammery.
A “600 per cent increase” in the number of vegetarians between 2014 and 2017 sounds impressive. That is, until you realize that still only amounts to 3.4 per cent of Americans, according to a Harris Research poll.
This is definitely a sector worth watching. But the truth is nobody knows how it will play out.


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Two years after landing on iPhone, Instagram has created a beautiful new profile page for users to show off their body of work on the web.
The company officially announced the launch of "Web Profiles" on Monday — finally responding to mounting requests from its avid iPhoneography fanatics.
The design of the new web profiles page carries a striking resemblance to Facebook Timelines — no surprise since Facebook purchased Instagram for $715 million in September of this year.
“Over the next few days, we’ll be rolling out Instagram profiles on the web! Your web profile features a selection of your recently shared photographs just above your profile photo and bio, giving others a snapshot of the photos you share on Instagram,” the company wrote on their blog.
“In addition, you can follow users, comment and like photos and edit your profile easily and directly from the web. If your photos are set to public, anyone will be able to see your profile by visiting instagram.com/[your username] on the web.”
Instagram has hung a few samples of their Web Profiles — promising that all users will be grafted into the newly launched service within about a week or so.
The simple and clean interface is beautifully laid out including all photo thumbnail images organized below the main header in reverse-chronological order. The move is a profound coming of age event for Instagram which can now be experienced on the web without being tied to the iPhone app.
But before you start screaming; "Why is my Instagram web profile not online yet?" — you'll need to apply a little patience as the company populates it's massive user base online.
“Web profiles will launch to all Instagram users in the next week or so. If you can’t see your profile yet, rest assured that you’ll see it in the next few days.” the company says.
Although some may consider web profiles to be one small step for Instagram — it's definitely one giant leap for iPhoneography.


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Attention home brewers: if you're planning to make beer this weekend, don't head to North Center's Brew Camp for your ingredients.
According to the shop (and Twitter), it has been told by the city that it needs a permit to handle and prepare food to operate. In the meantime, it's closing its doors.
"We've been told by the city that we should get a permit to handle and prepare food, so that's what we plan on doing," Brew Camp's Jared Saunders said.
Saunders said he did not know of the requirement until the city alerted him last week. Brew Camp has been open more than a year, one of just a handful of home brew supply stores in the city.
Saunders said he cannot predict when his business will reopen but said, "It's all fixable."
"We're a small business trying to do the right thing here," he said.
David Ittel, owner of the chain of Brew and Grow home brew shops, said his stores are required to have the license because it sells brewing supplies such as yeast, honey and various grains.
"We've always had that permit," he said. "And it's not cheap."
He said he recently renewed the permit for $880.
The city health department also regularly inspects his two Chicago locations and regulates the types of sinks, refrigerators and freezers his stores use, he said.
Update: Brew Camp is relocating to 4639 N. Damen Ave. They are currently accepting phone and web orders for equipment only pending proper licensing.


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Facebook added voice messages to its chat app Messenger in 2013, and the company is improving that feature in its latest update by automatically transcribing these audio messages into text. The company is currently testing the feature with a tiny subset of Messenger’s more than 500 million users ahead of a forthcoming launch in the near future.
In addition to Messenger’s voice transcription capability, the firm announced buying a successful boutique design firm which has created popular mobile applications and online services, including the read-later app Readability and the rising blogging platform Medium.
We’re always working on ways to make Messenger more useful. As many of you know, we already offer a feature that enables people to send voice clips to their friends without having to type out the text. Today we are starting to roll out a small test that helps people read the voice clips they receive instead of having to play them out loud. So, for example, if you’re at a concert or in a meeting, and would prefer to read a voice clip from a friend, you now can if you’re part of the small test we’re rolling out. Our plan is to test this feature at a tiny scale for now and we’re looking forward to seeing what you think of it before making the experience more widely available.
Facebook also confirmed buying Teehan+Lax, the design agency behind the read-later app Readability, the blogging platform Medium and the social news reader Prismatic.
Launched in Toronto in 2002, the design shop helped Facebook’s ad targeting service Atlas relaunch a new and revamped product, website and brand.


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Microsoft scales down Russia operations, over 400 employees will be affected
Microsoft slashes Russia operations after war clouds outlook, 8 June 2022
Microsoft Corp. is substantially reducing its business in Russia, joining the list of prominent technology firms cutting back or exiting the country altogether after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“As a result of the changes to the economic outlook and the impact on our business in Russia, we have made the decision to significantly scale down our operations in Russia,” the company said...“We will continue to fulfill our existing contractual obligations with Russian customers while the suspension of new sales remains in effect.”
More than 400 employees will be affected, a company spokesperson said. “We are working closely with impacted employees to ensure they are treated with respect and have our full support during this difficult time,” Microsoft said in the statement.
In March, the company suspended new sales of products and services in Russia but continued to support existing customers and maintain offices there...


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POLAND: SABMiller brewer Piwowarska to cut jobs
Poland's largest brewer and SABMiller subsidiary, Kompania Piwowarska, plans to cut more than 80 jobs as the economic downturn hits beer market growth in the country.
Piwowarska said this week that it intended to terminate the contracts of more a than 70 employees at its Kielce brewery and more than a dozen at its Opole distribution centre.
The brewer said it had made the decision after "having analysed the current economic situation and the prospects of change in the Polish beer market".
Jobs will be lost at Piwowarska as part of a plan to reduce beer production. "It has been agreed that our production capacity will be reduced through the suspension of the operation of two packaging lines at the Kielce brewery," said the brewer, adding that these lines are the most costly to run throughout the business.
Poland's gross domestic product is expected to decline by 5.6% in 2009, according to a European Commission estimate.
SABMiller said in January that its organic beer volumes in Poland rose by 2% for the nine months ended 31 December, but Piwowarska said this week that it has seen a deterioration in growth in recent months.
"The slowdown in the beer market in Poland will certainly persist," said the group, which owns the Tyskie beer brand.
It said it expected beer volumes to flatten, due to lower consumer spending power and financial problems for its distributors. It added that a weakening exchange rate will increase costs and that a near-14% tax rise on beer, set to be implemented on 1 March, will mean higher prices.
Piwowarska has opened a consultation on the job losses with labour unions and hopes to finalise the cuts by the end of March.
A shift in demand for premium beers in western markets and a cautious second-half outlook has taken some of the shine off a strong first half performance from Anheuser-Busch InBev, writes Michelle Rus...
SABMiller CEO Graham Mackay has reiterated that the group is interested in acquisitions, but the brewer has not been as inactive in the last 18 months as some may suppose....
The top ten stories published on just-drinks this week:...
In 1996, Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co, a leading beverage producer in China, began a joint venture with Danone Group to form five new subsidiaries....
Diageo is sourcing enough antiviral medicine Tamiflu for all of its employees worldwide, as it and other drinks firms ready pandemic flu strategies in response to the H1N1 'swine flu' virus....
SABMiller has secured a temporary court injunction to block Diageo subsidiary East African Breweries Ltd from buying a stake in a rival brewer in Tanzania....
SABMiller is set to publish a water use "footprint" for its brewing businesses in Czech Republic and South Africa at a conference on global water supplies in Stockholm this week....
Coca-Cola Amatil has posted a healthy set of half-year results, driven primarily by its beverage businesses in Australia....
- Analysis - SABMiller to add bolt-ons in Africa?
- A-B InBev's Move on Tennent's Super Makes Sense
- India: Everyone's Favourite Spirits Market
- Brand Diversification Driving Craft Brewery Growth
- Analysis - Stock Spirits: Poland's number one
- Diageo scraps Arthur's Day, but singer left sad
- Pernod Ricard's Café de Paris Pear, Pomegranate
- PepsiCo CEO sees "profound" change in US consumers
- William Grant sinks GBP185,000 into "No" camp
- SodaStream silent on John Lewis pullout in UK


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1. According to the CDC, 35 to 50 million Americans will come down with the flu this year.
2. Each year, Americans get nearly 1 billion colds.
3. Over 100,000 people are hospitalized each year due to the flu.
4. The flu virus can live on contaminated surfaces for up to 48 hours.
5. Flu germs can move at an astounding 100mph from coughing or sneezing.
6. Each year, workplace absenteeism due to the flu, cold and other illness costs US businesses $230 per person.
7. Nearly 70% of office workers have gone to work while sick.
8. Elevator buttons can carry 40 times more bacteria than public toilet seats.
9. A third of workers in the United States have witnessed coworkers exiting restrooms without washing their hands.
10. Over half of all Americans don’t wash their hands after exchanging money.
11. Office workers can reduce their rates of flu and cold by nearly 80% simply by diligently washing, wiping and sanitizing.
12. Computer keyboards can harbor up to 200 times more bacteria than public toilet seats.
13. If you wash your hands often, you are up to 50% less likely to get a stomach bug and 25% less likely to catch a respiratory illness.
14. Humming “Happy Birthday” to yourself twice while washing your hands will ensure you’ve spent the proper amount of time scrubbing.
15. Sanford Company doesn’t just sell used floor scrubbers and janitorial supplies in Erie, PA — we also have all the cleaning products you need to sanitize, disinfect and clean your office space throughout flu season!


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“For years the technology itself was driving [marketing technology] purchase decisions,” says Matt Seeley, president, Experian Marketing Services. “Now we’re seeing more customers who understand the value of data. As a result, data capabilities are leading more and more purchase decisions now.”
That focus on customer data is one of the drivers behind enhancements to the Experian Marketing Suite, announced during the company’s 2015 Client Summit. Those upgrades include addressable advertising and predictive intelligence tools, both of which are powered by Experian’s consumer database of more than 700 million individuals in 270 million households. The tools are designed to help marketers identify and interact with their customers across channels and devices.
“Customers want to be treated as one person no matter how many social profiles they have or devices they use,” said David Evans, senior director of solutions engineering at Experian Marketing Services, during the summit’s opening keynote.
To address cross-channel audience activation, Experian’s new offering is designed to help marketers execute one-to-one campaigns across digital and traditional channels. The addressable advertising functionality is designed to enable marketers to select the best audience for a specific campaign based on first-party CRM data, Experian’s data, or both. The tool also provides data on which customers saw an ad, whether they saw it more than once, and if it influenced their in-store or online activities.
In terms of real-time, predictive intelligence, the new functionality in the Experian Marketing Suite integrates real-time identity and intelligence data. This is designed to provide marketers with predictive insights that help them optimize campaign performance. For example, marketers can test email subject lines, send times, and channels across customer segments, and then use that data to predict the performance of future multichannel campaigns. These predictive insights, in combination with customer data, allow marketers to see how content performs with specific audience segments, and as a result identify what drives customers to take specific actions.
Using Experian’s new tools to get a holistic view into their first-party and Experian’s third-party data, Seeley said, marketers have an opportunity to create a rich understanding of their customers—and then take decisive action based on that insight.


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01 Nov Pre-owned luxury watch retailer opens new flagship boutique on Epping High Street
The UK’s leading pre-owned luxury watch retailer has opened a new flagship boutique on Epping High Street and has expanded its offering to include new jewellery and accessory lines. The new store, a completely renovated two storey townhouse, boasts sleek exteriors and includes a first-floor event room.
The retailer also has further expansion plans and will retain and transform its original boutique in Buckhurst Hill into an in-house accredited service centre, which will launch early 2022. It will provide additional services in the form of a 360 approach to the business and customers from a simple battery replacement to a full maintenance service.
Nicholas Hickey, Managing Director of Luxe Watches, said: “We really are delighted to have opened the doors to our new flagship store which is testament to the incredibly hard work of our team, proving possibility in times of adversity. The world has changed due to the pandemic and there have been many huge losses on the high street, so to weather the storm and prosper really is extremely humbling and a very proud moment indeed.
“Whilst we loved the original boutique location on Queens Road, our team expanded as the business grew and it was clear we needed a bigger, fresher space. We really can’t wait to welcome the public to enjoy a luxury retail experience with us at our new store, and see what they think of it, and our newly expanded range of products.”
While the Covid pandemic shuttered businesses across the country, Luxe Watches took the opportunity to complete an internal audit and overhaul, focusing on a UK buying strategy which included launching a dedicated buying team, as well as limiting overseas travel.
The new buying team will be led by Jed Brailey who has extensive experience in luxury watches, having already purchased more than £2million of stock directly from UK clients, supporting the larger global climate initiative.
Oscar Strong has been brought in to head up sales, streamline the client experience and increase visibility on the Luxe Watches Instagram channel in a bid to create a more meaningful relationship with potential buyers.
This year has also seen Luxe Watches investing heavily in infrastructure and technology with the introduction of its ‘Buy My Rolex’ tool – the world’s first watch valuation tool which invites users to input basic details about their timepiece to receive a market value quote for resale within 60 seconds.
Luxe Watches has also recently been named as finalists in two categories – Ecommerce Retailer of the Year and Best New Store of the Year, at the 2021 WATCHPRO Awards.


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The Office of Fair Trading - the UK government department responsible for competition and consumer law - has told mobile app developers and games producers that it wants consumers to be warned about optional extra costs before they download or start playing.
Ending the possibility of unintentional ‘in-app’ or ‘in-game’ payments is just one of eight principles the OFT has published today. It’s asking for feedback on its plans by 21st November.
Other proposed principles include ensuring that in-game promotions are distinguishable from gameplay and taking care not to pressurise children into making in-app purchases.
These new principles are intended to clarify the way that different companies are interpreting consumer law.
This proposal follows an OFT investigation into whether free online and app-based games targeted at children were breaking the law. It warns that many of the games it examined contained at least one commercial practice that it considered was likely to breach consumer protection law.
Cavendish Elithorn, OFT Executive Director, said “This is a new and innovative industry that has grown very rapidly in recent years, but it needs to ensure it is treating consumers fairly and that children are protected. The way the sector has worked with us since we launched our investigation is encouraging, and we’ve already seen some positive changes to its practices. These principles provide a clear benchmark for how games makers should be operating. Once they are finalised, we will expect the industry to follow them, or risk enforcement action. In the meantime, we want to hear what parents, consumer groups, industry and anyone else with an interest thinks about our principles before we finalise them later this year. This is a global industry so we’re also sharing our principles with our enforcement partners world-wide with the goal of achieving some common international standards.”
[Children’s online games: OFT case; Proposed principles for online and app-based games (pdf)]