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Information collected by Food Standards Scotland (FSS) showed that 631 tests were carried out last year in which it said that 48 of the tests were ‘contaminated’ with the meat of an animal that was not on the label or menu description.
According to a report from FSS, about 8% of meat tested in Scotland in 2017 was found to contain the DNA of an animal not listed on the labelling.
The report alleges that processed foods such as Indian-style lamb dishes, kebabs and sausages were among the dishes found to be at fault.
A freedom of information request by the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme to FSS is reported to confirm the various ‘contaminations’ across the country.
This includes incidents such as barbecue pork spare ribs tested from a ‘primary producer’ in Falkirk were found to be chicken.
Other incidents include a restaurant in Dundee with a product described as ‘cooked lamb’ was found to contain no lamb at all – only beef.
Dr Jacqui McElhiney, head of Food Protection Science and Surveillance at FSS said: “The 2017 meat testing figures are based on samples collected by local authorities in Scotland.
“Where any unsatisfactory results are found, the relevant local authority will take appropriate action to ensure the business is compliant with the relevant legislation and to prevent products being placed on the market which may be unsafe or labelled in a way which misleads the consumer.
“Consumers rightly expect that the food they buy is what it says it is on the label. Food Standards Scotland works closely with local authorities in relation to all aspects of food standards and safety and will always act in the public’s interests.”
NFU Livestock policy manager John Armour said: “Being at the start of the food chain, livestock farmers and crofters in Scotland are justifiably proud of what they produce and expect the integrity of their products to be protected and preserved throughout the whole supply chain.
“These results highlight that there are a small number of ongoing issues within some food business regarding contamination and these must be resolved to protect the high reputation of Scottish food and farming and ensure the high level of confidence that Scottish consumers have in the quality of our food is not undermined.
“Some of these products will have been accidentally contaminated, but others are clear examples of illegal food fraud which has the potential to damage our reputation and impact on the majority of professional legitimate food business.
“Clear and concise labelling is key. NFU Scotland has been consistently calling for clear Country of Origin Labelling on processed products – as happens on fresh meat – to ensure that there is greater traceability to enable shoppers to make more informed decisions and buy quality Scottish produce.”


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Spring floods inundated Midwest farms, and Titan International Inc. is donating funds to help the Farm Rescue Foundation address the crisis. Tire dealers and their customers can help the cause.
Titan International Inc. is hosting farm, forestry and off-the-road tire service training sessions with the Tire Industry Association (TIA) this summer.
Kubota Tractor Corp. and its Canadian subsidiary, Kubota Canada Ltd., have picked a tire manufacturer for its first-ever exclusive fitment on Kubota compact tractors — Titan International Inc.
After training more than 400 tire dealers in 2018, Titan International Inc. is expanding its sales training program in 2019 with both intermediate and advanced tire and wheel lessons.
Titan International Inc. raised $91,481 in 2018 for several Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapters from special event tire auctions. The company has hosted the auctions for more than 20 years.
The debate continues whether tracks or tires are better in the field. There are advocates on both sides. But the experts agree there's not a one-size-fits-all answer, and tire dealers need to know how to guide their farm customers to making the best solution.
Titan International Inc. is offering a $2,500 rebate on any Titan or Goodyear Farm Tire product when any new Ram truck is purchased by a farmer from a Ram-certified agriculture dealership.
Titan International Inc. will display pink farm tires installed on a 1954 Farmall tractor during its fourth Ride to a Cure event Oct. 13 in Des Moines, Iowa.
Farm tire experts outline the benefits of variable air pressure systems (aka central tire inflation systems) on U.S. agricultural equipment. But there's one big hindrance for customers: the cost.
Titan International Inc. is continuing its support of regional Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapters with tire auctions and field demonstrations at four farm shows this year.
Titan International Inc. has begun the search for a new chief financial officer and chief information officer.
After more than four years of decline, Titan International Inc. has reported higher sales for three straight quarters, and the company predicts the good times will continue to roll in the new year.
Titan International Inc. has raised more than $92,000 for Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapters from special tire auctions held at farm shows throughout 2017.

domain: news


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HTC made record sales in July, posting its highest ever monthly results of $1.56 billion (£957 million).
Sales of HTC products are up 83 per cent compared to July 2010, with its well-respected Android line-up proving as popular as ever.
Head in the cloud
As well as celebrating its mammoth sales, HTC announced how it's going to spend some of its hard-earned profits: by acquiring Dashwire, a "mobile-web services platform".
After spending $18.5 million (£11 million) on the company, HTC will use Dashwire's expertise to bolster its cloud services, as well as strengthen its patent portfolio for the seemingly endless court battles with other manufacturers (particularly Apple).
HTC has promised that it has a host of new phones still to launch this year and, after countless record breaking result announcements already, it is no doubt looking forward to a very happy Christmas indeed.
Fancy boosting the profits of a smartphone manufacturer a little bit more? Our helpful smartphone buyer's guide should help you choose which one to go with:


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Nintendo’s six month fiscal year results
Nintendo has released their 2nd quarter and first six month fiscal results, end of March to end of September. Let us start with the good news.
The 3DS has sold 3.89 million hardware units this fiscal year, which brings the total to 34.98 million 3DS handhelds sold to date. The top seller for the first six months was Animal Crossing: New Leaf that has surpassed 2.49 million units worldwide.
Now, let us get to the bad news.
Only 460,000 Wii U consoles were sold worldwide in the first six months of the current fiscal year. 160,000 of those were sold in the first quarter. That means the Wii U has only sold 300,000 since the end of June. This brings the Wii U world totals to 3.91 million units.
Nintendo has admitted that “the Wii U hardware still has a negative impact on Nintendo’s profits,” with advertising and continued research and development bringing the profits down. Nintendo hopes they can turn this all around with strong first party releases.
For “Wii U,” we attempt to concentrate on proactively releasing key first-party titles towards the coming year in order
to regain momentum for the platform. For the coming year-end sales season, we will release key first-party titles such as
“Wii Party U” and “Super Mario 3D World,” and offer the Wii U hardware at an affordable price by bundling software
with the system. We will also try new promotional activities such as a campaign where users can experience “Wii Fit U”
free of charge
Over the first six months Nintendo has posted a revenue of 196.5 billion yen ($2.0 billion), which is down 2.2 percent year-over-year, and profits of 600 million yen ($6.1 million), which compared to losses of 28.0 billion yen ($285.2 million) year-over-year.
Check out the full fiscal results HERE.


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The company bought Titan Aerospace earlier this week to help bring internet access to remote parts of the world via drones.
Video source: Bloomberg
Tuesday 02 September 2014
Read more from Telegraph Technology
Celebrities aren't the only victims of online fraud – so watch out for unexpected deliveries and new SIMs on your mobile phone bill.
Britons are unconvinced by self-driving cars and 95pc have concerns over their ability to safely navigate busy public roads, with hackers and software bugs topping the list of fears
As we prepare for the launch of iOS 8, due to be announced at the same event as the iPhone 6, the Telegraph's Technology team take a look at the history of Apple's mobile operating system
Nude photos of dozens of celebrities, including Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence, have leaked online, but the images can never be put back in the box, says Matthew Sparkes
An internet leak of Jennifer Lawrence's naked photos may have prompted an FBI investigation but, a cyber security expert tells The Telegraph, most ordinary people would struggle to get the same level of help
As schools prepare to start teaching the new computing curriculum this week, parents admit they feel ill-equipped
More from the web


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Trader Joe’s is willingly recalling a apple salsa since a jars could potentially enclose pieces of potion in a product.
The products influenced by a remember embody a following:
- Trader Joe’s First Crush Unsweetened Gavenstein Apple Sauce that have a “best before” date by Aug. 8, 2018
- Trader Joe’s Organic Unsweetened Apple Sauce with a “best before” date by Oct. 6, 2018
- Trader Joe’s All Natural Unsweetened Apple Sauce with a “best before” date by Dec. 16, 2018, in certain stores only
You can find a “best before” date on a tip of a lid. According to Trader Joe’s, all of a influenced products have been private from store shelves and destroyed. If this is one of your favorite snacks from a grocery chain, we can learn some-more about a remember — and how to get a reinstate — on Trader Joe’s site.


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COLES is test driving plans to turn its 650 petrol outlets into pick-up points for groceries ordered online.
The trial began three days ago at a Coles Express in Windsor, Victoria and is set to revolutionise grocery shopping for busy office workers and those with a long commute.
Coles spokesman Jim Cooper said the company had tested the Click and Collect scheme at several Victorian supermarkets.
"The idea of that service came out of some feedback we got from online shoppers that people who were busy at work found it easier to pop in and pick up their groceries rather than wait for them to be delivered," he said.
"We decided to see if there were other locations we could use as collection points outside supermarkets."
Australian Centre for Retail Studies research consultant Lisa Tartaglia said Coles would have little time to get the scheme right.
"Consumers will be expecting a very smooth transaction," she said.
"If it is going to be a wait or there are troubles with the orders, they will be turned off pretty quick."
If successful, the scheme could lift fuel sales across its 650 national petrol stations.


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GUANGZHOU, China Dec 20 (Reuters) - Chinese car maker BYD Co Ltd , backed by U.S. billionaire Warren Buffett, sees "sizable profit" from renewable energy cars from 2015, while green buses will be its key development in 2011, a company spokesman said. "We have two e-buses running in Shenzhen now and are in talks to sell to Hong Kong and exports overseas, including Europe and the United States," spokesman Paul Lin told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of an autoshow in China's ...
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– Moderna earnings
– Self-driving M&A
– Carried interest
– Content craze
Moderna love. Stephane Bancel, boss of $168 billion vaccine producer Moderna, has a problem, but it’s a good one. His company’s shares are up 20-fold since the end of 2019, it has joined the S&P 500 Index, and second-quarter sales of $4.4 billion came from almost nothing a year earlier on the back of Moderna’s messenger RNA jab against Covid-19.
The company has vaccine orders for 2022 and 2023, and variants and booster injections could extend that revenue for longer than most people hope. Still, the challenge is to avoid Moderna shrinking as pandemic demand subsides. In Thursday’s earnings call, Bancel talked about a product pipeline that includes a flu jab and mRNA-based therapeutics for a range of diseases.
Moderna – with a $12 billion cash pile that’s rapidly growing – also said it may license other treatments or acquire businesses. Bancel is starting to fill the potential future gap, but Covid-19 vaccine demand will be hard to replicate. That may explain the company’s modest new $1 billion share buyback program. Ramping it up in the future could help keep investors sweet. (By Richard Beales)
Self-skidding. Qualcomm’s excitement over self-driving may be dragging it off the financial highway. The $165 billion U.S. telecommunications technology group is offering $4.6 billion for Sweden’s Veoneer, trumping an already pricey bid from Canadian car-parts maker Magna International by 18%. Veoneer’s crash-detecting “advanced driver assistance systems” sensors will admittedly give Qualcomm’s digital auto-platform some extra oomph. But Veoneer is unlikely to generate positive EBITDA until 2023, let alone actual profits. That makes Qualcomm’s offer, at 2.5 times this year’s revenue, look steep.
With Veoneer shares trading 5% above Qualcomm’s bid, some investors clearly reckon this is only the first lap. Yet even though it may be able to extract $100 million in annual savings, Magna would be brave to go up against a rival six times its size. Qualcomm investors who pushed the stock down 1.5% on Thursday might not like the price, but the two bidders’ respective engine sizes suggest any car chase won’t last long. (By Ed Cropley)
About time. A U.S. private-equity tax loophole has survived for years despite bipartisan efforts to get rid of it. On Thursday, Democratic Senators Ron Wyden and Sheldon Whitehouse took another shot. The carried-interest break allows investment profit to be taxed at the lower capital-gains rate of 20% instead of the top personal income levy of about 37%. For buyout barons, these gains are essentially performance fees and should be taxed that way.
Lobbyists have managed to save the carveout whenever it was at risk. In 2017, for example, then-President Donald Trump said he wanted to eliminate the perk but it didn’t happen. The current effort involves a process that doesn’t require Republican support in the evenly split Senate, and it finally gives the measure a chance at becoming reality.
The change, which alongside other tweaks would raise an estimated $63 billion over 10 years, would help pay for a $3.5 trillion plan to improve the environment and childcare. It’s small in dollar terms but big in fairness, making it a partisan punch the Democrats would be happy to land. (By Gina Chon)
The price is right. When in doubt, copy Walt Disney. ViacomCBS said on Thursday it had signed a deal with “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone to create 14 movies exclusively for its streaming service Paramount+. The move is right out of the Marvel playbook.
ViacomCBS cable network Comedy Central has been the long-time home of the four foul-mouthed boys. Extending the franchise is one way for Paramount+ to boost the more than 40 million subscribers it already has worldwide. Spinning out new characters has done wonders for Disney+. Marvel’s “Loki” and Star Wars television spinoff “The Mandalorian” helped boost the subscriber base for Magic Kingdom’s flagship service to more than 100 million.
ViacomCBS paid Parker and Stone around $900 million, according to Bloomberg, for a package that also includes more seasons for Comedy Central through 2027. That’s nearly double what AT&T’s HBO paid for “South Park” streaming rights in 2018. But as subscriber growth slows for the industry, ViacomCBS boss Bob Bakish may find the price is worth paying. (By Jennifer Saba)
Grain pain. Bayer is still seeing little benefit from its $66 billion purchase of Monsanto. Although Chief Executive Werner Baumann raised the German drugs-to-seeds group’s revenue targets for the year on Thursday, he spooked investors after the EBITDA margin in the crop science unit, which includes the Monsanto business, collapsed to 20% in the quarter ending June 30, compared to 28% in the same period last year. That division is reeling from a wave of lawsuits linked to its Roundup weedkiller. Shares fell as much as 6%.
The poor yield is hard to reconcile. Farmers rely on Bayer’s weedkillers and fertilisers to bolster their crops. With soya prices soaring, the German group should have been able to pass on any extra costs. The good news is that Baumann is reviving the sickly pharmaceutical division, which faces loss of exclusivity on blood-thinner drug Xarelto, with the $2 billion purchase of Vividion Therapeutics. But the more slip-ups he makes, the more investors may wonder whether Bayer is the best owner of its sprawling businesses. (By Aimee Donnellan)
Sticking plaster. Nivea maker Beiersdorf is feeling the sweet tingle of relief. On Thursday the 26 billion euro company said it expected its 2021 group sales to rise by close to 10%, as it said organic sales rose 16% year-on-year in the six months to June.
New Chief Executive Vincent Warnery’s strategy of boosting investment in old brands consumers take for granted, even as Covid-19 suppressed demand, appears vindicated. Marketing and selling expenses were a third of sales in the first half of the year, broadly in line with last year.
It also highlights an odd fit. As well as toiletries, Warnery sells adhesives in the company’s tesa division, which has grown 28% organically so far this year, and has a higher operating margin and completely different client base from the larger consumer unit. The group’s controlling family would have to OK it, but a glue spinoff could raise 2.5 billion euros, according to Breakingviews calculations, to further boost Beiersdorf’s recovery. (By Dasha Afanasieva)
Rainy day. Japan’s largest auto marques are showing their strength. Toyota Motor and Honda Motor beat estimates on Wednesday; Honda lifted its full-year profit guidance by 18%. Even long-battered Nissan Motor rode the wave, with global sales up 63% in the three months to the end of June, helping it post an unexpected profit and hike its earnings outlook.
Commodity prices and a global chip shortage are issues, but the trio is managing them better than U.S. rivals like General Motors, whose stock fell almost 8% after reporting earnings on Wednesday.
That makes the liquidity buffers the Japanese carmakers accumulated during the pandemic stand out. Toyota had 5 trillion yen ($46 billion) in cash and equivalents at the end of the quarter, down from 7 trillion yen a year earlier but well above its pre-Covid-19 average and double GM’s stash. Honda’s stack looks high, too. With Tokyo pushing Japan Inc. to stop hoarding and hike wages, such balance sheet conservatism is getting harder to defend. (By Pete Sweeney)


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Delhi-based Purple Panda Retail Pvt Ltd, which runs its private label lingerie e-shop Moodsofcloe, has raised an undisclosed seed investment from Zurich-based Mountain Partners AG and an arm of the ...
- Valuation and Fundraising for Tech Startups, Taj Yeshwantpur, Bengaluru, 2020-02-26
- VCCircle India Limited Partners Summit 2020, Trident, Nariman Point, 2020-02-27
- Business Transformation Summit 2020, ITC Kohenur, Hyderabad, 2020-03-14
- VCCircle Consumer Investment Summit 2020, Four Seasons Hotel, Mumbai, 2020-03-20


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LG announces three new smartphones that feature AMOLED displays. First up we have the G8 ThinQ, a high end smartphone that features a 6.1" 1440x3120 Crystal Sound OLED, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset, 6 GB of RAM, 128 GB of storage, a microSD slot and a triple camera setup.
LG also offers a variant called the G8s ThinQ which sports a slightly larger display (but with lower density) - a 6.2" 1080x2240 pOLED. Otherwise the specifications are quite similar. The idea is that a CSO display vibrates and turns into a diaphragm - to produce high quality sound. LG says that such a speaker improves the clarity compared to regular smartphone speakers. The G8 ThinQ will also use other audio technology, including DST-X 3D Surround Sound emulation, Hi-Fi Quad DAC, Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) and more.
DSCC released the interesting (but confusing, note the legend starts at 350M) chart below, detailing the market share of smartphone OLED producers in 2016-2019. As can be seen Samsung will remain the dominant producer, but its market share in 2019 will drop from 94% in 2018 to around 85%.
Non-SDC shipments will increase to 73 million units in 2019 - led by LG Display (~25 million units), BOE (around 20 million) and Visionox (around 15 million units).
Universal Display reported its financial results for Q4 2018 - with revenues of $70.1 million and a net income of $19.2 million. UDC increased its quarterly dividend to $0.1 per share, and expects its 2019 revenues to be in the range of $325 to $350 million.
UDC recently adopted a new accounting standard (ASC 606) which lowers its revenue and income in the early stage of each royalty and material sales contact.
LG Electronics says that it will introduce its first 5G smartphone (the V50 ThinQ 5G, which will probably use a pOLED display) in MWC 2019 next week - as it hopes this will help it rebound its smartphone business. At MWC it will also launch its G8 ThinQ with its Crystal Sound OLED.
Regarding foldable OLED technology, the LG's president says that it is still premature to release a foldable phone. The company says that its technology is ready - and in fact LG already introduced its rollable OLED TV which is even one step ahead of foldable technology. If consumer reaction to foldable smartphones is positive the company is "fully ready to respond".
LG Electronics announced that its upcoming LG G8 ThinQ smartphone will feature the company's Crystal Sound OLED (CSO) technology - which turns the OLED display into an audio speaker.
The idea is that a CSO display vibrates and turns into a diaphragm - to produce high quality sound. LG says that such a speaker improves the clarity compared to regular smartphone speakers. The G8 ThinQ will also use other audio technology, including DST-X 3D Surround Sound emulation, Hi-Fi Quad DAC, Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) and more.
At CES 2019, LG Electronics announced its first rollable TV (and the world's first rollable OLED device), the 65" Signature OLED TV R. Market analysts from IHS estimate that producing each 65" rollable OLED TV will cost over $3,000 - more than three times the cost of production of LG's regular 65" OLED TV panels.
LG's new TV can roll up into its base, and has three viewing options - full view, line view and zero view. In Line View, there are six different modes, in which the TV can show the weather, the time, a home dashboard and more. Like the rest of LG's 2019 OLED range, the OLED TV R is based on the company's 2nd-gen Alpha 9 intelligent processor the enables LG's ThinQ AI to offer new display algorithms and Amazon's Alexa and Google's Assistant.
Last week the Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) event took place, and LG Electronics demonstrated its latest OLED and LED signage solutions. LG also used the event to launch its 55" transparent touch-enabled OLED displays:
LG has been demonstrating 55" transparent OLED displays for many years, and the latest prototype shown at CES 2019 featured a transparency of 40%. We can assume that these new commercial displays feature the same transparency. It is not clear yet when these displays will start shipping - and what will be the price.
LG Display reported its financial results for Q4 2018 - it reported an operating profit of ₩279 billion ($250 million USD) due to strong shipments of IT panels and OLED TVs. LGD however gave a weak outlook to 2019 (for its LCD business).
LGD says that it will invest $7.1 billion in 2019 in capacity expansion, and $3.5 billion in 2020. It will divert all of its investments into OLED displays - with 60% going to large area OLED TV production and 40% going to small/medium pOLED production.


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Refinery Hotel is partnering with Wellthily Co. to launch the Wellth Series. The first of its kind in New York City, this program delivers the latest in wellness and health to residents and travelers alike, from fitness classes to expert panels on healthy living.
The Wellth Series kicks off with an action-packed event on Nov. 15 featuring healthy food and juice bars, fireside chats with health, nutrition and fitness experts, spinning classes from Cyc Fitness, and yoga classes from Provita. The series will continue with additional events slated for Dec. 13 and Jan. 17. Tickets are available for $35 per person.
Furthering the commitment to wellness and health, Refinery Hotel guestrooms will include healthy travel kits available for purchase containing products to help guests sleep well, workout in rooms and eat better. The hotel will also begin offering weekly boutique fitness classes to New York City residents and hotel guests in Hatbox, the hotel’s sidewalk-level event space, starting on Dec. 6.
Think of Tokyo and your mind may wander to the neon signs and bustling crowds of Shibuya and Shinjuku, or the tranquility of the Meiji Jingu shrine, but this huge city offers much to those who explore away from the main tourist areas.
IHG Hotels & Resorts is thrilled to announce the launch of a new mobile product feature for members: IHG Wi-Fi Auto Connect. This feature is now available exclusively in the IHG One Rewards mobile app for both iOS and Android users and will automatically connect IHG One Rewards members to WiFi upon arrival at more than 5,000 IHG hotels worldwide — no separate passwords or log-ins needed. This is in addition to the exciting benefits of being an IHG Business Edge member. IHG Business Edge provides small- and medium-sized businesses access to a user-friendly portal that displays comprehensive spending and savings data while providing the convenience of direct booking with a guaranteed discount.
Global Traveler Announces the Winners of the 2023 Outstanding Diversity & Inclusion in Travel Awards
For its third year, Global Traveler awards the airline, cruise line and hotel brand best representing diversity, equity and inclusion within the travel industry. Over the past year Global Traveler analyzed many airlines, cruise lines and hotel brands to determine which companies prove most committed to changing the world through diversity and inclusion.
The highly anticipated GT Tested Reader Survey has more reason to celebrate in 2024 than ever before. This year marks the 20th anniversary of our GT Tested Reader Survey awards, with many of the winning brands earning milestone accolades for years of dedicated and consistent service.
One affordable plan can protect an entire year of trips: business or pleasure, short or long, domestic or international.
As another phenomenal year of travel comes to an end, it’s time, as always, for Global Traveler to celebrate and award those who do it best as we announce the 2023 winners of the GT Tested Reader Survey awards. But that's not the only cause for celebration here: We've hit another major milestone, as this marks our 20th year honoring the best of the best inn world of travel!
As a peripatetic traveler, I am always trying to balance the pleasures of dining well with a life-long challenge to control my weight. It’s not always easy, because I consider tasting typical, authentic regional dishes among the highlights of most journeys, and those foods are rarely known for “healthful” rankings! So, I started staying at spas way back in the 1980s — before they were ubiquitous — because meals were assured to be pure, clean and wholesome.
Don’t risk losing all the money you’ve spent if you must cancel your trip at the last minute. Allianz Travel Insurance can give you:
Flying to the paradise of Turks & Caicos has never been easier thanks to many new, non-stop flights across three airlines to the destination. Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic Airways all announced new flights, allowing travelers to visit this dreamy destination.


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While European cities seek to reign in commercial-style Airbnb rentals through stricter regulations, these efforts may be hamstrung by a recent decision in Europe’s highest court. Airbnb is now two-for-two in a game of multi-level governance, having previously vaulted over city laws in the U.S., writes MIA ‘20 Liana Mehring.
Last August, I arrived in Edinburgh, Scotland, to attend a friend’s wedding. I had booked what looked to be a charming Airbnb, but when I arrived I found the place to be barely furnished, with little more than a sad container of instant coffee sitting on the bedside table. I shared my dissatisfaction with a wedding guest at the rehearsal dinner later that night. This man, who had lived in Edinburgh all his life, sadly shook his head in response. He said that rentals such as mine had become increasingly common in the city. These apartments were apparently bought up en masse, then continuously rented – mainly to tourists – as crude commercial enterprises, which drove up rents for local residents and limited available housing. Even as Edinburgh and other European cities have pushed back against Airbnb on these issues, the company will be allowed to dodge certain responsibilities after recently winning a battle in the EU’s highest court that will affect how the company is regulated in the future.
While cities have thus far shown some success in using municipal law to push back against Airbnb, they currently lack the authority to compel Airbnb to systematically police its platform for commercial rentals that are swallowing up cities across Europe. A key legal battle between Airbnb and the company’s local opponents hinges on whether or not Airbnb should be required to report detailed host data to governments – an undertaking which would require the platform to comprehensively monitor its online listings. On December 19th, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that Airbnb is not an estate agent but an “information society service,” effectively ruling in Airbnb’s favour. The outcome has made the multi-billion dollar company two-for-two in a high-stakes multi-governance game, building on the online platform’s success at winning a similar fight in the U.S. federal courts.
To understand the dynamics of the game, one must first understand the arguments used on both sides of the debate. Airbnb has a strong interest in being regulated as an information society provider. This designation would subject the company to EU regulations that cut across member states, while protecting it from strict local regulations that are applied to hotels. City governments, on the other hand, want to crack down on Airbnb listings that operate much like hotels without being subjected to the same regulations. Suspected commercial abuse of the home-sharing platform could more easily be confirmed if Airbnb handed over data required by local authorities to confirm or refute the presence of illegal commercial listings in violation of local short-term rental laws. Airbnb has thus far steadfastly resisted complying with such data access requests, describing them as ‘overbroad and unduly burdensome.’
In 2018, the New York City Council passed a law in the summer requiring home-sharing services to provide the city with detailed monthly reports about tens of thousands of listings, including the identities and addresses of their hosts. The legislation was meant to make it easier for the city to enforce laws designed to root out bad actors, such as the more than 100 host accounts that were created to run an illegal hotel business in Manhattan through Airbnb. It is estimated that such enforcement could take an estimated 50,000 Airbnb units off the market. In its ensuing legal battle with the city, Airbnb claimed to be representing the interests of ordinary New Yorkers. While the city argued that clamping down on Airbnb was necessary to ensure affordable housing for its residents, Airbnb argued that tightened regulations would hurt these same ordinary New Yorkers by limiting their ability to rent spare rooms and make ends meet. Airbnb also claimed that the compulsory disclosure agreements constituted a form of illegal surveillance which would violate the fundamental privacy of its users.
In the U.S. as in the EU, Airbnb found a sympathetic ear above the city level by appealing to existing national or international rules and regulations. In January 2019, a U.S. federal judge, in exercising his multi-level governing authority, blocked the New York law concerning disclosure agreements from taking effect. The judge argued that the law was in violation of the US constitution, specifically the guarantee against illegal searches and seizures guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment, and voiced concern over the unreasonable precedent the law would set for other e-commerce companies. That precedent would require such companies to produce monthly copies of its records for all local customers to be handed over to investigative bodies in the absence of sufficient evidence of wrongdoing. As the judge wrote in his decision, “The city has not cited any decision suggesting that the governmental appropriation of private business records on such a scale, unsupported by individualized suspicion or any tailored justification, qualifies as a reasonable search and seizure.” The greater public interest, he decided, was the public’s right to privacy.
The EU Treaty, meanwhile, protects a fundamental freedom to deliver services. This freedom limits the ability of local authorities to set their own rules under the single market framework. Early in its European operations, Airbnb organized itself to flaunt local laws by developing a European-wide approach that took advantage of these laws that predated the collaborative economy, including the e-Commerce directive adopted in 2000. This directive stipulates that, while websites are obligated to investigate specific illegal listings, they aren’t required to systematically scan for such illegal activities on their sites.
One caveat is that local authorities may leapfrog e-Commerce restrictions by citing overriding reasons related to the public interest. EU member states and local governments argue that ensuring the availability and affordability of local housing is precisely the kind of vital public interest this language is designed to protect. However, the final arbiter in deciding what constitutes a viable public interest is the Commission itself. This makes the European Court of Justice the key player in determining Airbnb’s fate. An indication of how the court would rule came last April, when an advisor to the court stated that Airbnb should be treated as a digital service provider and be free to operate across the European Union. ECJ judges normally follow their advisers’ non-binding opinions, and this held true in their ultimate ruling.
Following the ECJ’s decision, European cities are likely to be stifled in their attempts going forward to regulate key aspects of Airbnb’s business, and the same goes for the U.S. should the company continue to enjoy favourable constitutional interpretation and federal protections. Back in Edinburgh, I concluded with my fellow wedding guest that he should run for local office and enter the fight for affordable housing. That fight, it appears, will not be an easy one.
Liana Mehring is a former exchange student (MIA) at Hertie from IHEID Geneva. She is majoring in Environment, Resources, and Sustainability with a minor in Global Health. Her ongoing research and work focus on dog-keeping practices as it relates to rabies prevention in low-resource settings, specifically in Kenya. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service (BSFS) from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, where she majored in Culture and Politics. She is passionate about art, the environment, human rights, animal welfare, travel, and the free exchange of culture and ideas.


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Super Smash Bros for 3DS Sells More than 2.8 Million Copies
Worldwide, as of less than a month after the game’s release date. So in other words, the game is selling out fast even BEFORE the holiday season begins. Which is pretty impressive given the series and system. I mean, Super Smash Bros for 3DS is merely the ‘lesser’ copy of Super Smash Bros 4, the toned down 3DS version meant to get people used to the characters and stuff before the real version hits. And what’s more, it’s a rate of sales that’s nearly at Pokemon levels (2 million copies in 2 days for Black and White and their sequels), something which is extremely rare among standard Nintendo titles.
Here’s a quote from Nintendo summarising this level of sales success:
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS is already in the hands of more than 2.8 million people worldwide, and the road ahead looks great. Nintendo’s holiday software lineup is more than impressive, and our amiibo figures start a new chapter in the world of Nintendo interactive entertainment. With so many great experiences available, this holiday season is going to be an amazing time to be a Nintendo fan.
Above: Quote by Scott Moffit, Nintendo of America Vice President of Sales and Marketing
So that’s a good start for new Smash Bros games. Now just to see what the future brings for the massively hyped up Wii U version, the one which all the features and effort have been put into…


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LONDON – August sales at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd., the world's leading foundry chip maker, were lifted by rush orders, the company said Friday (Sept. 9).
These orders will likely lift third quarter sales higher than the previously quoted guidance of NT$102 billion (about $3.49 billion) to NT$104 billion (about $3.58 billion) but are unlikely to persist into the fourth quarter, TSMC (Hsinchu, Taiwan) said.
On a consolidated basis, net sales for August 2011 were approximately NT$37.64 billion (about $1.30 billion), an increase of 6.2 percent over July 2011 and an increase of 0.7 percent over August 2010. Consolidated revenues for January through August 2011 totaled NT$288.96 billion (about $9.90 billion), an increase of 6.3 percent compared to the same period in 2010.
This contrasts with rival foundry United Microelectronics Corp. (Hsinchu, Taiwan) which on Thursday (Sept. 8) announced August net sales down 6.9 percent on net sales for July and down 24.7 percent compared with August 2010. UMC's year-to-date sales are running behind sales for the equivalent period in 2010.
The sequential jump in TSMC's consolidated sales in August by 6.2 percent is exceptional. Over the last
decade TSMC's August sales have been up, when compared with July, by 1.7
On an unconsolidated basis, TSMC's net sales were approximately NT$37.04 billion (about $1.27 billion), an increase of 6.1 percent over July 2011 and an increase of 1.5 percent over August 2010. Unconsolidated revenues for January through August 2011 totaled NT$282.35 billion (about $9.67 billion), an increase of 7.2 percent compared to the same period in 2010.
"In August, we have completed some rush orders for customers, therefore, TSMC's third quarter revenue is likely to exceed the guidance given on July 28, 2011 – consolidated revenues between NT$102 billion and NT$104 billion," said senior vice president and CFO Lora Ho, in a statement. "However, given the increased uncertainty in the global economy, TSMC does not expect that these short-term rush orders will continue into the fourth quarter," she also said.
The company did not indicate what customers, application areas or process technology or technologies are responsible for the sales surge. TSMC's 28-nm digital CMOS process node is reportedly sold out and could be a factor.
Related links and articles:
UMC's August sales down 24.7% on 2010
Weak demand makes Sumco cut forecasts
UMC's July sales down 18% on 2010
TSMC's sales drop in July


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An article released today by The Future of Everything as part of their “Ask the Thought Leaders ” blog series featured comments from Vigilant Aerospace CEO Kraettli Epperson and other experts in the unmanned aircraft industry.
In light of the increasing efforts of companies like UPS and Amazon to integrate drones into everyday delivery operations, the article asked industry experts “What’s the Future of Drone Delivery?” Vigilant Aerospace CEO Kraettli Epperson comments:
“The flight technology for making drone deliveries possible is already available. It will become available when the FAA updates its regulations to allow drones to fly beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS). The FAA has said that BVLOS flights will require reliable detect-and-avoid systems for allowing drones to avoid other aircraft. We believe that this technology is emerging right now. The U.S. has a fantastic new air traffic control system that the FAA calls NextGen. Based on transponders that use GPS and provide precise location, altitude and speed information, this system allows aircraft to see and stay clear of each other. NextGen air traffic control, combined with inexpensive cameras, LIDAR or micro-RADAR for short-range obstacle avoidance, should make safe and reliable drone package delivery available in the near future. The market demand is high, so the technology is advancing at a staggering pace.”
Companies are already able to calculate the savings and increased efficiency that drones will bring to everyday operations by integrating drones in combination with current delivery methods to cover the “last mile” of delivery: “UPS calculates that reducing the routes its 66,000 drivers follow each day by a single mile will save the company $50 million annually.”
Read the full Future of Everything article: “Ask The Thought Leaders: What’s The Future Of Drone Delivery?”
Photo credit: Future of Everything


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AUSTIN, Texas, March 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Chaotic Moon Studios, a creative technology studio in Austin, awed South By Southwest Interactive Festival attendees with their futuristic fitness application, FitCoin. While other fitness trackers only calculate, Chaotic Moon's FitCoin motivates, with cash. The app measures the length and intensity of a workout and converts it to CPU time on a bitcoin mining rig. The more users workout, the more digital currency they mine. Get fit, get rich, or die mining.
"This concept combines two of our specialties: looking good and making money," said Chaotic Moon CEO, Ben Lamm. "We're always trying to turn existing habits into new opportunities to make money—this one was an obvious fit."
FitCoin syncs with a user's fitness tracker to log vital variables from a workout: including duration, intensity, and distance. Chaotic Moon's proprietary algorithm then determines the amount of bitcoins earned during each session.
"At Chaotic Moon we are interested in crypto-tech computing and decentralized services, and wanted to explore them through a prototype that leverages the blockchain as application, service layer and platform," said Lamm. "It was important for us to make this experience compelling, useful and obvious for users by bundling the blockchain with the quantified self: translating sweat into equity."
Designed as a connected app and ecosystem, FitCoin gives users real-time notifications and earnings updates as well as a dashboard to track how both their body and their bank account are progressing. Chaotic Moon and other innovators in the space sees a direct link between fitness activity and monetary incentives like lower health insurance rates.
"We've been providing sports and fitness coaching apps and monitoring devices since the emergence of wearable sensor technology," said, Jon Werner of adidas Digital Sports, "One of the biggest challenges in the space is finding ways to keep consumers engaged. We are excited to see how cryptocurrency can motivate people to make their exercise and fitness routines a long term habit."
FitCoin is an early alpha release that has already gained traction with enthusiastic users. Beyond cypherpunks and fitness freaks, Chaotic Moon envisions near future applications of FitCoin and its technology ushering in a paradigm shift in health, wellness and the economy—reshaping our experience of the everyday.
SOURCE Chaotic Moon Studios


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US Premarket: Wendy's, Coinbase and other stocks making biggest moves
- Wendy’s shares fell 3.4% in premarket trading
- Unity Software released weaker than expected revenue guidance
- Coinbase plunged reported a loss of $1.98 per share for its latest quarter
Wendy’s shares fell 3.4% in premarket trading after it reported an adjusted profit of 17 cents per share, 1 cent below estimates, with revenue and same-store sales also missing analysts’ estimates. The restaurant chain’s results were impacted by higher costs of supplies and labour.
Coinbase plunged 14.4% in premarket action after it reported a loss of $1.98 per share for its latest quarter, compared to consensus forecasts of 18 cents per share profit. Coinbase cited a decline in users amid an ongoing slump in the crypto market.
Unity Software (U)
Unity Software trembled 23% in the premarket trading after the video game software developer released weaker than expected revenue guidance. It reported losses that were in line with expectations, but its sales were below consensus estimates.
Perrigo slid 4.1% in premarket action after reporting an adjusted profit of 33 cents per share, 42 cents below the consensus estimate. However, the over-the-counter drug maker’s revenue beat estimates and raised its full-year guidance after acquiring the consumer health care company HRA Pharma earlier this month.
Krispy Kreme (DNUT)
Shares of Krispy Kreme surged over 1.6% in the premarket after beating top and bottom-line estimates for its latest quarter The doughnut chain’s “sales per hub” metric surged 49.2% for international markets and 19.4% for the US and Canada.
Roblox shares fell 1.1% in premarket trading after reporting a wider than expected loss for its recent quarter and sales below the street forecasts. The gaming platform company said it expects losses to continue for the foreseeable future, as expenses rise and as pandemic-induced demand increase fade.
Occidental Petroleum (OXY)
Occidental Petroleum grew 1.3% in premarket action after an earnings beat for its latest quarter, supported by surging oil prices. Occidental is the top gainer among S&P 500 stocks, having more than doubled this year.


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Earlier in October, black British supermodel Naomi Campbell announced she was working to launch benefit fashion shows in February to help raise money to fight Ebola. Naomi said she will be organising one of the shows at the 2015 edition of New York Fashion Week while another one will be taking place in London.
In preparation for the upcoming Ebola benefit fashion show, Naomi organised a ‘Fashion for Relief’ Pop Up launch party that took place at London’s Westfield shopping Centre.
The star-studded event was attended by actor Idris Elba, rapper Tinie Tempah, singer Rebecca Ferguson, Made In Chelsea star, Rosie Fortescue and her former cast mate Chloe Green, The Only Way Is Essex star, Lauren Pope, presenter Lizzie Cundy, musician Folami and others.
The event pop-up launch party took place yesterday Thursday, November 27 and was used as an opportunity for the supermodel to sell some of her clothes to the attendees and raise some funds for the fight against the deadly Ebola virus.
From Left to right: Lauren Pope, Folami, and Chloe Green.
From Left to right:Rebecca Ferguson, Amber Anderson, and Sigail Currie.
From Left to right: Rosie Fortescue and JJ Rosa.
From left to right: Amira McCarthy, Jess Plummer, Shereen Cutkelvin, and Asami Zdrenka.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Richard Young Rex/Dave Bennet


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Fiserv’s findings align somewhat with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s analysis released Tuesday. Excluding food, auto and fuel purchases, overall retail sales rose 5% in July year-over-year. The federal department also reported an 8% decline in furniture and home-related purchases.
In July, average ticket sizes continued to decline, dipping by 1.5% across all industries and declining by 4.8% in retail, Brookfield, Wisconsin-based Fiserv said. The company attributed that to easing inflation.
Statistics in Fiserv’s report derive from its proprietary data with respect to spending on credit, debit and electronic benefit transfer cards as well as checks in some instances, the company says.


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Tuesday, January 25, 2011
The owners of Boca have called off their offer to serve lion tacos because of threats.
From Boca's Facebook page:
Due to concern for safety of our families, customers, vendors, and friends we will not be selling African Lion Tacos on Feb. 16th, 2011. We will continue to bring unique and creative menu items, but not at the expense of safety.
Pre-orders will be fully refunded at the restaurant or by calling (520) 777-8134. Thanks for your support.


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We've got plenty of electric-car news today. Goldman Sachs says Tesla Motors will need $6 billion over the next decade, the Guinness World Record for most electric cars in one place is broken in California, and Senator Harry Reid says the Federal government should offer more incentives for plug-ins. All this and more on Green Car Reports.
We rounded up last week's biggest stories in our Week in Reverse feature and video.
Find out why Nevada Senator Harry Reid believes the Federal government should boost electric-car incentives.
A new Nissan Leaf ad demonstrates the perks of this plug-in car's copious torque.
The new Nissan Pulsar compact hatchback is aimed squarely at the Volkswagen Golf, but it won't be available in the U.S. anytime soon.
Goldman Sachs puts the price of Tesla Motors' expansion plans at $6 billion.
In an ad for its upcoming fuel-cell car, Toyota asks: Are you the "bold few," or a "handbrake?" Read on to find out what that all means.
There's a new Guinness World Record for most electric cars in one place. Organizers assembled 507 cars in Cupertino, California, this past weekend.
Thanks to diesel pollution, London has a higher level of nitrous oxides than notoriously foul-aired Beijing.
General Motors releases fuel-economy estimates for the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon mid-size pickups equipped with the 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine.
The 2015 Toyota Camry features a redesigned exterior, with the same gasoline and hybrid powertrains underneath.
Finally, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Concept-S is revealed ahead of the 2014 Paris Motor Show.


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Earlier today, BFG reported that first half sales at Iceland stores fell 6.7% due to aggressive pricing which shaved almost £8m off BFG’s bottom line.
However, the group said a switch to a more traditional promotional offer had been in place since July had maintained margins. It added that Iceland's four new format stores had seen like-for-like sales up 15.1% on average in the first half.
The group said there would be 42 more new format stores by March 2003, with a further 100 planned for the next financial year.
The formats include a freezer centre with a minimal grocery and chilled offer; a core store similar to the current Iceland format; a 'core-plus' store offering additional ranges including chilled and fresh foods; and a c-store with a reduced frozen food offer with a full convenience store range.


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By The Straits Times | AsiaOne.com
The National Parks Board (NParks) is conducting a feasibility study on providing another dining option for park-goers, whose choices currently include buying snacks at kiosks and dining in restaurants.
Its deputy director of lifestyle business Tan Lai Kheng said it is looking to bring the food trucks back to cater to the needs of park users.
“We are currently exploring the feasibility of having mobile food and beverage vehicles in some parks,” she added, but locations have not been confirmed.
The Straits Times understands that NParks has met owners of several big-chain restaurants.
Sources said the food trucks are likely to be stationed in parks all day on weekends. Facilities like electrical sockets will be provided, they added.
NParks first allowed food wagons in two parks – Bukit Batok Park and Changi Beach Park – in 2003. But this was discontinued in 2004 “as it was not sustainable”, said Ms Tan.
Participants in another similar venture in 2003 – by the Urban Redevelopment Authority – also found the going difficult.
The URA gave out 33 permits under its food-van scheme with rents for spots at five carparks islandwide ranging between $190 and $280 a month. Vendors could operate only from 7am to 10.30am daily.
Four vendors dropped out even before starting business, with more withdrawing from the scheme over the years. Now, only one vendor – at the Kallang Road carpark – remains.
The concept of eateries on wheels is believed to have originated in the United States in the 1800s as an invention by cattlemen looking to feed herders moving cattle from one part of the country to another. By the 1980s, countless food trucks had sprung up to feed night-time workers at construction sites.
Top chefs like Zak Pelaccio have earned acclaim with food trucks in the US. The trucks are also appearing in France and Australia.
In Singapore, Mr K.F. Seetoh of Makansutra said he is studying the viability of operating food trucks.
The founder of Makansutra, which develops culinary concepts, publishes food guides and runs eateries, said many factors have to be considered, including garbage removal, grease control and safety regulations, as well as water and electricity supply.
His opinion is that past attempts at operating food trucks here flopped due to three factors: high costs, overly stringent rules and the lack of an overall vision.
“Back then, the food trucks sold nasi lemak and fish balls and were parked next to construction sites. They need to pick the right vendors,” said Mr Seetoh, who is in his 40s.
The Government, he added, could also look into subsidising the expense of setting up food trucks, which cost from $100,000 to $200,000 to buy and modify. “After you have factored in all the costs, the prices of the food you sell would be too ridiculous,” he said.
Vendors have to submit an application to the National Environment Agency with details such as operating schedules and a layout plan of the food wagon.
They must also consult other agencies, including national water agency PUB for the installation of a grease trap, URA for site-use approval and the Land Transport Authority to convert a vehicle into a food truck.
One restaurant operator – Mr Adrien Desbaillets, co-founder of Salad Stop! – is thinking of buying a second-hand vehicle to convert into a food truck. The 31-year-old said he would consider operating in a park but added the food truck could also be rented out for events and functions. “Such trucks could help raise awareness for the brand. If someone books a salad bar for a barbecue, we could just drive a truck up,” he said.
Full-time national serviceman Faraaz Amzar, 19, who goes to Bishan Park once a week. said the trucks could offer different items throughout the day. “They could also sell items not commonly available elsewhere, like fried Mars bars,” he said. “There could be more good dining places there, especially at night. Maybe a cluster of food trucks with some seats. That would create the right atmosphere.”


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Apple has poached Vimeo's European head of PR, Nikki Thompson, for a senior PR role within its UK communications operation.
PRWeek UK understands that Thompson will lead communications for Apple's hardware devices, including the iPad, iPhone, and iPod, across Europe, the Middle East, India, and Africa.
It is understood that Thompson will replace Nick Grange, who Apple confirmed has departed the business.
Grange joined Apple alongside Rob Saunders in a high-profile strengthening of its communications team in 2011. Grange joined from Activision, where he was ...


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The Africa Creative Market stands out as a premier event, uniting key
AFRIFF – Africa International Film Festival, is a global film festival
Lagos, Nigeria [November 2023] – The Africa Creative Market (ACM), a beacon of
Watch Real Housewives of Lagos star, Mariam Adeyemi-Timmer answer all our rapid
Filmhouse IMAX cinema, Lekki was the place to be on Sunday 12th December as
The Luxury Network Nigeria hosted a B2B invitation-only exclusive event on
COVID-19 is still here and Christmas is here as well
The whole world is literally digital
We are all suckers for a good show about fashion and beauty
The brand Emmy Kasbit has always been a favorite since their debut in
Are you thinking about creating a collection?
Stephanie Coker Aderinokun, a Nigerian on-air personality and a television
We asked people to dance with us and they did!


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Technology use among restaurants is seeing fast paced growth, and restaurant operators are beginning to understand the importance of mobile and tablet technology to improve their top and bottom line. According to Hudson Riehle, Senior Vice President of Research for the National Restaurant Association, use of technology is expanding among all age groups. No, it’s not just teens who want to use the latest technology for their dining experience. Our customers report even consumers in the 65+ age bracket enjoy using iPad menus to choose a wine or beverage for their meal.
These days, there’s nothing new about using technology to help expedite the process of ordering food at a restaurant. Once waitstaff at some restaurants started sending orders back to the kitchen using hand-held devices, it was only a matter of time before similar technology made it directly into the hands of customers – most commonly now through online delivery apps like Seamless and GrubHub. Today, some airline passengers, while they wait to board at the gate area, may even use iPad menus to order, with the assurance that their items will be brought directly to them within minutes.


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Beleaguered Adaptec has cancelled its November 10 annual general meeting and legacy board chairman Joe Kennedy has apparently resigned. It appears Steel Partners has won the proxy war and has sufficient shareholder consents to carry out its plans of removing Adaptec CEO Sundi Sundaresh and Robert Loarie from the board, reducing …
It's the end.
It will just be faster now.
last one out turn off the lights.
It's a commodity market out there now with big multi-product companies. Likely no future for Niche companies like Adaptec any more.
If Logitech had stuck to selling Modula-2 and Mouses and Creative to Sound cards, they would be gone already. As it is the future is gloomy for them. Is Genius a brand owned by someone bigger now?
- Batten down the hatches, Ubuntu 14.04 LTS due in TWO DAYS
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- Did a date calculation bug just cost hard-up Co-op Bank £110m?
- Feast your PUNY eyes on highest resolution phone display EVER
- Wall St's DROOLING as Twitter GULPS DOWN analytics firm Gnip


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Skechers sues Sears
New York City — Skechers USA has sued Sears Holdings Corp, alleging that the chain was selling footwear that infringed on some of Skechers brands, including its toning Shape-ups line, Reuters reported.
"While we value our relationship with Sears, their actions are causing us tremendous damage, and we simply cannot let any company, let alone a company the size of Sears, infringe on our most valuable intellectual property," Philip Paccione, general counsel of Skechers, said.
The suit, filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, seeks damages, as well as relief for the alleged infringements and unfair competition.
Retail Orphan Initiative announces computer recycling program for retailers
Nashville, Tenn. — The Retail Orphan Initiative (RetailROI) announced that it has created a computer recycling program in partnership with the GEAR Foundation. The program, which recycles retailers’ computers that are less than four years old and have expired warranties, will immediately create jobs for physically and mentally challenged young adults as the computers are erased, refurbished, and resold.
“This is a win-win-win program,” said Greg Buzek, president of IHL Group and donor trustee for RetailROI. “It immediately saves retailers money on recycling costs, creates immediate jobs for physically challenged kids and young adults, and provides the funding for a future program that will allow for the donation of overstocked clothing for foster kids and families at risk.”
“Retailers often pay a recycling company $8 to $10 each to remove old computer equipment and send to recyclers,” Buzek continued. “Now they can take a charitable deduction by donating these items to the GEAR Foundation. GEAR will clean up the old computers, erase and re-install the hard drives, and resell the computers for a nominal cost to those in the community who may not otherwise be able to afford a new one.”
This is the first step in a process to create an opportunity for retailers to get a tax deduction for their overstocked merchandise that can be donated to children’s charities and at-risk families. The donated computers will generate the income to staff this subsequent effort.
RetailROI highly encourages retailers to get involved, as it will give jobs to vulnerable young adults, save retailers $5 to $40,000 a year in recycling costs, and provide affordable computers to the community.
For more information, go to http://www.retailroi.org/businesses/.
Chipotle selects Incentives Advisors to maximize hiring credits
Tempe, Ariz. — Incentives Advisors, which specializes in turning human resources departments into profit centers by identifying, administering and securing hiring-related government incentives, added Chipotle Mexican Grill to its customer roster. The company will deploy Incentives+ tax credit screening solution to make it easy to screen job candidates for over 100 federal, state, and local hiring credits.
Because IA is integrated into many of the largest talent management solution (TMS) providers in the marketplace, Chipotle will be able to seamlessly deploy IA’s tax credit screening questionnaire within its TMS’ online job application process.
"We like that candidates are screened for all applicable federal, state, and local hiring credit programs upfront during our online application process,” said Chipotle Mexican Grill’s staffing manager, Dave McKlveen. “We’ll also greatly reduce our paperwork we normally process with tax credit screening since human resources will print forms for eligible hires only, not every hire.”
Candidates complete IA’s 30-second, dynamic questionnaire within Chipotle’s online application, guaranteeing 100% of the job candidates applying on their corporate website will be presented with the screening questionnaire. Screening questions are based on how a candidate answers the questions, as well as the candidate’s address and hiring location address. Recruiters can immediately view the tax credit eligibility results within the TMS before an interview or offer, along with a link to the pre-populated tax credit forms. Recruiters have eligible new hires sign the forms and submit them to IA, which manages the process from there.


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Destiny 2 maker Bungie is posed to compensate and credit an artist's work that was featured in a new cutscene.
In speaking with the publication, the artist said, "It was totally unexpected and completely caught me by surprise. So much so that I wanted to make a shoutout about it."
Bungie attributed the error to an issue from an external vendor.
In a statement sent to PC Gamer, a representative said, "Bungie has reached out to [ElementJ21] about the art piece from this week's cutscene and are planning to compensate and credit them for their work."
"We discovered that an external vendor that helped to create this cutscene mistakenly used this art as a reference, assuming it was official Bungie artwork. We are currently waiting to hear back from the artist to take the necessary steps to remedy this situation."


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Kadabra is returning to the Pokémon TCG.
Kadabra will be part of the card game for the first time in 22 years as part of the Pokémon Card 151 set. This collector-desired set will be out in June of this year, complete with Kadabra now that the lawsuit between Uri Geller and Pokémon is over.
The last print of Kadabra was made in 2002, more than two decades ago. But why was this the last time Kadabra ever appeared in the card game?
Kadabra lawsuit explained
Magician and illusionist Uri Geller is the man behind the controversial lawsuit. Over 20 years ago, Geller sued Nintendo for the Kadabra card, claiming it allegedly used his likeness to come up with the psychic Pokémon.
You may be wondering what similarities Geller had with the strange Pokémon. First, the Japanese name for Kadabra is “Yungerer,” which is close to the name Uri Geller. Secondly, Kadabra is known for holding a spoon, which Geller states was inspired by his own iconic spoon-bending trick.
While he was once known for this incredible trick, Geller became almost single-handedly known for suing Nintendo once he filed the lawsuit. He claimed that Nintendo turned him into an “evil” Pokémon character that stole his “signature image.” The lawsuit was dismissed in 2003.
In 2020, Geller announced that he was releasing the ban. He apologized on Twitter, stating that Nintendo was now allowed to bring the Kadabra card back.
“It will probably be one of the rarest cards now,” Geller added.
On January 26, 2023, Geller spoke with PokeBeach about Kadabra’s return in the Pokémon Card 151 set. He told PokeBeach that he was excited to see Kadabra return to the card game and once again admitted regret over the situation.
“It was you and my granddaughters that got me to change my mind. Now we can all see Kadabra reunited with the original Pokémon in the card game this summer. I admit I was a fool. It was a devastating mistake for me to sue Pokémon. Forgive me,” Geller said in a voicemail to PokeBeach.
The desirable set is being released on June 16, 2023.
How many Kadabra cards are in the Pokémon TCG?
The Stage 1 Pokémon has appeared on seven cards in the TCG.
The first Kadabra card is from the base set. It features the iconic image of Kadabra holding a spoon. It has 60 HP and an interesting healing mechanic.
The Expedition base set had another interesting Kadabra card with 70 HP and the ability to possibly confuse the opponent’s active Pokémon. The Kadabra in the Skyridge expansion can put the enemy Pokémon to sleep.
There is also a Dark Kadabra in the Team Rocket expansion and Sabrina’s Kadabra appears in the Gym Challenge expansion. After that, Kadabra never appeared again.
Pokémon players have responded with excitement over the return of Kadabra. Many are hoping that there will be a good Kadabra card in the near future.


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Valve's managing director Gabe Newell has proclaimed the rise of closed platforms like the Apple's iOS and Xbox Live as "ominous".
According to a report on The Seattle Times' website, Newell made the comments while participating in a panel, hosted by former Xbox exec Ed Fries, at the WTIA TechNW conference.
Newell argued that companies that once built platforms to enable developers, "instead view themselves as more rent guys who are essentially driving their partner margins to zero."
"On the platform side, it's sort of ominous that the world seems to be moving away from open platforms... They build a shiny sparkling thing that attracts users and then they control people's access to those things."
"I'm worried that the things that traditionally have been the source of a lot of innovation are going - there's going to be an attempt to close those off so somebody will say 'I'm tired of competing with Google, I'm tired of compeitng with Facebook, I'll apply a console model and exclude the competitors I don't like from my world.'"
And there are "very large structural investments and structural changes" in the games industry's immediate future that will further threaten the viability of open platforms.
When asked by Fries to clarify that he saw Apple as essentially a closed platform, Newell responded in the affirmative.
"I consider Apple to be very closed. Let's say you have a book business and you are charging 5 to 7 per cent gross margins. You can't exist in an Apple world because they want 30 per cent and they don't care that you only have 7 per cent to play with."
Steam is different, he claimed, because although Valve takes a commission from games sold through Steam, developers can use its services and tools to do business elsewhere for free. Newell maintained that if Valve were to build a hardware platform it would be open to other distributors, in the interests of healthy competition.
The panel also discussed the future of consoles, which Newell believes can no longer exist independently from other platforms like the internet, mobile and desktop.
A probable disruptive force will be Apple, which Newell suspects is poised to launch a new product that will fundamentally challenge consoles' traditional function.
"I suspect Apple will launch a living room product that redefines people's expectations really strongly and the notion of a separate console platform will disappear," he said.


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Amazon India on Tuesday said it has expanded its 'Amazon Pantry' service that allows users to buy grocery items from the platform to over 300 cities across the country.
An Amazon India spokesperson said the service was available to customers in 110 Indian cities till March this year.
"The past few months, we focussed our efforts to deliver essentials in more and more pin codes across the country, so that people can stay at home. Today, 'Amazon Pantry' has expanded to over 300 cities in India,"
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Questionable tactics by deputies in Andres Guardado killing put pressure on sheriff
The Los Angeles Times
Amazon and BigBasket are among the companies which have been given permission by the West Bengal government for online delivery of liquor in the state, according to a...Your Story 2020-06-20
Kolkata: Online grocery platform Grofers is not keen to enter into the business of liquor delivery saying it serves mostly families, even as its main competitor BigBasket...Deccan Chronicle 2020-06-21
Ecommerce major Amazon on Sunday said it will host the third edition of its sale event — Small Business Day (SBD) 2020 — on June 27 to help small businesses, artisans,...Your Story 2020-06-21
It is a known fact the coronavirus has had a severe impact on the Indian economy. Due to the countrywide lockdown for almost 2 months, all businesses, shops and other stuff...Yahoo Daily News 2020-06-22
AmazonFresh and Amazon Pantry are two free benefits to Amazon Prime memberships. AmazonFresh is like a digital grocery store for Prime members with delivery right to your...Business Insider 2020-07-01
NEW DELHI: Amazon.com Inc has secured clearance to deliver alcohol in West Bengal, according to a document seen by Reuters, signalling the U.S. e-commerce giant’s first...Deccan Chronicle 2020-06-21


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Challenger ATS Brasil prepares to take on BM&F Bovespa “super monopoly”
After nearly a decade of trying ATS Brasil is finally poised to launch an equities trading venue, bringing competition to Latin America’s largest market for the first time in many years.
Portugal’s CGD Securities embraces cloud connection to Brazil
Portugal’s Caixa Geral de Depositos bank is planning to grow its trading business in Brazil, using a hosted service provided by SunGard.
Santander and iZettle launch in Brazil
Swedish payment company iZettle and Spain’s Banco Santander have launched a new ‘social payments’ system in Brazil, which is designed to help small businesses take card payments with Apple and Android smartphones and tablets.
CaixaBank targets Brazilian payments market
Spain’s CaixaBank is planning to target Brazil’s payments industry via a new joint venture with US transaction processing firm Global Payments that builds on the bank’s experience of digital channels its home market.
Brazil financial services reforms bring foreign investor promise
As Brazil gears up to host the World Cup next year and the Olympics in 2016, a clutch of government reforms hold high promise for the country’s financial infrastructure, according to Aldo Mendes, deputy governor, monetary policy at Brazil’s Central Bank.
Brazil brings mobile payments home
Brazil is to gain its first ever mobile payment service this month, with the launch of a joint service provided by Spanish and South American telecom firm Telefónica and MasterCard.
Brazil’s BM&F Bovespa adopts Nasdaq surveillance tools
Brazilian exchange BM&F Bovespa has installed a new market surveillance system from Nasdaq OMX, which it says will help ensure the safety of all market participants on the Brazilian market.
Latin American markets looking for international investors to boost liquidity
New trading systems in Brazil and Mexico are prompting high hopes that Latin America’s two largest markets will attract more international investors and grow their liquidity base, according to panellists at the TradeTech conference in London.
Rising stars dominate World Exchange Congress
Emerging markets Brazil, India and Turkey took the spotlight at yesterday’s World Exchange Congress event in London, as senior executives highlighted rising technological investment, growing competition and successful index performance.


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Meghan Markle wearing a white belted coat by Canadian brand Line The Label
But now one designer has detailed JUST how jaw-droppingly powerful the Meghan seal of approval is - revealing she took $3 MILLION of orders in an afternoon after the Duchess of Sussex wore one of her coats. The coat in question was the now-iconic white wrap coat from Canadian label LINE which sells for £373 or $600. Meghan looked stunning as she wore it alongside Prince Harry as she announced her engagement.
Within one day, we received orders of about 5,000 for that coat
Seconds later online searches for the coat were soaring – and they continued to soar.
The coat has now been re-branded as The Meghan of course.
But the really amazing statistic is just how much money Meghan generated for the firm.
John Muscat, co-founder and president of LINE, said:
“Within one day, we received orders of about 5,000 for that coat. “
At $600 an item John and the firm were looking at a $3MILLION royal payday.
But the clothing expert took what some might see as an odd decision – he refused to supply the massive demand.
He said: “I was looking at the whole situation, and I decided that I didn't want to make 5,000.
“I didn't want every socialite in Toronto wearing it. Can you imagine every woman in Forest Hill wearing a white wrap coat? It's not the right vibe. No one would think that's cute.”
The Duchess of Sussex has also affected the fortunes of many other clothing firms.
The now iconic £1000 ($1400) camel coat Meghan Markle wore to Christmas at Sandringham estate for the first time, on the arm of her new fiancé, Prince Harry was by another Canadian luxury brand called Sentaler.
The coat has since that moment also been rebranded as the Meghan coat – and sales have soared and continue to do so.
Bojana Sentaler, the brand’s president and creative director, said she had a “permanent smile on ther face”.
Meghan’s interest in Canadian fashion brands is believed to stem from her time in Toronoto making the TV series Suits.
Athough the drama is based in New York the sets are based in Toronto where the shows are filmed at Downsview Park Studios.


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Odwalla kicks off its “Campaign Against Ordinary” this month with a redesigned Odwalla Facebook page and a Coachella Music Festival ticket giveaway.
Coachella, which takes place April 16-18 in Indio, Calif., is the first of three major music festivals Odwalla will be sponsoring. At the festivals, the company will feature a first-of-its-kind outdoor lounge and a unique Odwalla Living Flavor Vending Machine (part sampling booth part performance stage and advocate podium). The unique stage will feature DJs, musicians, films/filmmakers, storytellers, open mic auditions and other interesting talents from people who share Odwalla’s passion for fresh perspectives and artful combinations.
In addition, Odwalla gave away a pair of Coachella tickets every day for 20 days via Facebook.
“Since its founding in 1980 by three musicians who wanted to make great juice and build a business with a heart, Odwalla has always produced products that were anything but ordinary,” said Jason Dolenga, brand manager, Odwalla. “This year, we’re creating a fresh blend of experiences, via music festivals and social media, that will showcase the uniqueness of our brand-and our fans-in an extraordinary way.”
The redesigned Odwalla Facebook page will be highly interactive and will serve as a hub for Odwalla news and activities taking place throughout the year. A feature will be added later in the year to allow fans with particularly interesting or unusual talents to upload videos for a chance to perform at the Odwalla Living Flavor Vending Machine at the Bonnaroo and Outside Lands music festivals. The campaign will be supported by Facebook advertising, in-store POS materials, and public relations activities.


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UPDATED: Logistics Showdown: UPS and Amazon Battle for Supremacy
Update 01/14/2024: FedEx has just entered the end-to-end logistics arms race with its own ecommerce platform, fdx.
In a corporate news post dated January 14th, the legacy carrier revealed plans for a groundbreaking ecomm platform set to debut this fall. This “data-driven commerce platform” promises comprehensive ecommerce solutions, empowering online sellers to seamlessly handle shipments, customer sales, fulfillment, and returns.
What is a Data-Driven Commerce Platform?
FedEx’s recent announcement is brimming with marketing jargon, emphasizing terms like “data-driven” and offering an “end-to-end ecommerce solution for businesses of all sizes.”
In ecommerce, data-driven management simply means using the data collected by a company to improve customer relationships. In FedEx’s case, participating sellers can leverage the carrier’s extensive logistics network and “insights from moving 15 million packages per day” to make smarter supply chain decisions (e.g., provide accurate parcel delivery dates, more cost-effective shipping routes), thereby allowing them to build stronger connections with customers.
While the announcement lacks specifics on how it plans to compete with Amazon, FedEx highlighted the utilization of its services like ShopRunner, acquired by FedEx in 2020, to enable sellers to connect with customers, display estimated delivery times, manage shopping carts, track packages, assess the carbon emissions impact, and handle returns.
More importantly, FedEx emphasized that its focus is not on entering the marketplace business to serve consumers directly, but rather to provide sellers with digital capabilities they need to enhance their customers’ shopping experience.
What does this mean for Amazon? More competition.
This strategic move intensifies FedEx’s ongoing competition with Amazon, which saw the company opting not to renew a 2019 contract for the said rival. Amazon reciprocated by briefly barring Prime deliveries via FedEx during the holidays, citing performance issues.
FedEx and UPS have both faced challenges from Amazon, with the ecomm giant surpassing them in US home package deliveries in 2022. This shift occurred shortly after Amazon developed an extensive logistics network utilizing third-party contractors. See report below.
Shared Opinions on FedEx’s Strategic Move
In the comments section of The Verge’s post on the topic, readers express a mix of skepticism and frustration regarding FedEx’s venture into e-commerce to compete with Amazon.
Complaints about the carrier’s past experiences, such as difficulties with returns and delivery mishaps, raise doubts about its end-to-end logistics capability. Some believe that FedEx’s sometimes inconvenient handling of certain packages may hinder its competitiveness, contrasting it with UPS.
Others, however, welcome the prospect of increased competition for Amazon, hoping it will lead to improved service quality and customer experiences. A recurring theme is the need for reliable and customer-focused services, with varying opinions on whether FedEx can effectively challenge Amazon in the ecommerce arena.
As of this writing, fdx is presently undergoing a private preview, with an anticipated broader launch scheduled for the fall of 2024. Sellers interested in participating can express their interest through a registration form. Additionally, the company did not specify any brands currently involved in the pilot program.
The logistics industry, valued at $1.5 trillion, has traditionally been dominated by a select few major players such as USPS, FedEx, and UPS. However, over these last few years, Amazon has emerged as the frontrunner, surpassing both UPS and FedEx in parcel volume for 2022.
What was once dismissed as a legitimate threat by FedEx CEO Fred Smith has not only solidified its dominance but has also set new records, delivering an astounding number of packages across the United States.
This marked a pivotal moment in the ongoing competition for parcel delivery supremacy in the the country. UPS in particular, far from conceding defeat, is gearing up for a formidable counterattack, unveiling strategic initiatives to regain its foothold in the rapidly changing logistics arena.
The ascent of Amazon is nothing short of extraordinary, considering that as recently as 2014, it held no stake in the US parcel delivery market. The company relied entirely on legacy carriers such as FedEx and UPS for its delivery needs.
In the years that followed, Amazon made multi-billion dollar investments in constructing a massive fulfillment and logistics infrastructure, including warehouses, trucks, planes, and an extensive fleet of delivery drivers. By bolstering its in-house shipping capabilities, Amazon gradually diverted its business from reliance on other carriers.
The divergence in strategies became even more apparent when FedEx severed ties with Amazon in 2019. This move allowed FedEx to concentrate on optimizing its operations and enhancing profitability.
In 2022, UPS put shipping limits on Amazon to put more focus on B2B deliveries as eCommerce growth slowed down, allowing the eCommerce titan to win more marketshare.
Over the last three years, Amazon’s share of deliveries has steadily increased. From holding zero stake in the logistics market in 2014, the company grew to grab 21% market share in 2021, closely trailing UPS at 24% and surpassing FedEx at 16%. USPS, meanwhile, maintained its dominance with 38%.
Amazon’s rise led to a reshaping of the delivery service hierarchy, albeit with USPS still the top player, delivering packages for the three logistics giants.
Presently, the retailer continues to transform shipping from a mere cost center into a revenue-generating asset by extending its logistics empire as a service to non-Amazon eCommerce businesses.
Amazon’s Record-Breaking Delivery Numbers
Before Thanksgiving this year, Amazon had already achieved a remarkable feat by delivering more than 4.8 billion packages in the country. According to documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the company’s internal projections anticipate reaching a staggering 5.9 billion deliveries by the end of 2023.
To put this into perspective, Amazon shipped 5.2 billion packages in the previous year, underscoring the significant growth and efficiency of its delivery network.
As can be recalled, Amazon recently reached its fastest Prime delivery speeds ever, which Doug Herrington, the CEO of Worldwide Amazon Stores, attributes to the strategic overhaul of the retailer’s fulfillment model.
Herrington highlights the pivotal shift from a national fulfillment network to a more regionalized model as a key factor in this achievement. Amazon now operates its delivery network from 8 regions covering seperate geographical areas. Approximately 76% of all US orders now are fulfilled from the region in which the order originated. These strategically located facilities are stocked with a diverse array of products, facilitating prompt delivery to nearby locations while maintaining the ability to dispatch items efficiently to transfer between regions based on location demand.
Beyond the structural changes, Amazon has implemented a series of enhancements to its last-mile delivery process. This includes:
- The relaunch of Amazon Shipping (pickup and delivery services for FBM and non-Amazon sellers)
- The integration of USPS Ground Advantage with Buy Shipping
- The establishment of same-day delivery sites in closer proximity to major urban centers
- The enlistment of local small businesses in rural areas as valuable delivery partners
- Implementing major changes to the Partnered Carrier program. Sellers can now input warehouse hours and special instructions for pickups. The pickup date information for less-than-truckload, full-truckload, and intermodal shipments has been improved and includes updates due to disruptions or delays. Additionally, a new PDF guide offers detailed information on creating and sending shipments with Amazon partnered carriers.
By shortening the distances certain products need to travel and making improvements to the Partnered Carrier program, Amazon has not only achieved ultrafast delivery but has also managed to curtail transportation costs, further solidifying its commitment to efficient and cost-effective logistics solutions.
Comparative Analysis with UPS and FedEx
For context, UPS has acknowledged that its domestic volume for the current year is unlikely to surpass the 5.3 billion packages delivered in the previous year. This total includes packages delivered to customers through collaboration with the postal service. In the first nine months of 2022, UPS handled approximately 3.4 billion parcels domestically.
FedEx, on the other hand, reported that its domestic Express and Ground parcel volume reached around 3.05 billion for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2023. While FedEx and UPS have consistently downplayed the importance of engaging in a volume race, and have instead put more focus on delivering more profitable parcels, Amazon’s ascent to the top cannot be ignored.
UPS Counters Amazon’s Dominance with Bold Moves
The battle for supremacy in the logistics arena has reached new heights, with UPS actively positioning itself to dethrone Amazon.
Beefing Up its Returns Network
The legacy carrier recently acquired Happy Returns, a reverse logistics company, thereby adding over 10,000 box-free locations to its US returns footprint, one of the keys to building a robust logistics business.
Why it matters?
- Shoppers seek returns that are simple, convenient, and free of hassle, often influencing their buying choices based on a store’s return policy. Consumer reseach reveals that 87% of online shoppers deemed free returns as a crucial factor in their purchasing decisions, ranking it as the most preferred return option. Notably, over 30% of the respondents acknowledged their likelihood of abandoning a brand due to the absence of convenient return methods. Additionally, 70% of individuals engaging in online shopping expressed willingness to pay more for convenient returns experience and that brand loyalty increases with the offering of more eco-friendly and sustainable processing.
- With merchandise returns approximating 8.5% of overall retail sales in 2023, UPS aims to address the rising costs for retailers by optimizing return processes and minimizing environmental impact.
The acquisition also allows UPS to compete with Amazon’s evolving return policies, emphasizing the importance of easy returns for increased shopper loyalty.
In a blog post, Happy Returns outlined its plans to amplify and expedite its returns process through a strategic collaboration with UPS. The company highlighted the appeal of UPS’s substantial capacity and operational efficiency, emphasizing that while UPS manages millions of packages daily, Happy Returns processes a comparable volume in just one month.
In addition, UPS’s expertise in box-free, in-person drop-offs through a third-party network with prominent brands and its utilization of automation at its package sorting facility in Louisville, Kentucky, adds an additional layer of advantage to this partnership.
Happy Returns, now part of UPS, offers a convenient solution for retailers and consumers, leveraging over 5,200 UPS neighborhood store locations for returns processing, providing a hassle-free experience.
Offering a Major Pay Bump
In August 2023, UPS reached a landmark five-year agreement with the Teamsters Union, heralded as a ‘new benchmark in the labor movement.’
The agreement between the legacy carrier and the Union resulted in salary increases for all 340,000 package handlers and delivery drivers within the supply chain company. Full-time drivers are now earning approximately $170,000 annually in pay and benefits.
Every UPS union worker is slated to receive a $2.75 per hour salary increase this year, followed by incremental wage raises totaling $7.50 per hour over the next five years. These adjustments will elevate UPS’s average top rate for its unionized full-time drivers to $49 per hour, establishing them as the highest-paid delivery drivers in the United States.
This development brought positive news for UPS drivers, and predictably some Amazon Delivery Service Partner (DSP) drivers are now contemplating a potential shift to UPS, given these recent improvements in compensation.
The hiring website for Amazon’s DSP program outlines that drivers under this program can anticipate a workload of 40 hours per week, comprehensive benefits, competitive compensation, and access to a vehicle, among various other offerings.
Two drivers, in conversation with Business Insider, indicated that their hourly wages now stand at approximately $18 following recent pay raises, a stark contrast to UPS’s $49/hour rate for full timers.
“I think it puts Amazon in this situation where they’re going to have to decide if they want to keep quality drivers or not,” a delivery driver told the news outlet.
Suppose DSP drivers start shifting over to UPS, the legacy carrier will likely gain a competitive edge (vs. Amazon) in growing their labor force toward handling increased shipment volumes, enhancing efficiency, and potentially offering more diversified and flexible services. For example, some vehicles may be optimized for last-mile delivery in metropolitan areas, while others may be designed for long-haul transportation.
The larger fleet allows UPS to optimize routes, improve reliability during peak periods, and strengthen its market share and competitive positioning. This advantage may lead to strategic pricing, increased brand trust, and a broader geographic reach, influencing the dynamics of the logistics and package delivery market.
Amazon’s reported figures encompass only packages that the company handles entirely from start to finish. In contrast, UPS includes packages they give to the postal service for the final leg of delivery in their volume calculations. This distinction emphasizes Amazon’s end-to-end control and streamlined logistics process.
But according to JP Morgan analyst, Brian Ossenbeck, despite the company’s dominance in last-mile delivery, it has not managed to replicate the expansive global coverage or the complementary aspects of operations exhibited by both UPS and FedEx.
Ossenbeck emphasizes this distinction, stating, “Amazon excels in the one-way network, efficiently delivering goods at accelerated speeds, but it lacks the equivalent level of pick-up and delivery coverage found in its counterparts.”
Nevertheless, Amazon’s surpassing of UPS and FedEx in parcel volume for 2023 signifies not only a milestone for the company but also a transformative moment in the competitive landscape of the last-mile logistics industry. The eCommerce giant’s relentless pursuit of excellence and innovation has propelled it to the forefront, cementing its position as the country’s premier delivery service.


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We’re proud to announce that our CEO Chris Violas will be speaking at this year’s MJBizCon. He joins a panel with other experts including Mitchell Osak, the CEO of Quanta Consulting, and Paul Weaver, the Head of Cannabis at the Boston Beer Company, to explore how U.S operators can find success in Canada’s established cannabis market.
BLAZE’s recent acquisition of Greenline POS makes Chris uniquely suited to speak on the subject. As one of a few cannabis tech companies operating in both the U.S and Canada, Chris is ready to share his approach and how others can benefit from expanding into a federally legal cannabis market.
Finding Success in Canada’s Cannabis Market
Slow growth in U.S cannabis markets have forced operators to look elsewhere for new sources of revenue and expansion. Canada offers hope and opportunity. Its solidified regulatory market provides the stability that operators are looking for and the ability to increase their dispensaries’ value in the marketplace. The panel will discuss how U.S companies should look to expand into Canada and how to avoid the pitfalls of entering a foreign market.
Attendees will learn:
- The growth outlook in the Canadian market and where opportunities can still be found
- How companies are positioning themselves to expand their market share through M&A and strategic partnerships with Canadian LPs
- How Canada’s regulatory clarity can provide opportunities to U.S. companies looking to launch new products
This panel will be on Thursday, November 17th from 10am to 10:45am. We’ll see you there!


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The food packaging industry has been relying on flexible plastic packaging for several decades. Flexible plastic is considered cheap to produce, easy to use, and keeps food fresh from the store shelves to our tables. However, the flexible plastic industry has one major issue: following use by the end-consumer, flexible plastic packaging has hardly any sustainable end-of-life solution. In fact, the food industry is the number-one contributor to plastic waste worldwide; food-related plastic waste makes up 66% of the volume and 50% of the total weight of packaging waste across the globe, says Daphna Nissenbaum, CEO of Israeli start-up TIPA.
TIPA was established in June 2010 to tackle this growing, global problem. “If the makeup of flexible plastic could be changed to treat it like organic materials, then flexible plastic would become a natural resource instead of a waste product,” says Nissenbaum.
TIPA is introducing a new range of sustainable packaging to the UK market. The bio-based, fully compostable flexible packaging solution has the same end-of-life organic waste properties as the food it wraps, while being as transparent, durable, and impermeable as ordinary plastic packaging. TIPA’s packaging is made of several compostable polymers that are blended to form new TIPA resins. These special resins are coextruded to produce TIPA's films, which are then used in a range of TIPA film and laminate packaging applications.
TIPA’s films and laminates created from this special blend match the barrier, mechanical and optical barriers of conventional flexible plastic packaging films, but can also be composted after it is used by the consumer. TIPA’s packaging fully breaks down into natural materials in the form of CO2, biomass, and water.
Existing applications include a variety of food products such as granola bars, fresh produce, snacks, apparel, zipper bags and more. “TIPA is working to increase the variety of packaging applications that our materials cover, so that all types of non-recyclable flexible plastic packaging can be replaced with a viable compostable, sustainable alternative,” says Nissenbaum.
TIPA’s products are currently packaging food on shelves in the Netherlands, Luxemburg, Israel, Italy, the UK, and the US, and the company hopes to soon enter new territories such as Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.


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The drop reflects the company’s continued investment in international expansion and increased seasonality.
With the quality of retailers’ online content becoming increasingly important to securing sales, the heritage of QVC as a producer of TV programmes is proving particularly valuable as it develops its multi-channel credentials.By Glynn Davis
A study tracking footfall in non-food stores in the run-up to Christmas has revealed that shoppers have been coming out in force earlier this year.
Reports suggesting that the Chancellor may announce in his Autumn Statment today that business rate rises will be limited to 2% in England and Wales next year have been welcomed by retailers.
Waitrose is offering its customers the chance to win a day in the company of brand ambassador Heston Blumenthal.
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