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Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL, which have been initially rumoured because the Pixel three Lite and Pixel three Lite XL, at the moment are teased to affix the Pixel smartphone household on Might 7. A teaser out there on the Google Retailer hints on the launch of the brand new Pixel telephones. The brand new improvement comes simply after the costs of the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL leaked on-line. Individually, Google has launched a one-minute business that reveals the Pixel three because the saviour for the New Yorkers who’ve been attacked by numerous villains of Marvel’s Avengers collection. The search big has additionally tied up with Marvel Studios to convey 5 Marvel superheroes to its Playmoji AR lineup. The announcement arrives simply in time for the upcoming launch of Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame that can attain theatres on April 26.
Suggesting the launch date of the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL, the teaser on the Google Retailer says, “On Might 7, meet a brand new hero.” The teaser additionally takes you to a devoted webpage that corroborates the launch date and carries the tagline “Assistance is on the best way”. This alludes to the partnership with Marvel Studios for the Avengers: Endgame.
“On Might 7, one thing large is coming to the Pixel universe,” reads the webpage on the Google Retailer.
The teased launch date of the Pixel 3a fashions is notably in keeping with Google I/O 2019 that can start on Might 7.
Earlier this week, costs of the Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL surfaced on-line. Whereas the Pixel 3a was discovered to be out there at CAD 649 (roughly Rs. 33,700) for the 64GB storage variant, whereas the Pixel 3a XL was reported to start out at CAD 799 (roughly Rs. 41,500). The telephones are additionally prone to have White and Black color choices.
Since Google would element Android Q at throughout its I/O developer convention, the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL telephones are prone to help the brand new Android expertise out-of-the-box. A full Android Q launch could be anticipated on the time of the Pixel four and Pixel four XL launch.
Alongside teasing the Pixel 3a launch, Google has launched a business that reimagines the Marvel Cinematic Universe to point out what all of the Pixel three can do to assist the New Yorkers who’ve been attacked by the villains of Marvel’s Avengers collection. The one-minute-long video highlights navigation by way of Google Maps and voice help utilizing Google Assistant as a number of the duties which are potential by way of the Pixel three fashions to assist the New York folks.
Google has moreover introduced its partnership with Marvel Studios so as to add 5 of superheroes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to its Playmoji assortment. The superheroes embody Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Nebula, and Okoye that will likely be accessible by way of Playground.
“You do not want superhero power or a go well with of armour to unleash the ability of Playground — you simply want a Pixel and the most recent Playmoji becoming a member of the Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame pack,” Google’s Elisabeth Morant, Product Supervisor, Playground, stated in a weblog put up.
Importantly, the Playmoji AR lineup already has Thor, Black Widow, Rocket, and Captain Marvel from the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a part of its Avengers Playground stickers pack.


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In a ruling this week, a federal judge in Oregon issued an order that implemented a nationwide injunction against Adept Management for its false and misleading newspaper and magazine subscription campaign that plagued consumers from 2010 to 2015. Adept Management — and the roughly 19 companies that it operated — purported to send “renewal notices” to current subscribers claiming that a subscription renewal was required when it was not. The order enjoins Adept, its principals, and the various corporate entities they control from engaging in this sort of campaign in the future, and requires them to pay $9.8 million to the Federal Trade Commission. The News Media Alliance applauds the FTC for pursuing this case and protecting newspaper subscribers across the country. We hope that this order will bring some restitution to consumers who were defrauded, and that it discourages others from seeking to take advantage of consumers in the future.
You can read the full order here.
Members of the News/Media Alliance staff have contributed to this post.

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Prashanth Vishwanathan/The New York Times/Redux/eyevine
India this week announced a policy to cap the prices of essential drugs, including ones for HIV and cancer, to make medicines more affordable for the poor. But observers of the pharmaceutical industry suggest that parts of the legislation may actually have the opposite effect — and a challenge has already been filed at the Supreme Court.
The policy is an update of a 17-year-old law that has been fought over for a decade, and a petition opposing it has been brought by the All India Drug Action Network. At stake is a 620-billion-rupee (US$11.4-billion) domestic drug market that supplies more than one billion people.
The price cap will knock at least $258 million off the value of that market, says IMS Health, a consulting firm in Mumbai, India. The biggest losses will be for drug firms GlaxoSmithKline of London, Ranbaxy of Gurgaon, India, Pfizer of New York and Abbott Laboratories of North Chicago, Illinois.
But industry has approved the policy — and patient advocates argue that holes in the law will allow nimble pharmaceutical companies to sidestep the price ceiling.
The policy is a "sham" declares Chandra Gulhati, editor of drug-reference guide the Monthly Index of Medical Specialties India.
The updated policy places a price limit on 348 medicines deemed essential in India. The government will set the ceiling as the average price of all brands that have a market share of more than 1% for each category of drug.
The previous legislation, implemented in 1995, set the price ceiling at twice the cost of manufacturing and packaging the drug, and covered only 74 compounds.
Tapan Ray, director-general of the Organization of Pharmaceutical Producers of India in Mumbai, says that although industry will face some immediate losses, the updated policy is “prudent for India in the longer term”.
Patient advocates warn that the new policy could actually increase the price of medicines favoured by the poor.
In India, drugs with the same underlying formulations are sold at a range of prices. GlaxoSmithKline, for example, sells an antibiotic combination under the brand name Augmentin for US$4.85 per 6 tablets. Competitors sell the same formulation for $1.20. The price difference matters in a country where 69% of the population earns less than $2 a day.
“The market of medicines is the most distorted market because the brand that is the market leader is the costliest brand, it is the most vigorously promoted”
Under the updated policy, Augmentin will become cheaper. But if its price comes down to only a few tens of rupees more than its lesser-known equivalent, say observers, people may opt to spend extra money for the recognizable brand. If this happens, other companies will lose the incentive to keep their prices lower than the price-ceiling.
The policy also specifies the exact dosage of the drug that will come under price control. So pharmaceutical companies may switch their marketing practices to promote sales of alternate dosages exempt from regulation, predicts Gulhati. This practice is not unusual: Indian doctors routinely prescribe patients tablets that need to be split up to deliver the right dose.
Promote and prescribe
Patient advocates are wary from past experience . Studies have shown that doctors who are given information about certain drugs by pharmaceutical representatives tend to prescribe those drugs more frequently1, so the promotion of alternate versions of a drug may mean that the price-capped drug is no longer prescribed.
"The market of medicines is the most distorted market because the brand that is the market leader is the costliest brand, it is the most vigorously promoted," says Mira Shiva, co-founder of the All India Drug Action Network.
Something similar may already have happened under the previous price-control law. A study published this year found that the most popular medicines prescribed for fungal infections in 2010 were not on the price-cap list2. And some price-controlled anti-fungal drugs had become unavailable in pharmacies as promotion of more expensive drugs led to a fall in demand for the cheaper option, says Nilay Kanti Das, a dermatologist at the Medical College in Kolkata, India, and a co-author of the paper.
For instance, since the price of an anti-fungal cream called Tolnaftate was capped in 1995, companies have stopped promoting it and the drug is rarely prescribed by doctors.
In fact, only 6.5% of doctors polled even knew which medicines were controlled, suggesting that the price control had become largely irrelevant, said the study.
“Is the new policy meant to control prices at all? This is all to mislead the people of India,” says Gulhati.
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ISLAMABAD: Power prices have been increased by Rs2.04 per unit.
The prices were increased as National Electric Power Regulatory Authority made three surcharges permanent.
The revised rate will not be applicable on consumers of K-Electric.
Earlier, The per unit power cost has been brought down by Rs2.28 for a month due to fuel adjustment.
Nepra had claimed that consumers will get a relief of Rs15 billion by the cost reduction.


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On Thursday, Jammie Thomas, a 30-year-old woman in Minnesota, was found liable for $222,000 in damages to the recording industry for the sin of downloading and sharing 24 songs on Kazaa.
The fine is unconscionable; at most, she ought to pay $23.76 -- 99 cents per download, the fair market price of the goods she's accused of "stealing." Now Thomas, a single mother of two who makes $36,000 a year as an environmental cleanup grant coordinator, has put up an online appeal for monetary help.
You can donate to Thomas at freejammie.com. So far, she's raised $957 in PayPal donations. On her blog, Thomas explains that the money "is being placed into a trust account in my name ... so the RIAA cannot attack it as an asset. I don't know the legal specifics, but that's the gist of it."
She adds: "I cannot thank you enough for everything. Not to sound too sappy, but it makes me cry thinking how much you all support me."
Thomas also says that her lawyers have decided to appeal the case.
Here is Thomas's video appeal for help:


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In our round-up of the top five stories trending on our socials, we highlight the post-pandemic luxury market in our Beauty Broadcast episode, the repercussions of sunscreen safety misinformation and more.
Japanese beauty group Shiseido’s decision to sell off three more brands in bid to focus on high-end skin care as its core category was a ‘no-brainer’, with beauty experts saying it was a smart decision to strengthen the company’s position in uncertain...
In this round-up, we dive into our most-read stories on cosmetics science and formulation, including a Chinese study on the skin microbiome, Shiseido’s research between skin health and blood circulation, and more.
Smashbox Cosmetics founder Davis Factor, a great-grandson of Max, says the pandemic has created more demand for “hardworking” make-up products that are enriched with skin care ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and niacinamide.
On this episode of the Beauty Broadcast, we’re delving into the remarkable recovery of luxury beauty in Asia Pacific and the future prospects for this high-end category with experts from By Terry and LUXASIA.
Shiseido has confirmed plans to launch Second Skin on October 1 – a technology that can diminish undereye ageing signs without make-up, in a move the firm says will offer “new experiences” to consumers.


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Transgender activists and allies publicly asked Proctor & Gamble, which owns Always, to redesign the pad's wrapper without the symbol, reports CNN. The company issued a press release explaining that its new packaging would to bolster the inclusivity of their products by removing the feminine "Venus" symbol. "For over 35 years Always has championed girls and women, and we will continue to do so," Procter & Gamble said Tuesday in a statement. "We're also committed to diversity and inclusion and are on a continual journey to understand the needs of all of our consumers."
Every company's current emphasis should be to fulfill the needs of diverse consumers, says Joanna McClintick, LCSW, youth sexual health coordinator at The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in New York City. "The simple fact of having a period can be traumatic or gender dysphoric for young people in the gender nonconforming and trans-male or -masculine communities," says McClintick. "It can cause disappointing feelings about how their body is going to change in contrast to their identity as they grow."
Currently, the narrative around periods consists of woman's "coming of age," which ignores many voices and bodies. "That's why this move to be more inclusive with product packaging is so important: It's a reminder to everyone that getting your period is just part of puberty, regardless of your gender," says McClintick. "It creates more room for everyone to navigate this part of their life without promoting shame."
Always' move comes at the heels of other small yet mighty edits to make menstrual products speak to a larger audience. Menstrual cup brand The Flex Company just refreshed its language to be more diverse; Lunapads released a period boxer brief; and all of Aunt Flow actively makes its products gender-inclusive. However, since Always is among the limited menstrual health products you can buy at the drugstore, its decision will hopefully prompt other in-aisle companies like Kotex and Tampax to cast wider marketing nets.
Lauren Bille, founder and CEO of Allbodies, believes companies should also do away with the term "feminine hygiene products." "This is a horrible phrase for multiple reasons," she says. "Not everyone who bleeds identifies with being 'feminine' and the word hygiene continues the message of periods being dirty." Further, a broadening of the terminology to “people with periods" or "people who menstruate" has the power to make individuals feel included in the menstrual health conversation, says Anna Kiesnowski, LSW, the gender affirming services manager at the Mazzoni Center in Philadelphia.
"By telling different narratives, we are teaching people and influencing beliefs," says Bille. "There isn't a box we all fit into. The experience of bleeding is varied. For some it's a nuisance, for others it's a reminder of disconnection, and for others, it's our greatest power." Brands are waking up to the fact that pink boxes and binary sex symbols are too narrow to encompass the diverse experiences of people who menstruate.
Find out why Sophia Bush is so passionate about fighting period poverty:
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Dove today confirmed its accreditation by PETA – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals – as being a Cruelty-Free brand. From early 2019, Dove products will feature the PETA Cruelty-Free logo on their packaging.
Sophie Galvani, VP Dove Global, explained, “For over 30 years we’ve used non-animal approaches to assess the safety of our products and ingredients. Dove has enacted a policy prohibiting any animal tests, anywhere in the world, and we are delighted to say that our products will now carry PETA’s cruelty-free logo to assure our customers that Dove does not, and will not, test on animals.”
Gaining PETA’s cruelty-free accreditation is acknowledgment of Dove’s broader commitment not just to care for women’s and men’s skin and hair but also to care for the planet and everyone on it —including animals.
Galvani continues, “More than ever, people want, and deserve, clarity on what goes on in the making and composition of the products they love. Dove’s PETA accreditation is part of that, as well as being an important step to inspire further action globally on animal testing across the personal care and beauty industry.”
PETA senior vice president Kathy Guillermo commented, “PETA is delighted to certify a globally recognised personal care brand such as Dove as cruelty-free. We know consumers will appreciate Dove’s commitment to permanently ending tests on animals everywhere in the world, and while there is still much to be done to end animal testing, we hope today’s announcement will inspire other beauty brands and companies to follow suit.”
The news comes as Unilever, Dove’s parent company, confirms its support of a global ban on animal testing for cosmetics. David Blanchard, Unilever Chief R&D Officer, commented, “Animal testing for cosmetics has been banned in the EU since 2013, and we hope that a global adoption of a similar ban will accelerate the regulatory acceptance of alternative approaches and thereby remove any requirements for any animal testing for cosmetics anywhere in the world.”
Unilever’s ongoing work on alternatives to animal testing, and its commitment to promote their adoption globally, has also been recognised by PETA who will now list Unilever as a ‘company working for regulatory change’, which indicates that Unilever conducts no tests on animals anywhere in the world unless specifically required by law. Dove’s commitment goes above and beyond this.
As part of its commitment to support the implementation of a global ban, Unilever will also partner with Humane Society International (HSI), the global animal protection organisation, to support its #BeCrueltyFree initiative to enact legislative reform in key beauty markets to prohibit animal testing of cosmetics. As part of this ambitious new collaboration, Unilever will help develop the capability to make decisions on product safety using non-animal approaches across companies and regulatory authorities globally, so that animal testing is not required.
“We are very hopeful that through collaboration – amongst companies, NGOs and Governments – it will soon be possible to assess the safety of all cosmetic products without any need for animal testing anywhere in the world,” concluded Blanchard.


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On Wednesday, according to a filing, Sir Richard Branson sold $150 million worth of Virgin Galactic stock, in three days. The founder and one of the architects behind the IPO of the company and four entities that he controls sold 5,584,000 shares worth $150.3 million. The shares were sold by the Virgin Group and other entities between April 12 and April 14 at prices between $26.85 and $28.73.
Virgin Galactic Chairman Chamath Palihapitiya sold his personal shares in the first week of March. He had told CNBC that he was planning to make a huge investment “towards fighting climate change.” He still has shares in the company through his SPAC with investor Ian Osbourne. A little more than a month later, Branson has sold a huge chunk of his shares.
Virgin Group’s leisure and travel businesses took a huge hit during the pandemic. Last year, Branson had sold $500 million of his shares in Virgin Galactic to help his other businesses. A spokesperson said that the shares that were recently sold were for the same reason as last time, in a statement to CNBC.
Virgin Group shares were up 12% for the year on Wednesday and closed at $26.68 after the sales of Virgin Galactic shares. The Virgin Group remains the largest shareholder with a 24% stake in Virgin Galactic.
Virgin Galactic space test flights suffered delays due to electromagnetic issues. The spacecraft company is planning to fly four more test flights with its “VSS Unity” spacecraft. It would include flying Branson this summer.
The second spacecraft “VSS Imagine” was rolled out last month. CEO Michael Colglazier said that the spacecraft company is expecting to begin commercial flights in early 2022.
In March the CEO of Virgin Galactic had also told CNBC that they need many more ships that they had and these ships had to be maintained in such a way as to improve the turnaround time between flights.


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Fabienne Mostrum discovered her debit card numbers had been stolen again when Publix refused to honor the card. Her online check of the account confirmed a thief charged $630 in a Maryland Wal-Mart.
Her credit union, which had canceled the card, mailed a replacement. But she spent four hours figuring out what happened, a weekend with no cash and days worrying about the implications like whether her automatic mortgage payment would bounce.
It was the fifth time Mostrum's card account was hacked from a retailer's data transmission, this time at Sweetbay Supermarket. "It's outrageous these retailers are so careless with your personal information," said the 44-year-old St. Petersburg resident.
Most experts advise: Get used to it.
Cyber crooks are getting smarter about stealing and selling payment card details to other crooks who try to turn them into cash. Since 2005 records on more than 223-million people have been exposed in unauthorized data breaches, according to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. The number of reported cases tripled in the past three years.
But only about one in 10 credit-related data breaches is publicly disclosed, according to Gartner Inc., a high-tech research firm. While many bankers themselves are frustrated by delays learning of retailer breaches, few will name the store to customers.
It's one of the risks unmentioned in the latest Visa commercials featuring care-free customers swirling through a buffet and zipping by the cash register like they're on a nonstop carousel. But even though their banks canceled the bogus charges, many victims of the Sweetbay hack want off the merry-go-round.
The Tampa grocery chain announced March 17 that most customers' credit and debit card account numbers and personal identification numbers had been exposed in a transmission breach that lasted from Dec. 7 to March 10. Many victims criticized the grocer, which discovered the breach on Feb. 27, then waited 19 days before telling anybody.
The Secret Service is investigating how thieves tapped into the data transmissions that exposed 1.6-million payment card numbers at Sweetbay stores in Florida plus 2.6-million more at its 165-store corporate cousin, Hannaford Bros. in New England.
Four class-action lawsuits were filed in Tampa and Portland, Maine, on behalf of victims. Two big questions were asked: When did the grocer really discover the hack attack? And why did the chain wait so long to reveal it?
"That was as fast as we could get all the information together, understand how this incredibly sophisticated attack was done to our system and get it patched," said Carole Eleazer, Hannaford vice president of marketing.
The breach did not reveal personal information like names, addresses or Social Security numbers that would make it easier to steal someone's identity. Nonetheless news of the breach gave exasperated Tampa Bay residents more clues to trace as they try to unravel how thieves swiped their identities months ago.
"I'm not using that card again," said Sandra Rouse, a 58-year-old Zephyrhills teacher whose card was canceled when someone in Brazil tried to charge $180 on it. "I presume it was Sweetbay because I read about the breach and I use the card there."
It's her third new card in two years blamed on a data breach.
Diane Christy stumbled onto the theft during a routine online check of her debit account. Somebody spent $440.82 at Dell Computer in Texas. The Port Richey resident called the bank and Dell's fraud unit before the order was delivered. The card number came from Sweetbay because she read about the breach and realized it was the only store where she used it.
"Shame on Sweetbay for not having better security," she said.
The nature of breaches forces retailers to trace them through bogus transactions brought to their attention. Then they work backward to figure out what happened. Breaches of unencrypted data could be anyone. Encrypted data theft makes rogue insiders suspects.
Laws in more than 30 states including Florida require disclosure. But there's lots of wiggle room for retailers. In Florida, for instance, a breach must be reported within 45 days. But that's only if the transmission is not encrypted.
While victims blame stores, experts blame the banks, too.
Both have tolerated a mixed bag of dated card number transmission networks to proliferate. The system encourages retailers to prod shoppers to use riskier credit cards while rewarding banks with higher fees.
"PIN encryption is far more secure than a credit card," said Avivah Litan, security fraud analyst with Gartner.
The banks enforce their card security standards through a sort of no-harm, no-foul system that protects shoppers from fraudulent charges.
If a retailer is lax, the chain is fined for not meeting standards set by an industry group called the Payment Industry Council.
In a recently settled TJMaxx/Marshals breach, which exposed 46-million card numbers, the $41-million fine reimbursed banks for their losses.
"The standards are designed only to remove the low hanging fruit among the large number of retailers who are the least protected," said Rob Lee, a principal with the data security firm Mandient Corp. in Alexandria, Va. "But nobody is unhackable anymore, so we're going to see more of these cases."
Yet while victims may want to know about breaches sooner, experts say its unclear what victims could do except shop elsewhere. Historically only a tiny fraction of compromised card numbers are used fraudulently.
Card issuers, which use math to pinpoint card fraud patterns in real time, cancel suspect numbers or put them on a watch list before damage can be done.
For instance, of the 4.2-million Hannaford/Sweetbay numbers exposed, so far fewer than 2,000 attempted fraudulent transactions have surfaced.
"I've been notified six times of breaches and only once did anything happen," said Mandient's Lee. "That was when somebody behind me in line overseas copied my card number and tried to use it."
The Hannaford/Sweetbay breach, however, is different from other highly publicized hack jobs. The 2005 TJMaxx breach, which started at two Marshalls in Miami and went for 18 months, was done by thieves intercepting unencrypted wireless card data on a laptop in parking lots.
Hannaford/Sweetbay says its only wireless data is encrypted and limited to inside stores. It is the first case of a network certified by a third party to meet payment council standard while the breach was under way.
But as lawyers argue about who is liable, expect little change in breach disclosure.
That's because consumers are not being hit up for the losses. Retailers are. Meanwhile, the banks keep collecting 3 percent or so of each card transaction.
"The process works quite well for the banks," said Robert Richardson, director of the Computer Security Institute in San Francisco. "Losses have rarely been as extreme as feared and generated little public outcry for more disclosure, so we're not in a climate of much legislative concern."
Times staff writer Ilyce Meckler contributed to this report. Mark Albright can be reached at [email protected] or (727) 893-8252.


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Google "Slippy" Chromebook Supported By Coreboot
In looking over the Slippy Git commit for adding the support to Coreboot, this Chromebook is powered by Intel Haswell. There's been talk of a forthcoming Google "Slippy" Chromebook going back to April/May of this year but not too much news recently. Slippy is likely the Haswell refresh to the Chromebook Pixel that has yet to be formally launched.
The few Haswell-based Chromebooks on the market right now are using the Intel Celeron 2955U processor, which doesn't match the information from the Coreboot code on Slippy of having eight threads. While I don't closely follow Chromebook announcements, it sounds like Slippy is the high-end Haswell Chromebook Pixel codename.
Besides the initial Slippy commit adding the mainboard support, additional Slippy commits landed after the fact ironing out more functionality for the Intel platform. Stay tuned for more updates.


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This initiative allows Havas Group India to tap into young and talented individuals with skills and perspectives on business issues and discover future business leaders
The elevations come as part of the group's overall growth strategy of identifying and acknowledging talent and leaders who have played a crucial role in the growth of the company
The idea behind the film was to build awareness around the topic of purity and to advise consumers to be more vigilant before they make a purchase
With this win, Havas Creative India becomes the creative agency partner for all of HARMAN’s consumer brands, JBL, Harman Kardon, and Infinity, that enjoy hugely popular among youth and Indians with discerning choices.
Despite an arduous first half of the year for the outdoor medium, the industry reported a pickup of 25-30% in recent months according to Industry estimates and is slated to only grow given the upcoming festive season.
Your e-mail information will not be shared with anyone else. And it will be used only to send out our latest news.
BW Communities is an array of business news websites targeted towards niche communities and readers across various industries


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Coming Soon: The Hoodie Shop at 181 Orchard
Imagine a brick and mortar boutique exclusively devoted to hoodies, everyone’s favorite casual attire. Such is the concept behind a forthcoming shop at 181 Orchard Street. Looks like Skunkfunk has some company!
This image has been archived or removed.
The Hoodie Shop will offer a smattering of stylish hood-inspired apparel, selling everything from scarves and blazers to the more traditional standbys. Much of the product is custom-made in collaboration with local designers, adding that slight touch of trendy. Which basically equates to wallet-busting price points – upwards of $125.
The northernmost retail space at 181 Orchard has been undergoing a build-out these last couple months, and remains rather sparse at the moment. No furniture or wall decorations to speak of yet, just a handful of magazine clippings taped near the entrance. Friday afternoon, the security gates were hoisted, and we had a chance to chat with proprietor. Apparently, the Hoodie Shop is still in the preliminary stages of development, but should launch early in the fall. Just in time for the quintessential hoodie season.
181 Orchard Street was last home to gothic menswear boutique BBlessing, which closed its doors last July after four years in business. The year of dormancy hath concluded.


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A row over the price of a bottle of fabric conditioner has seen a shopper banned from every branch of a national supermarket chain.
Customer Mulkh Chumber has received the Asda ban after getting involved in a dispute when he tried to buy 10 bottles of Comfort Creations at a price he saw in a newspaper advert.
The 53-year-old refused to leave a branch of the chain after trying to buy 10 bottles of the product at £1 instead of £3.
He said he had seen an advert stating that the price of the product had been slashed by £2, reports StokeonTrentLive.
The newsagent went to the branch in Wolstanton, in Staffordshire, to snap up 10 bottles of Comfort Creations after an advert revealed the item was slashed from £3 to £1.
But he was left stunned when he got to the checkout - and was told the advert was wrong.
He was told the product had only been reduced to £2 - and Asda called in police when Mr Chumber refused to leave the store.
Staffordshire Police have revealed they are not taking any action against the customer.
Mr Chumber, of Basford, Staffordshire, spotted the advert in a national newspaper.
He said: “I went to the customer service desk and told one of the workers about this issue and was told they were £2.
"I showed her the advert, which stated they were £1, and she said it was subject to availability, even though the shelves were full.
“Then I was told it was selected stores only. But they could not tell me where the offer was available and I was told I would have to put them back.
“I said I didn’t go to the store to waste my time putting the items in the trolley and then putting them back - and then I've wasted petrol going to the store and back.
"The Asda staff called security and they told me they would call the police if I did not leave. I did not leave, the police arrived and I spent half-an-hour with the police explaining the situation."
He added: “Asda security staff handed me a letter saying I am banned from every single Asda in the UK and I was shocked. It is not fair. If something is advertised at a certain price then you should give it to the customer at that price.
"I used to go to Asda three or four times a week and have never had any problems before. I can do without them and go to Morrisons instead.”
Police said they were called to Wolstanton Retail Park at 11.55am on June 15.
A police spokesman said: "We were called to reports of a man being abusive to staff. The man, in his 50s, was spoken to by officers at the supermarket."
Asda has confirmed Mulkh's ban remains in place. An Asda spokesman said: “We would have honoured the advertised deal but do not tolerate abusive behaviour towards colleagues.”


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(STL.News) The world thrives over competition. The zeal to improve and to be the best is what drives businesses. The gambling world is no different. The sector grows at a rate estimated at 10.7% annually. By the year 2025, revenue from gambling is estimated to reach double figures in billions.
The Pandemic provided a much-needed boost for online gaming. With people confined to their homes, a source of entertainment had to be developed. Existing online gaming sites recorded bumps in traffic as people discovered the benefits and convenience offered.
The speed at which information is rendered obsolete at this day and age is alarming. This forces you to be abreast with new information and technologies in industries. Unfortunately, keeping up with such may prove difficult.
Reputable online casinos like JustSpin don’t just offer slots and table games. They keep up with new trends to improve their services over time. That said, here are the latest top online gambling trends to keep an eye on.
Cryptocurrency Payment Methods
In the past, online casinos relied on third parties to process their payments. Third parties charge a fee on each transaction. The fees levied raised your gambling costs, directly affecting the enjoyability of the gaming process.
With the adoption of cryptocurrency, extremely low fees are charged when depositing money from the e-wallet to account. The low fees enable the increased transactions of large sums of money that would have otherwise been flagged by third-party processors after charging exorbitant fees.
The use of Cryptocurrency payments reduces processing times. Third-party processors’ transaction timelines were filled with delays. Delays in the movement of winnings from online casinos to accounts negate user experience.
Players in different geolocations suffer the most from this. Their winnings are often flagged, and their transaction accounts are closed for “investigation.” These investigations take weeks or months to clear, depriving the customer of their rightful earnings.
Cryptocurrency is definitely a big trend to look out for among online casinos.
Over the years, gaming technology has greatly improved. More software companies are entering the virtual space and making an impact. Hardware developers are also not being left out. Virtual reality is a field that has benefited from this boom in innovation and new technology.
VR technology is used in online casinos to stimulate the brick-and-mortar feel. From the comfort of home, virtual reality replicates the physical casino environment. This adds life to the platform, making games like online poker feels more realistic and enjoyable.
Online casinos prioritize comfort. More and more online casino sites offer streaming options for live matches to their customers. Online casinos recognize the challenges involved when placing bets on one site and then moving over to another to watch games.
Live games enable players to watch proceedings, access live markets, and react to turnings of events using one device. Live games also increase screen time spent on the online casino’s website, which boosts the possibility of further bets. This option is best for on-the-road functions where only one device is accessible.
The human aspect of physical casinos is captured by live games. Before the introduction of live dealers’, artificial intelligence was used in online casino table games. This did not resonate well with the players. Casinos replaced the technology with human dealers to satisfy demand.
Mobile Gaming Apps
Long gone are the days when pc screens were the only places you could bet on. The introduction of smartphones changed how people viewed and use their handheld devices. As smartphone users increased, online platforms sought ways to penetrate and capture this market. It is estimated that 80% of the world’s population has a smartphone.
Online gaming companies have focused their research and development teams to work on consumer-friendly gaming apps and mobile-optimized websites. A large percentage of punters place their wagers from either one of these platforms.
Mobile gaming provided by these sites is safe, reliable, and fun.
Many gamblers prefer playing their favorite games in the shadows. Anonymity enhances the gaming experience. More online companies are embracing increased anonymity on their sites. This, however, does not compromise the standard of safety set by the applications.
The use of Crypto and payment systems secures the anonymity of online gamers. This is due to the nature of the blockchain system.
Many online casinos have introduced new features in their platforms. Previously, online gaming was a solo adventure for the user; however, the new features enable you to socialize and experience human interaction in the online casino.
Facetime options, group chat boxes, and multiplayer dynamics are some of the unique ways online casinos have come up with to bridge the gap. Online casinos have not only become the place to play and make money but also place to make new acquaintances.
Cryptocurrency has birthed a host of new games. The new games offer gaming opportunities for players who want to try new things. Some of these games are derivatives of traditional casino games, while others are new inventions.
The game developers have ensured a seamless gameplay experience, eye-catching graphics as well as creative backstories. More and more online players are discovering new crypto game titles that enable them to earn while having fun.
Increased Legalization of Gambling
The initial skepticism that accorded to gambling is gradually fading. More countries are legalizing gambling. States are using gambling as a source of revenue collection.
State-sponsored lotteries are increasingly becoming more common. The state uses part of the winnings to improve local municipalities and their infrastructure. Despite the increased acceptance of gambling and its various forms, there is no universal framework to guide this industry.
Legislators are left to their own devices when deciding on taxation measures as well as levies charged on online gaming companies. This has negative effects as some local governments are overzealous with their methods stunting industry growth. However, legislators are increasingly becoming more accepting of online gaming.
As the Online Gaming industry continues to develop, new trends will emerge. Technological advancements will drive gaming. Customer gaming experience needs to be at the heart of these new innovations. Competition among different sites will get tougher, making those casinos that refuse to adapt to sink.


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Soong Ai Ling, one of our top TV models and a Chinese music VJ, is now an upcoming TV magazine host.
BCBG Max Azria recently unveiled its latest women's wear collection in Kuala Lumpur. It is breathtaking, absolutely gorgeous, and liberating in movement, writes BRIAN CHEONG.
For the first time, 20 top Chinese models from Dalian in north-east China will sashay down the catwalk in what is expected to be the biggest fashion event of 2003.
WHETHER it#8217;s a sleepy former mining town in Nevada or the Calico Silver mine in California#8217;s Mojave Desert, the gold rush is still on in this present day.
MATSUSHITA Industrial Corp Sdn Bhd (Maico) is aiming for a 43% share of the market for domestic air-conditioners this year, despite expectations of greater mobility of air-conditioners in the region with full implementation of the Asean free trade area (Afta) regime.
Tired of the old you? There#8217;s always plastic surgery to give you a new outlook on life. HOOI YOU CHING nips in to the plastic surgeon#8217;s practice and discovers the wonderful world of plastic.


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Nearly 7,500 direct marketers from 53 countries gathered in London May 9-11 for the International Direct Marketing Fair (IDMF) and Internet World show. For the first time, the two shows were presented concurrently at Earls Court Exhibition Center.
Failing to adequately differentiate your customer base will hinder your company’s database marketing efforts, says Jeff Hassemer, director of product strategy at the data management solutions division of marketing solutions provider Abacus.
When it comes to defining data for identity theft bills, the Direct Marketing Association says lawmakers on Capital Hill aren’t on the same page. Which is why John Greco, president/CEO of the DMA, says his group needs to help lawmakers understand what is and what isn’t data that would cause a security breech.
Most marketers understand that their merchandise is what sets them apart from the competition. But as finding new product becomes increasingly challenging,
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it: We’ve all heard that adage. But sometimes it’s tough to tell whether something is broken until it’s far too late for
You might not think that adding something as simple as a barcode label to a carton or a pallet would make a huge difference in your operations. But applying
Offering unique product is crucial to success in today’s multichannel selling environment. And the only way to ensure that nobody offers the same merchandise
Alex Tabibi, chairman/CEO of Pets United, has a lofty goal: He wants his company to be the Wal-Mart of the Web. Unfortunately for him, Walmart.com is
Barry Schwartz admitted that he’s not a direct marketer. But in his May 10 keynote address, Schwartz, a psychology professor at Swarthmore College and
It’s been less than a decade since the word came into use to describe selling through more than one medium. But the complex new world of multichannel
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Shares of NetApp Inc. soared 9% in after-hours trade Wednesday following the company's stronger-than-expected earnings report and upbeat outlook. The data storage company reported net income of $146 million, or 52 cents a share, compared with $153 million, or 52 cents a share, in the year-earlier period. Excluding one-time items, NetApp reported non-GAAP earnings of 82 cents a share, compared with 70 cents in the year-earlier period, topping average analyst estimates in a FactSet survey of 74 cents. Revenue for the period increased slightly to $1.40 billion from $1.39 billion, coming in virtually in-line with expectations. For the current quarter, NetApp forecast adjusted earnings per share of 79 cents and 84 cents, compared with 55 cents last year, which is above the current FactSet consensus estimate of 77 cents. As of close of trade on Wednesday, shares of NetApp had increased nearly 12% in the past three months and 78% in the past year. The stock has outperformed the S&P 500 , which is up nearly 8% in the past three months and 26% in the past year.
Copyright © 2017 MarketWatch, Inc.


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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and California Attorney General’s office each recently issued detailed guidance for providers of mobile platforms, apps, ad networks, and their trade associations....more
The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) released on December 10, 2012, its second staff report on disclosures for mobile apps targeted at children, building on its prior report issued 10 months earlier....more
- COPPA Data Collection Disclosure Requirements FTC Mobile Apps
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Companies in Middle East and Africa are accelerating efforts to build more resilient and sustainable supply chains to shield themselves from future shocks.
With the triple shock of Covid-19, supply and demand imbalances, and the precipitous decline in commodity prices, 2020 was a challenging year for companies in the Middle East and Africa (MEA). To get themselves back on an even footing, business leaders are seeking to address supply chain vulnerabilities – with climate risks and societal issues rising up the list of priorities, according to new research from Standard Chartered.
Standard Chartered’s Critical Indicators of Sustainable Supply Chains report, which polled 303 treasurers, CFOs and procurement professionals from the region, reveals that companies are accelerating efforts to build more resilient and sustainable supply chains in order to shield themselves from future shocks.
Risk management reigns supreme…
The events of recent months have taught consumers, investors, and policymakers that a lack of visibility into supplier risk can stop businesses cold, and respondents to the bank’s research in the Middle East and Africa were united in ranking the transparency and robustness of their supply chains as “very important”.
Perhaps unsurprisingly in such a heterogeneous region, priorities differ. For firms in Africa, which is already experiencing some of the worst impacts of climate change, environmental soundness of suppliers is top of mind. Indeed, 87% of survey participants in the continent emphasised that the risk of natural disasters would have a materially negative impact on the resilience and sustainability of their supply chains over the next 12-18 months.
Meanwhile, companies in the Middle East, which has experienced a liquidity crunch due to significantly lower oil prices, are most concerned with suppliers’ financial strength. Overall, companies’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) priorities have become more pronounced – with a growing focus on social considerations, such as workers’ rights, health and safety, fair treatment of suppliers, and community engagement.
But MEA corporates are worried that they’re not doing enough. While 57% of respondents in Africa and 51% in the Middle East stressed that building environmentally and socially sound and transparent direct supply chains is essential to their business, only 35% and 39% believe they have achieved this.
To try to close this gap, a growing number of companies are harnessing technology, with 41% of respondents in the Middle East making extensive use of data to evaluate potential suppliers, and 31% for tracing materials and goods through their supply chains. In Africa, these figures were 46% and 38% respectively. However, these figures are low compared to the global average, demonstrating that companies in the region still have some way to go if they are to achieve their goals of resilient, sustainable supply chains. Nonetheless, further progress is all but guaranteed by the growing acceptance of digitisation by companies and governments in the region.
… while boosting financing opportunities will be vital
Sustainable finance is fast becoming a means by which companies in MEA can bolster their suppliers’ financial resilience as well as drive ESG performance improvements throughout the ecosystem. A common approach in regions such as Europe and North America is to leverage supply chain finance (SCF), but the product is still relatively new in MEA, with just 33% of companies in Africa and 27% in the Middle East saying they make significant use of SCF programmes.
Although SCF is not available in all MEA markets, corporates in the region are looking to their banking partners for assistance in boosting supply chain resilience. To date, most existing sustainable financing solutions, though, are bilateral, between the bank and the company, as opposed to supporting the company’s wider supply chains. As a result, initiatives that reach further have seen growing demand, such as Standard Chartered’s sustainable trade financing solution, which includes ESG-related letters of credit to support import and financing needs in approved end-use categories, as well as invoice financing to connect payables and receivables to sustainability criteria.
The make-up of trade in the MEA region, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where a large proportion of small suppliers are unbanked, means that as well as tackling the financial and environmental soundness of their direct suppliers, companies are also looking for more inclusive financing solutions to support deep-tier indirect suppliers.
Here, the proliferation of mobile money in MEA provides an exciting opportunity, and schemes such as Standard Chartered’s supplier finance programme, which enables payments to be made to mobile wallets, are an important way to achieve this objective, since they open up financing to unbanked suppliers that would not normally have access to such initiatives.
Identifying and accessing target suppliers requires a high degree of visibility across supply chains, and the vast majority of respondents – 78% in Africa and 75% in the Middle East – report that they are using data and insights to a moderate or high degree to achieve this.
A stronger future
MEA corporates have had to learn a tougher lesson than most about the resilience of their supply chains over the past two years, but the survey results demonstrate that they’re putting what they’ve learned into practice to defend themselves from future disruptions.
As companies within MEA take stock of the inherent vulnerability of their supply chains, they’re building in the capacity to monitor risks, support the long tail and do better on ESG metrics, all of which will translate into more inclusive growth in the years to come.
Critical indicators of sustainable supply chains – Middle East & Africa regional report
Take 10 minutes to read the full Middle East and Africa report here
Interested to know how your company compares with peers? Try our Supply Chain Performance Indicator assessment at www.supplychainindicator.com


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A CHAIN restaurant in Skegness has been closed temporarily after bailiffs were seen going in overnight.
Customers saw Subway in Lumley Road closed on Thursday morning last week and a notice from the bailiffs had been left in the window.
Fears have been raised about the number of staff employed at the site but Subway have confirmed it’s a temporary closure.
A spokesperson said: “We can confirm the Subway store on 95 Lumley Road, Skegness has temporarily closed.
“This is a short-term measure and we hope the store will be back to its usual operations shortly.”
However, reasons why the branch might have closed have been circulating the town and a notice in the window issued by the bailiffs could support rumours that financial issues could be to blame.
The notice said: “any attempt by you or your agents to enter the demised premises will result in criminal/civil proceedings being taken against you.”
The branch is a franchise-owned site leased to a tenant via Subway Reality Limited and it is thought two Subway branches in Rotherham and another in Pescod Square, Boston, were met with the same fate as bailiffs visited the sites on the same night.
Speaking to the Standard a spokesperson said: “We can confirm the Subway store in Boston has closed. We hope to relocate this store in Boston town centre in the near future.”
But Subway would not confirm if staff were safe from redundancy nor rumours that the same tenant leased those two branches and the Skegness site.
Glenis Brown, chair of Skegness and District Chamber of Commerce, said: “It was a surprise to hear that the Subway branch was close.
“I know that is popular with young people in the town and it always seemed busy.
“Hopefully it will be up and running again soon because I know a lot of people enjoy Subway and their food.
“I noticed that a shop had closed on Roman Bank recently and a pet shop in Lumley Road and this is sad news for the town but hopefully there will be opportunities to open them up again and we’ve got to keep going.”


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Thought you’d seen the latest in eco-friendly swimsuits when Earth911 told you about the solar-paneled bikini that could charge your iPod?
Called the “Vivienne Westwood of eco” by Elle Magazine, Loudermilk says the new bathing suit, made from plant starch, will completely decompose in 180 days when buried in soil – not in the pool.
The Haute Natured show also featured swimwear designs made from wood pulp, hemp, bamboo, recycled plastic bottles and repurposed military parachutes.
“Our mission is to use the runway as a platform to raise awareness about environmental issues and sustainable design, where products are created and produced with consideration to the environmental and social impact it may have throughout its life span,” said Haute Natured creator Ryan Hattaway in a statement.
Haute Natured is planning future runway shows in New York and Los Angeles.


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Poultry farmers can now rear Kuroiler, a high yielding and economical chicken that is highly resistant to perennial poultry diseases like Newcastle, thanks to Ziwani Poultry Farm, who introduced the breed to the Kenyan market last year.
According to Ziwani Director Harun Kimani, the breed was derived from crossing coloured broiler men with Rhodes Island red females or white leghorn males crossed with female Rhodes Island red, hence unique and stronger genetic feature to maneuver contemporary chicken diseases. Its dual purpose nature of producing both meat and eggs and ability to survive in a free range system just like indigenous chicken make the breed more economical.
Kuroiler chicken lay around 150-200 eggs per year while indigenous ones which only manage 40-70 eggs in a year. The hen weighs 2.5kgs at between 2-4 months while the male one weighs up to 4.5 kilos.
Unlike other breeds which take up to 8 month to start laying eggs, Kuroiler only takes five months and those raying them as broilers start enjoying the meat after only three and a half months. Kuroiler layers have no menopause, making the breed self sustainable though the production rate tends to down as the chicken ages. Kimani explained that the breed is most sought after in the region and the demand sometimes outweighs their production since they supply to farmers across the region.
With Newcastle affecting one in every three chicken in rural Africa and eventually killing 10 per cent of them according to a study by Austrian Centre for International Agriculture Research, the emergency of resistant breeds like Kuroiler will go a long way in insulating poultry farmers across the globe from heavy losses. USA in 2002-2003 lost 3m birds estimated at $5b to Newcastle, according to the Centre for Food Security and Public Health 2008 research.
The company sells a week old chick for Sh100 and Sh160 for two weeks old. Three and four week old chick goes for Sh220 and 290 respectively while Five and six week ones are sold at Sh350 and 380 respectively. A tray of eggs for this breed retails at Sh900. The company offers free delivery services for customers who purchase more than 100 chicks.
Ziwani Poultry is located in Thika, Kenya. For more information about this breed, kindly do contact Harun Kimani on 0708 923 991 or email@example.com


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Spain is home to some of the biggest names in fashion retailing and the Barcelona Fashion Summit has evolved to become a key event on the calendar for executives from all areas of the fashion world in Spain. The forward-looking theme this year was Fashion 2030: A Brave New World,
AWS has recently confirmed the immediate availability of its new EU region, Paris. The Paris region joins Frankfurt, Ireland and London as the fourth European location of AWS and offers a new option for infrastructure located in Europe. Currently, AWS operates in 18 regions around the world, with a total
The ability to make the returns process as quick, efficient and easy as possible for consumers is often what separates the top-performing retailers from the less successful ones in the weeks after Christmas. By offering free in-store returns, stores can save on additional shipping costs as well as boost sales
Wherever you look, the numbers show that consumers still like going to stores. And shoppers are spreading out their purchases, not just across channels but also across the two-month holiday season, rather than just a single long weekend, giving stores even more incentive to provide a consistent, high-quality in-store experience.
Mobile technology has changed the way customers interact with the world, given them new ways to buy goods and services – and new ways to pay for them. By the end of this year, 3.4 billion smartphones will have NFC technology which means they can easily use any of the
Microsoft and SAP are two of the biggest names in enterprise computing so when these two giants announce that they are to work more closely together in cloud computing, the shock waves will be felt widely in the industry. Should Openbravo customers be concerned? The answer is a definite “no”.
Many retailers rely on the holiday season to bring in a disproportionate amount of annual sales, but these days holiday promotions stretch across the entire Grey November month, and even though Black Friday has passed, you need to keep up the sales momentum through January 2018. Last year, Super Saturday, the last before Christmas,


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British fund manager Octopus Group has wrapped up its previously announced takeover of wealth management technology provider Seccl Technology after securing FCA’s nod.
The deal, valued at £10m, was announced in August this year.
Through the acquisition, Octopus is said to gain the ability to support financial services providers in offering quicker and cheaper investment solutions to administer clients’ funds.
All this can be done by leveraging Seccl’s open API custody solution.
Octopus said that the API solution charges 0.1% of assets on the platform, with no set-up fees.
However, an additional per-user cost will be levied if the user interface is used.
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Octopus also plans to financially support the acquired entity. Moreover, it looks to hire engineering, product and design staff to strengthen the Seccl team.
Octopus Investments director of growth and innovation Sam Handfield-Jones has now become the co-head of Seccl.
Handfield-Jones said: “We want to transform the customer and client experience across retail financial services – and Seccl’s technology genuinely has the potential to do that.
“The response following our first announcement has been incredibly positive and served to demonstrate that the industry is crying out for some new competition.”
Seccl co-founder Hugo Thorman added: “The industry is ripe for another round of disruption. The technology that we’re developing at Seccl has the potential to drive down costs and improve the customer experience by making it easier than ever for systems to integrate.
“Being part of Octopus also means we have the financial backing and complementary expertise to make this happen much more quickly.”


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Water purification industry is now seen as a beautiful lands
as the domestic economy continues to grow, serious environmental pollution, water pollution followed suffer. Then the water purification industry along with the pace of economic growth, damage to the environment to move forward. The survey found that household water purification products are increasingly integrated into modern life, which is now in the consumer home improvement, water purifier has become an indispensable one thing, but for the future, the development of water purification industry will have what trends look like?
in retrospect, the development of water purification industry is also not easy. But the water industry the courage to insist on! Water purifier market has been accustomed to positioning itself as a high-end, it seems almost a little of the conditions is no way to reach customers, which makes a lot of water purifiers and water purifiers Enterprise stores the most potential for China the three or four markets balk at the idea. Now the water purifier market in an increasingly competitive background, most brands have long since abandoned the traditional concept. Not only appeared in the water purification industry to vigorously called for "three or four markets to enter," the lively scene, but there have been a series of "water purifiers to the countryside" and other promotional activities.
the traditional off-season water purifier market is hot
and a number of water purification industry is always placed in a position of domestic industry. Indeed is the case. Because of the weather, they are generally not suitable for the first half of the new home decoration, therefore, belong to the first half of each year during the off-season water purifier market. Now, many new home owners, not like before the new house has been renovated to a water purifier is selected. Plus many water purifiers stores to get through this long season, have had price war, even at the local blood held a number of large-scale promotional activities, so many water purifier market in this, but so cold when they should but there was bustling scene.
本文由Huawei water purifier发布于Product Center,转载请注明出处：Water purification industry is now seen as a beautiful lands


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Apple security update bypasses Snow Leopard and Windows users
Mountain Lion now on 3.2 percent of Macs after 48 hours since launch, report shows
Office for Mac 2011 and Office 2008 for Mac now ready for Mountain Lion
OS X Mountain Lion Error 100 has solutions in sight
Mountain Lion app compatibility list by RoaringApps
Apple releases Mountain Lion gold master to developers, official version on the way?


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The Claw giveth, the Claw taketh away. As a result of the so-called summer of spiked seltzer, America is in the clutches of an epidemic: a shortage of White Claw. According to a report from Business Insider, booze store owners as well as White Claw enthusiasts around the country all report that, yes, Chad is freaking out because he doesn’t know where to get any Black Cherry.
The beer manager of Fort Worth, Texas, store Goody Goody Liquor tells Insider that customers have an insatiable appetite, saying “it doesn’t matter how much White Claw we get in.” It’s gotten so bad there’s now rationing, according to Richboro Beer and Soda owner Ken Wieler, who shares that his Pennsylvania store’s distributor has instituted a limit of 39 cases per order. Wieler says the store normally sells 65 cases a week. Meanwhile, customers report purchasing cases with empty cans, which is either a mistake or a taunt from White Claw owner, Mark Anthony Brands.
Sales of the beverage this year have exploded like a violently shaken seltzer, and White Claw’s senior-vice-president of marketing, Sanjiv Gajiwala, tells Business Insider the company is “working around the clock” to end the shortages and trying to “keep all markets in stock the best we can.” One solution? Just make a vodka soda.


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The Festival of Marketing has finally arrived! I’ve already attended three fantastic talks, one of which came from the almighty Alan ‘not-so-marketer-friendly-but-still-full-of-sound-advice’ Sugar.
Pernod Ricard is hoping to expand its “fast growing” ecommerce channel through innovations and partnerships, as it looks to build on 20% sales growth and own the digital channel.
Despite the rapid increase in social media ad budgets, many senior marketers remain unconvinced by its impact on their firm’s overall performance and are still failing to integrate it into their wider marketing strategies.
We arm you with all the numbers you need to tackle the week ahead.
Hein Schumacher says he is convinced of Unilever’s “growth potential” and promises to deliver a “step-up in business performance”.
Good morning and welcome to Marketing Week’s round-up of the news that matters in the marketing world today.
As brands continue to hire in 2023 despite the economic headwinds, content emerges as an in-demand role for businesses across the marketing spectrum.


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Designer Betsey Johnson is bouncing back after recently filing for bankruptcy by teaming up with The Levy Group to create a new dresses collection for spring. The 70-year-old fashion veteran proves she is truly resilient.
Expect "solid and printed sexy, flowing dresses." WWD reports, which will be showcased in her September runway show. The frocks range from $99 to $249 and will be available at boutiques and department stores.
More From ELLE
Johnson said in a press release, "I'm back!!! Doing my dress thing. Pretty and punk, sweet and sexy, always rock n' roll."


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Fastly (NYSE:FSLY) was one of the year’s biggest gainers. Until recently, the shares were up more than 1,000% from their March lows. However, following a negative third-quarter preannouncement by the company, Fastly stock crashed from $123 to $90 in a single day, and it’s continued to drop.
Now it’s down to just $73 per share. From the recent highs, Fastly has lost 45% of its value.
Fastly’s huge plunge comes as a bit of a surprise. Even after it lowered its Q3 guidance, the company is still on a solid trajectory. And, at least according to the firm, the revenue slowdown is primarily due to weakness from its largest customer, ByteDance, which operates TikTok.
TikTok’s legal and political issues are well-known. So at first glance, Fastly stock is a buy on this short-term hiccup, right? Well, there’s more to the story.
Why Was Fastly’s Q3 Miss a Big Deal?
I was watching social media immediately following the disappointing earnings release. And, by far, the most common reaction by investors was astonishment at how a small reduction in the company’s outlook caused such a gigantic dive by the stock. After all, the company only cut its Q3 revenue guidance by a mere $4 million.
How does a $4 million shortfall cause traders to take billions off of Fastly’s market capitalization? The issue isn’t the specific guidance, but the message that the guidance reduction sent the market.
Investors had been under the assumption that any company benefiting from the work-from-home trend was going to post superb results through at least the end of 2020. As one bank that downgraded the stock said, it’s disappointing that any company ostensibly linked to e-commerce could experience decelerating revenue growth ahead of what everyone is expecting to be a record-breaking holiday-shopping season.
Growth Rates, Not Dollar Amounts, Are the Key
There’s a case for the decline of Fastly stock being a massive overreaction. Remember that the name was trading for less than $25 per share as the pandemic began last spring. No one expected Fastly to reach $100 in 2020 prior to that.
It was after the company’s jaw-dropping Q1 earnings report that the parabolic run started. So, in a way, it’s only natural that Fastly’s earnings are causing the pendulum to swing back so sharply now.
Let’s be honest for a second, though. You can’t justify Fastly’s $9 billion market capitalization — let alone its $15 billion market capitalization earlier this fall — based on its current results. The company’s revenue numbers simply aren’t anywhere close to justifying that market capitalization. Thus, the market is focusing on the company’s future results.
If a company’s revenue grows 36% every year, its top line doubles every two years. If it can continuously maintain 36% growth, the size of its business would increase tenfold by 2028. Merely reducing that annual growth rate to a still-healthy 24% per year, while still a healthy clip, would cause its revenue to only increase five times over the same time period.
To be clear, either outcome would be pretty incredible normally. But when a company that is only producing $250 million year in revenues now and is generating losses is valued at $15 billion, it has to generate hyper-growth to justify its stock price.
When it was changing hands for $130 per share, Fastly was priced for otherworldly results. Even the slightest bump in the road caused investors to fundamentally reassess its outlook.
Can Fastly Pull An Alteryx?
The obvious analogy for Fastly now is Alteryx (NYSE:AYX). Alteryx is a leading provider of software solutions for big-data analysis.
In August, Alteryx’s shares plunged; the stock plummeted from $170 to $110 following a dismal earnings report. The company had announced a sharp slowdown in its growth rate (its guidance cut was much worse than Fastly’s) and many well-known tech investors dumped their Alteryx positions.
AYX stock then drifted aimlessly for two months. However, earlier this month, suddenly Alteryx roared back to life. Its shares surged 25% higher following news that the company’s growth had accelerated again. Following Fastly’s plunge, traders suggested that it will follow in Alteryx’s footsteps.
However, there’s a key difference between the two companies. Alteryx is primarily an on-premise solution. This means that, unlike so many companies nowadays, Alteryx’s products aren’t primarily cloud-based.
As a result, the work-from-home trend hurt Alteryx, as companies had much less reason to install Alteryx’s solutions during the height of the pandemic. Not surprisingly, as more businesses are reopening and people return to offices, Alteryx has regained some traction.
Fastly, by contrast, is not positioned for a similar bounce-back as the economy reopens. In fact, the reopening may be a further drag on Fastly’s momentum.
The company’s hyper-charged growth came precisely because people were stuck at home, causing their demand for internet services to increase.
Fastly’s revenue from TikTok may increase going forward. But the broader macroeconomic environment is not likely to get any better for Fastly.
The Verdict on Fastly Stock
There’s often good money to be made buying these sorts of huge dips in the stocks of fast-growing companies. Fastly is still growing quickly, despite its slowdown, and the stock had a passionate fan base prior to its negative preannouncement. It wouldn’t take much — as we saw with Alteryx recently — to make investors bullish about Fastly again.
That said, before you take a big position in Fastly, please do consider that the comparison to Alteryx isn’t perfect. But Alteryx’s business was hurt by Covid-19, and its outlook is improving as life starts to return to normal.
Fastly, by contrast, may see an additional deceleration of growth as the economy further reopens. Fastly makes more money as its products are used more and any slowdown in internet usage is likely to have a negative impact on the company. Thus, if you buy the stock on weakness, monitor it closely to make sure its Q3 miss doesn’t turn into a trend.
On the date of publication, Ian Bezek did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.
Ian Bezek has written more than 1,000 articles for InvestorPlace.com and Seeking Alpha. He also worked as a Junior Analyst for Kerrisdale Capital, a $300 million New York City-based hedge fund. You can reach him on Twitter at @irbezek.


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Only 1 in 3 UK entrepreneurs are female - a gender gap equivalent to 1.1 million missing businesses.
Swansea University are delighted to have partnered with Anne Boden, founder of Starling Bank, and Swansea University Computer Science and Chemistry graduate, as part of her role as the chair of the UK Government Taskforce on women-led high growth enterprises.
The taskforce aims to raise the aspirations of the next generation of female entrepreneurs, highlighting diversity and inclusion within high-growth entrepreneurship, showing that it is open to all, regardless of gender.
To further the taskforce’s aims, Anne and Starling Bank have partnered with Swansea University to produce a suite of case studies. Each tells the story of a trailblazing woman, offering an insight into their unique journey and providing a learning experience for students and the wider community.
We have caught up with several hugely successful female entrepreneurs including Hayley Parsons, founder of Go Compare; Kate Hofman, founder of GrowUp Farms; Romi Savova of PensionBee; and of course, Anne Boden herself, to discuss their entrepreneurial journeys, find out why they think they have been successful, and how they would change the status quo to increase the number of female-led high-growth SMEs in the UK.
Check out the case studies below and find out more about how you can get involved.


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6309 Monarch Park Place, Suite 203
Niwot, CO 80503, USA
Phone (303) 443-5060
Toll free (888) 742-5060
Headquarters: Melville, NY
2013 Revenues: $2.5 billion
Change in Sales from 2012: 4.3%
Locations: 14 fulfillment centers; 105 branches
2013 Acquisitions: Barnes Distribution North America
Key Executives: Erik Gershwind, president and CEO; Jeff Kaczka, CFO
As with many industrial distributors, weather got MSC off to a slow start in 2014. But the distributor is seeing improving conditions. In 2013, MSC acquired the distribution business of Barnes Group for $550 million, accounting for 76 percent of sales growth during the second quarter 2014. The distributor is now focused on integrating the business. President and CEO Erik Gershwind says the transaction will push MSC toward its goal of reaching $4 billion by 2016.
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Jul 21, 2021Great Lakes EXPO returns to in-person
Signature education program, farm marketing sessions welcome attendees back
With a return to an in-person event in December, the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable & Farm Market EXPO and Michigan Greenhouse Growers Expo are welcoming growers back with their signature educational sessions.
A focal point of every EXPO, the “Farm Marketing” keynote sessions are always a highlight for attendees. This year, part of the sessions will be presented by Lonnie Decker, the farms manager for Blake Farms, a network of orchards, markets, tasting rooms and more, in Armada, Michigan.
“I developed a love for nurturing plants and watching something grow from seed to spectacular food that others can enjoy when I was young,” Decker said. “Over the years, I have gained skills in farming, management and horticulture, with a passion for bringing new and innovative ideas to our establishment … I enjoy finding new ways to draw customers in and give them a memorable experience (at Blake farms).”
It’s this same love of finding new ways to enhance the customer experience that Decker hopes to share with attendees in the “Farm Marketing” sessions — which will include picking what to grow based on demographics, viewing your market as an attraction (instead of a chore), and marketing your offerings in a proper way.
“Seeing our produce as an attraction has led to exponential growth for our u-pick program,” Decker said. “We choose items based on many facets, not just what’s cheap and easy to grow … we select fruits and vegetables based on what’s trending to the masses, not just a single demographic.”
Decker says the session is geared toward anyone and everyone who is looking to expand their offerings and, in turn, driving more traffic to their property.
With the rapid changes and trends in the industry, it’s imperative that farm marketers and agritourism destinations stay relevant by capitalizing on what consumers want to experience. “The masses now see picking their own produce as an experience, not a burden,” Decker said. “There’s a great opportunity for farmers to capitalize on this.”
When it comes to the Great Lakes EXPO, Decker adds that she’s excited to return, and that she feels the experience overall can be incredibly beneficial for growers and attendees of all kinds.
“One size doesn’t fit all, but all farmers have a great opportunity to expand their business in these unique times (at the EXPO),” Decker said. “There are hundreds of ways to improve your guest experience, educate your customers and increase revenue!”
The Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable & Farm Market EXPO and Michigan Greenhouse Growers Expo has announced a return to in-person events in December.
After shifting to a fully virtual format in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the EXPO is planning a fully in-person event, with every aspect of the event that attendees and exhibitors have come to know and love — from the trade show floor to the signature educational sessions.
While details are still being finalized for the educational sessions and schedule of events, the dates for the 2021 EXPO are set for Dec. 7-9, 2021. For information on the 2021 EXPO, registration and educational session details and more, visit www.glexpo.com.


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The Government has pinned its hopes on five local firms that produce non-plastic products and seven companies that recycle plastics to phase out the use of single use plastic materials without significant disruptions.
This was disclosed by the Minister for Environment, Dr Vincent Biruta, on Monday while addressing members of the parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Environment.
The session was assessing and discussing the draft law relating to the prohibition of manufacturing, use, and sale of single use plastic items.
Some single-use plastic materials collected during the launch of the campaign against use of such materials. Sam Ngendahimana.
“We have five firms that are producing non-plastic bags and are able to produce materials which can replace single-use plastics. Today, we already have people who are producing straws in paper,” the minister said.
He added that most of the single use plastic materials such as plastic bags, straws, coffee stirrers, plates and cups have alternatives.
“Our focus is on waste that single-use plastic cause and their consequences on the environment. So, having factories that are able to recycle plastics and be reused will help to collect that waste and save the environment,” he added.
The minister argued that this was an opportunity for investors.
“Some will be stopped immediately because they can be easily replaced. However, there are other products that cannot be replaced immediately. We urge people to start thinking about projects that can help with alternatives, for instance, replacing plastic bottles with bottles in glasses,” he said.
The MPs have largely backed the draft law, saying that single-use plastics are not only a threat to the environment but also to human life.
“We do not have to tolerate single-use plastics. They are dangerous, first of all, to our environment and also to people’s lives. Some Rwandans misuse them and use them several times which causes hygienic problems and may damage life,” said MP Eugene Barikana.


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Savers hit by Christmas cuts
BANKS and building societies are slashing the interest they pay to millions of savers in a Christmas raid on accounts. The move, under cover of the holidays, brought angry accusations of stealth tactics and profiteering.
The decision to cut interest rates by up to 25% will hit the elderly in particular and affect up to 10 million people. But many will not even be told it is happening. It comes despite the fact that the Bank of England's base rate has been unchanged at 4% for well over a year.
The banks, which include First Direct, Halifax and Bank of Scotland, will raise tens of millions through the cuts. But there have been no similar reductions in the rates they charge on mortgages. Banks and building societies typically advertise changes in the press or at branches rather than write to customers. And even those savers who receive letters may be too busy to pay attention during the holidays.
Eddie Weatherill, of the Independent Banking Advisory Service, said last night: 'These are stealth tactics. They have picked an opportune moment in the hope they'd not get caught. We know what they are about now. If they can steal from savers over Christmas, then that's what they will do. There's no great reason to do it now - it's just profiteering.'
Savers, many of whom rely on their accounts to supplement small incomes, already face some of the lowest interest rates in a generation. Many accounts pay interest which fails to keep pace with inflation, draining the spending power of cash put away for pensions, school fees, holidays and emergencies.
Millions of the new victims will have moved their cash into low-risk savings accounts after the stock market collapse. There are now three savings accounts for every home loan, yet much of the controversy about poor deals focuses on mortgages.
Not all savings rates have been slashed but some of the most popular accounts have been targeted this month or will be hit in the New Year.
First Direct, the telephone banking arm of HSBC, which made £5.5 billion profit last year, will slash up to one percentage point from today. For some savers, that will be a 25% cut. Halifax is cutting interest rates by up to 0.15% on four accounts from January 2.
Bank of Scotland, which recently merged with Halifax, will cut rates on seven of its accounts by up to 0.35% from tomorrow. Earlier this month, Alliance & Leicester cut rates on 52 savings bands across more than 20 accounts. Most were a modest reduction of 0.05%, but the bank reduced the rate on its popular cash Isa from 4.15% to 4%.
Marks & Spencer cut 0.25 percentage points off its Individual Savings Account ten days ago and Abbey National cut interest on its e- saver Internet account by up to 0.16 percent on December 9. A saver with less than £12,000 in an Isa with Woolwich, owned by Barclays, will see the interest rate plunge from 4.05% to 3.6 from January 3.
Mick McAteer, of the Consumers' Association, said: 'It is very cynical for the banks to announce these changes over the Christmas period.
'They know full well that consumers do not have their eye on the ball. It is a major concern. It's profiteering. Fierce competition with mortgages has forced them to make their money elsewhere. They are making savers pay and this affects more people.'
Consumer groups advise customers to switch quickly to better-paying accounts.
The banks claim the cuts are a response to market conditions. But Stuart Cliffe, of the Association of Banking Customers, said: 'This is the Scrooge principle. I wish I could say I was surprised but it's something we've come to expect. Banks will do anything to make money.'
The banks are also suspected of rushing to beat the introduction of a new code of conduct which will require them to tell savers when rates are cut and encourage them to switch accounts. There is currently no obligation on them to write to customers about changes.
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With the PSP Go release date just around the corner, it seems Sony is pretty determined to prevent the hacking community from tinkering their brand new handheld by releasing various firmwares. Now PSPGen is reporting that Sony has already released a brand spanking new beta version of PSP firmware 6.0 for official developers to test their games and adapt with the brand new firmware.
Last time we check, Sony included a mandatory install of OFW 5.55 for some titles that prevents custom firmware users in playing the game. Then, during last week's GamesCom, another firmware 5.70 was spotted inside the PSP Go during a testing event. And now this? According to PSPGen, they're still on the process of learning the changes of the OFW 6.0 so stay tuned.


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House Sends Letter for USMCA Enforcement
House lawmakers sent a bipartisan letter advising the United States government to implement the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement’s (USMCA) dairy-related provisions. The letter comes at a time when American farmers, producers, and exporters are only able to benefit from USMCA if the deal is entirely enforced. According to the International Trade Commission, if USMCA is implemented as negotiated, U.S. dairy exports are projected to increase by more than $314 million a year. The letter is supported by 104 members of congress.
“As U.S. focus now shifts from the effort to enter USMCA into force to the present challenge of ensuring faithful implementation of its provisions by our trading partners, we urge you to act swiftly to use USMCA’s consultation and enforcement measures to ensure that Canada and Mexico deliver on all their obligations related to dairy products in a way that is fully consistent with the spirit and letter of the agreement,” the letter states.
The Congress members request that Canada must administer its Dairy Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) fairly and in a manner consistent with obligations under USMCA and ensure the elimination of Canada’s Class 6 and 7 milk pricing classes are entirely understood. Lawmakers also request that Mexico enforces the two USMCA side letters about commonly used cheese terms into practice.
“Given the importance of these provisions to U.S. dairy exports, we ask that you use USMCA’s enforcement measures to hold our trading partners accountable to their trade commitments. We stand ready to work alongside your office to ensure that the full benefits that we bargained for in USMCA for U.S. dairy producers and dairy food makers are fully realized,” the letter concludes.
Many in the U.S. dairy industry support the letter. Jim Mulhern, President, and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation stated in a press release, “The support for today’s bipartisan letter demonstrates the incredible impact the U.S. dairy industry has across the country, supporting our rural economies and fulfilling an essential role in feeding America. USMCA is a modernized trade deal that represents new opportunities for our farmers and processors after years of rural recession and the new challenges presented by the current crisis. We must utilize USMCA’s enforcement mechanisms to bring home its hard-fought wins for America’s dairy farmers.”
Read the House’s letter here.


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A new study from the Incorporated Society of British of Advertisers (ISBA) and Ebiquity assessed the intentions of 59 brand advertisers.
Advanced TV/CTV is set to be the number one growth channel, with 67% of advertisers expecting to increase spending in this area. So, what can advertisers expect?
Ebiquity announces the consolidation of its business operations in Europe and the appointment of Nick Pugh to the new role of Managing Director, Ebiquity Europe
Insights on the macro-economic outlook from Ian Whittaker and Ebiquity Group CEO, Nick Waters.
The complex media landscape makes it difficult for advertisers to take action. Here are a few steps that advertisers can start doing now to tackle responsible media investments.
The management team and members of staff of Ebiquity Plc are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. We offer our condolences to the Royal Family.
Challenging a norm that’s lasted decades, local TV stations and brands in the U.S. are looking to reverse the traditional transaction structures with a move towards pay for performance models.
The post-pandemic bounce back in ad spend – particularly investment in digital, most notably social – has enabled the global advertising market to catch up on the chaotic lost year of 2020
Netflix has officially followed the Disney+ announcement and confirmed that they will be launching an ad-funded tier, which will be ‘coming soon’


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More than 50 professional shoplifters were arrested as part of an undercover operation targeting such crews before holiday shoppers hit the malls, Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez announced Sunday.
The stings, which began in mid-October, were conducted in stand-alone stores in the suburbs, stores along Michigan Avenue and in shops at Orland Park’s Orland Square Mall and Schaumburg’s Woodfield Mall.
The brazen crews of “boosters,” or professional shoplifters, targeted by the investigation are sophisticated and organized, working in groups to steal electronics, razors, over-the-counter medicine, baby formula and brand-named clothing, authorities said. They carry tools to open boxes and line their bags with Duct tape to prevent security sensors from activating.
“This isn’t just some teenager going out to shoplift one item,” Alvarez said. “… We’re talking about big groups that are stealing large quantities of goods, fencing them, sending them elsewhere and making a lot of money off of it.”
Speaking to reporters, Alvarez narrated as she played surveillance footage of shoplifters placing items into their pockets and dumping items into containers inside their shopping carts.
“Right off the shelf and into the bag,” she said.
In one instance, a couple stealing a suit jacket shoved the item of clothing down the woman’s pants.
Among the 59 charged was Phillip Mazurek, 65, of Skokie, who was caught Nov. 18 picking up a $5,000 crystal vase, placing it in a shopping bag and walking out of a Michigan Avenue boutique, Alvarez said. Mazurek, who has at least three former shoplifting convictions, is currently being held in the Cook County Jail without bond, according to the Cook County Sheriff’s website.
Authorities said they recovered tens of thousands of dollars in stolen merchandise from the operation
“While this crime may not seem as significant as other violent crimes, it is important that we address it because it has a direct impact on consumers,” Alvarez said of shoplifting. “It drives up consumer prices when retailers are forced to raise their prices because of significant losses due to theft.”
And the stolen products end up with “fencing” operations, where the products are resold “for significant untaxed profits,” Alvarez said. Last year, the state of Illinois lost $77 million in tax revenue from goods stolen then resold, she said.
Organized shoplifting costs retailers nationwide an estimated $15 billion to $30 billion annually, according to the National Retail Federation.
There are also consumer safety issues. For instance, products with expiration dates, such as over-the-counter medicine or baby formula, may end up in a dollar store or other purveyor of fenced merchandise and the expiration dates may not be heeded, Alvarez said.
Authorities added the items or the profits may end up oversees, creating an international money-laundering operation.
Gary Hartwig, special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago, said his agency is currently investigating several such cases.


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LONDON — HSBC will restructure its UK retail banking business, resulting in around 100 job cuts, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday.
The move follows a similar reorganization of its commercial banking business reported by Reuters last month which will result in around 300 job cuts.
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“In line with the Group strategy announced in February, we continue to restructure and review the roles required to transform the bank,” a spokesman for HSBC said about both sets of cuts.
Refinitiv IFR first reported the HSBC retail bank cuts on Thursday.
Europe’s biggest bank in June resumed cutting around 35,000 jobs, a plan it had temporarily halted after the coronavirus outbreak in March.
Chief Executive Noel Quinn has said the job losses are necessary to reduce costs and in turn improve profits, as HSBC grapples with the economic hit from the pandemic on its loan books, as well as resulting low interest rates worldwide.
HSBC’s cuts to its UK retail banking business follows a similar move by rival Lloyds Banking Group, which on Wednesday said it would axe over 1000 roles. (Reporting By Lawrence White, editing by Iain Withers)


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El Salvador has long been affected by insecurity and gang violence. After the Covid-19 pandemic, the country has dealt with an economic contraction, a large fiscal deficit, and a high debt burden. There are also increasing concerns about president Nayib Bukele’s dismantling of democratic institutions and fraught negotiations with the IMF for a $1.3 billion loan agreement.
The U.S. Monetary unit of the United States of America, and a number of other countries e.g. Australia, Canada and New Zealand. More has been El Salvador’s national The money used in a particular country at a particular time, like dollar, yen, euro, etc., consisting of banknotes and coins, that does not require endorsement as a medium of exchange. More since January 1, 2001. On June 6, 2021, President Bukele announced the country would adopt bitcoin as Money that is legally valid for the payment of debts and must be accepted for that purpose when offered. Each jurisdiction determines what is legal tender, but essentially it is anything which when offered (“tendered”) in payment of a debt extinguishes the debt. There is no obligation on the creditor to accept the tendered payment, but the act of tendering the payment in legal tender discharges the debt. More in a pre-recorded address in English for the Bitcoin 2021 conference in Miami.
Bukele’s decision caught Salvadorans by surprise. Until then, El Salvador’s main crypto experiment had been Bitcoin Beach, a pilot in the Pacific surf town of El Zonte. Some businesses accepted payments in crypto, and 2 ATMs allowed users to convert bitcoin to U.S. dollars.
Crypto evangelist Brock Pierce has been in contact with officers in the Bukele administration since June. Jack Mallers, founder of the bitcoin A transfer of funds which discharges an obligation on the part of a payer vis-à-vis a payee. More platform Strike, helped write the Bitcoin Law. The Salvadorean Assembly rubber-stamped the 3-page legislation on June 9, 2021.
The Bitcoin Law mandates that “all economic agents must accept bitcoin as a means of payment” (art. 7) except for “those who have no access to the necessary technology” (art. 12). The law also establishes that “taxes cam be paid in bitcoin” (art. 4). However, the U.S. dollar remains the country’s “accounting reference unit” (art. 6). “Continuing to use USD as a parallel currency is sensible, especially as many Salvadoreans use physical Money in physical form such as banknotes and coins. More, but it could delay business adoption of BTC [bitcoin],” tweeted banking and finance commentator Frances Coppola.
The law passed amid strident opposition:
There was barely any discussion about the law and its implementation:
The Bukele administration argues that Bitcoin might help lower the cost of receiving Money sent home from emigrants working abroad. More. In 2020, remittances reached 24.1% of El Salvador’s GDP. Kiara Hueso, a 27-year-old beauty products saleswoman, said it had been “easier and faster” to withdraw $75 sent by her father in the United States – after two days of trying.
Douglas Rodriguez, president of the See Central bank. More of El Salvador, said, “We don’t see any risks [with bitcoin]. Perhaps, upside risks. [Bitcoin will] become a payment system, a system for A process by which individuals and businesses can access appropriate, affordable, and timely financial products and services. These include banking, loan, equity, and insurance products. While it is recognised that not all individuals need or want financial services, the goal of financial inclusion is to remove all barriers, both supply side and demand side. Supply side barriers stem from financial institutions themselves. They often indicate poor financial infrastructure, and include lack of ne... More […] For us, Bitcoin is simply a See Payment instrument. More.”
In 2017, only 30.4% of Salvadoreans had a bank account. That year, only 18.9% of the population had a debit card, and 5.7% had a credit card. In 2019, nearly 22.8% of households lived below the poverty line. In 2020, 59% of adult Salvadoreans had internet access. However, more than 90% of rural households have no internet access, according to a 2020 report from the Interamerican Development Bank and Microsoft.
German Martínez, a 61-year-old Uber driver, said that Bitcoin is “like credit cards. We got used to using plastic, and now we need to start using crypto. The world has to evolve.” However, having a digital wallet is not an option for all.
Critics are shocked by the Bitcoin community’s cavalier disregard concerning president Bukele’s authoritarianism and the potential misuse of the Chivo wallet for state surveillance and other nefarious purposes.