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There has been much contention regarding halal products in the United Kingdom over the last five years, with large numbers of British consumers boycotting supermarkets selling meat derived from animals that have not been stunned before slaughter.
Although current UK law requires animals to be rendered immobile or unconscious before slaughter to prevent them from suffering, exemptions are allowed that permit non-stun slaughter for religious purposes that serve Muslim and Jewish communities.
The Arabic word halal is defined as “permissible,” and the rules of slaughter are according to Islamic law. This requires the live animals to be healthy before the process of slaughtering, which is performed by a Muslim butcher who ritualistically recites a religious verse. The animal’s throat must be cut by the blade of a sharp knife severing the carotid artery, jugular vein and windpipe in a quick, single slash. Thereafter it is essential for the blood to be immediately drained out of the carcass.
Demand for halal food in Britain, where the Muslim population was reckoned to be 3.3 million by the Office of National Statistics’ Annual Population Survey April 2017 to March 2018, is rising. The figure is expected to triple in the next 30 years, according to projections from the Pew Research Center. Globally, and it is estimated that 1.2 billion or more Muslims strictly follow halal dietary guidelines. This is a demographic that retailers cannot ignore.
Indeed, Statista cites Islam as the second largest religion in the world, which means there is huge demand for halal products in many regions. In fact, the second largest sector of the global halal industry is halal food, with a 36% market share.
However, the method of preparation of halal meat products doesn’t always sit well with many UK residents who value animal welfare in high regard. Having said that, it should be pointed out that the nation’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) estimates suggest that almost 90% of animals slaughtered by halal procedure in Britain are stunned in a manner deemed religiously acceptable by many Muslims.
According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), 65% of halal meat in the UK comes from animals that have been stunned prior to slaughter. However for many Muslims this still would not be permissible to eat as it is classed as carrion, or deemed as decaying flesh, which is forbidden by Islamic law. Therein lies the problem, which is very much a case of animal welfare verses religious beliefs.
Legislation Change Sought
The RSPCA has joined forces with the British Veterinary Association (BVA) to call on the government to end non-stun slaughter without exception. In an open letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Michael Gove, the RSPCA and BVA called on the UK government to change legislation in England to bring an end to non-stun slaughter, providing further transparency on the issue of non-stun slaughter.
Until such legislation is in place, the RSCPA and BVA are calling for:
- Meat to be labeled with the method of slaughter
- Non-stun slaughter to only be permitted at levels that meet local religious community demand for this type of meat
- A ban on export of meat from non-stunned animals or live animals destined for non-stun slaughter
- An immediate post-cut stun for cattle, sheep, goats and deer
“We’re opposed to non-stun slaughter and we’re calling for an end to the practice,” said Chris Sherwood, chief executive of the RSPCA. “Our concern does not relate to the expression of religious belief, but the welfare of animals.”
Despite the call for a ban on non-stunned halal meat, there remains huge demand from Muslim communities, which creates difficulty for UK supermarkets keen to please customers of all faiths and from all walks of life.
Halal meat remains a controversial subject in Britain, and as such all the major supermarket chains contacted for this report declined to comment on the subject. However, the majority of them sell branded halal products from un-stunned animals.
Asda states: “At Asda we stipulate that all of our meat must be stunned pre-slaughter.”
However, the retail giant does sell 11 halal items under the Humza, Gino’s and Shazans brands which include Gino’s southern fried chicken popcorn and pizza products, Humza Premium Food Products’ Meat Charcoal Seekh Kebabs, and Shazans’ Meat Samosas.
Morrisons also states that 100% of its fresh branded meat is stunned prior to slaughter, although there is no mention of its frozen meat products. The supermarket does, however, offer a range of eight frozen halal products under the Salaam Foods, Humza and Allgroo brands. Products range from vegetable gyoza mandu and meat samosas to southern fried chicken pops and cooked chicken breast strips.
In its corporate responsibility statement, Morrisons declares: “We respect the fact that some religious communities want to eat food produced in accordance with their beliefs and sell branded halal and kosher products where there is strong customer demand. It’s clear from the labeling that these products are halal or kosher.”
Sainsbury’s also follows other supermarkets’ stance by abstaining from selling own label halal products, but offering a range of 35 halal items under the Azeem, Salaam, McCain, Smooze, Fry’s, Tahira, Humza, Gino’s, Taj, Easy Chef, Street Delights and Liberty brands. Products range from kebabs and tilapia fillets to pizza and fruit ice pops.
In a statement on animal welfare, Sainsbury’s comments: “We know that animal health and welfare matters to our customers. And as you might expect, with sourcing with integrity being one of Sainsbury’s core values, it’s very important to us too.
“Pre-slaughter stunning all the livestock and farmed salmon, trout and pangasius, which go towards Sainsbury’s brand products, are stunned before slaughter according to both regulatory requirements and current best practice industry guidance. We do not accept meat for our own brand products from abattoirs that slaughter without stunning.
“To meet customer demand, we do sell a range of branded halal and kosher meat in some stores. These are very clearly labeled as kosher and halal.”
As an international retailer operating in European and Asian markets, Tesco stocks products that appeal to its customers’ different cultures and religious beliefs. In the UK, meat components in Tesco’s own label items are sourced from animals that are stunned before slaughter. However, in a small number of stores it sells branded meat or hosts concessions that offer un-stunned halal meat. This meat is clearly labeled so customers can make informed choices.
Tesco states: “Halal food is food which is permissible or lawful according to traditional Islamic law. The description halal relates to both the type of food eaten and its method of preparation. For meat, the process requires a Muslim to recite a dedication, known as tasmiya or shahada, and can be either stunned or unstunned before slaughter.
“All our Tesco branded meat suppliers to the UK market stun the animal before slaughter, even though some of this is also processed to halal standards, the point of difference from conventionally-slaughtered animals is that the animal receives a blessing before slaughter. This allows the processors to export parts of the carcass not used by European customers to other countries, such as those in the Middle East, where demand for halal meat is higher, a practice which helps to minimize waste. As we do not specify to these suppliers that halal practices should be followed, such as a blessing, we choose not to market the meat as halal. For example, the vast majority of New Zealand lamb sold in the UK is processed to the halal standards described.”
Halal-certified brands sold at Tesco include Humza, Easy Chef, Aisha’s, Tahira and Tubzee. Products range from lamb sausages and chicken nuggets to donner kebabs and ice cream.
While the majority of supermarkets sell a small variety of frozen halal products, there still remains a large disparity between demand and supply. The retail sector is missing out on a lucrative market, it seems, from fear of public opinion. – Reported by Sarah Welsh


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Pay-TV companies did not really get how people discovered content for a long time, they might not quite get it now. But they are trying and that shows in Digitalsmith’s Q4 2013 Video Discovery Trends report where almost half of the respondents felt it is easy to find a movie in their pay-TV VOD catalog. A marked improvement to say the least. Are you buying VOD movies are are you still on the SVOD path with your favorite online movie subscription service?
If Millennials are watching TV content, but not on TVs, then where are they watching TV content? Plus, how does one market to Millennials if TV is not where they are watching video? TiVo’s latest survey results shed some light on all of this and more. We also give some logical tips on where you might want to market to Millennials.
Five years on, computer-based video consumption is going big time. We all knew it would. Nielsen provides some nice insight into not only who is watching it but also on what device and a bit of what kind of content they’re watching. So jump on and enjoy the ride.
ABC is making their live broadcasts available through their “Watch ABC” app, which is being regarded as a move to combat embattled live-streaming service Aereo. ABC becomes the first major network to make an app available to broadcast all their shows live.
The long-rumored YouTube paid subscription channels may be coming as early as this week, according to various reports. We’ve been hearing about the possible paid channels for several months now, so this is as good a time as any.
Lots of talk about subscription channels lately in YouTube Land. Today, Fortune is reporting that YouTube plans to launch a Spotify-style service on their huge video destination site soon, like perhaps by the end of the year. It’s no surprise they’re thinking about it, since YouTube is, of course, a large music discovery site.
YouTube’s updated Android app is letting on that paid subscriptions are coming very soon. With code in the app explicitly stating options concerning paid channels, the only question that still remains concerning paid subscriptions is “How soon?”
Google-owned YouTube appears to be considering a subscription-based service for premium content, according to the New York Post. What that seems to mean is that YouTube will be adding some premium content and putting it behind a pay-wall, and won't be charging for stuff that …
Hulu put out some year end numbers which included the fact they've got 1.5 million paying subscribers now. Not quite the massive, rapid expansion Netflix had, but they also have DVD rentals as well so it's apples and oranges.
It's now a forgone conclusion that Apple will get into the TV manufacturing biz next year and now the rumor mills are kicking into over drive with all sorts of supposed this and thats which will be included or are holding back the release of …

domain: news


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Scaled-down sweets fill diners’ desire for variety.
Four factors behind a successful, in-house blend.
Here's how San Diego's Palomar Health plans to transform its menus to be 60% plant-based by this summer.
Here’s how operators are thinking outside the box when it comes to hot and cold cereals.
The list of limited-service chains betting on upgraded chicken sandwiches has grown again, suggesting the spotlight has shifted from better burgers to a better bird.
Restaurantgoers reveal which chains’ french fries are most likely to spark cravings.
Whether it’s to fill a need for healthy options or a convenient way for employees to grab dinner, prepared to-go meals are growing.
Chicken still rules the roost, but diners are coming across more turkey options.
Here are the fastest-growing customizable foods in noncommercial dining—and how operators are making them stand out.


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One of the biggest obstacles to Google Glass gaining wide acceptance is that the device simply looks ridiculous. The device isn’t even available for public purchase, but there is already a popular pejorative term coined for people who wear Google Glass around in public.
To challenge that image, Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) announced Monday a partnership with Luxottica Group SpA (NYSE:LUX), the company behind high-end designer eyewear brands like Ray-Ban, Oakley and Arnette, to bring some fashion sense to Google Glass and help distribute the smart glasses if they ever become available to the general public.
“[Luxottica will] bring design and manufacturing expertise to the mix, and, together, we’ll bring bring even more Glass style choices to our Explorers,” the Google Glass team said on Google Plus. “In addition, Luxottica’s retail and wholesale distribution channels will serve us well when we make Glass available to more people down the road.”
The announcement has proven financially beneficial for both companies, but especially Luxottica, which closed trading on Tuesday up 4.34 percent.
Google released an image of what a Luxottica-designed Google Glass might look like, but also warned that they won’t be available for a while.
“You’re not going see Glass on your favorite Oakleys or Ray-Bans tomorrow, but today marks the start of a new chapter in Glass’s design,” Google said.
Luxottica is also the company behind Vogue-Eyewear, Persol, Oliver Peoples and Alain Mikli. The company is in charge of more than 5,000 stores in the U.S., which could be a huge asset for Google to promote and sell Google Glass without having its own retail outlet.
Google launched the Titanium Collection of Google Glass in January, which introduced titanium frames for prescription lenses, or people who just wanted the look of prescription lenses.
Google entered into a similar partnership with Fossil Group to produce the Android Wear line of smartwatches.


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Data of 6 lakh Indians sold on 'bot' markets for nearly Rs 490 each
Indiawas the most affected country in the world, with 12 per cent of all the data on bots markets being Indian.
- The data is sold in packets, which include logins, cookies,
digitalfingerprints, screenshots, and other information.
- At least 26.6 million stolen logins were found on the analysed markets.
As data-harvesting malware or bots flourish, data of at least 6 lakh Indians have been stolen and sold on bot markets and the average price for the digital identity of one Indian is about Rs 490, cyber-security researchers revealed on Thursday.
India was the most affected country in the world, with 12 per cent of all the data on bots markets being Indian, according to research by cybersecurity company NordVPN.
Bot markets are online marketplaces hackers use to sell data they steal from their victims' devices with bot malware.
The data is sold in packets, which include logins, cookies, digital fingerprints, screenshots, and other information -- the full digital identity of a compromised person.
This growing threat has already affected five million people globally, with hackers selling webcam snaps, screenshots, up-to-date logins, cookies and digital fingerprints.
"At least five million people have had their online identities stolen and sold on bot markets for Rs 490 on average. Out of all the affected people, 600,000 are from India, making the country the most affected by this threat in the world," said the researchers.
At least 26.6 million stolen logins were found on the analysed markets. Among them were 720,000
In addition, researchers found 667 million cookies, 81 thousand digital fingerprints, 538 thousand auto-fill forms, numerous device screenshots, and webcam snaps.
"Digital bots are becoming increasingly common. They operate in fields such as customer service, search engine optimisation and entertainment. Yet not all bots may serve good intentions -- many of them can be malicious," said security researchers.
The most popular types of malware that steal and gather data include RedLine,
"The 2easy marketplace was launched in 2018. At first, it was considered to be smaller compared to other markets. Yet the situation has dramatically changed since then. Now, 2easy sells more than 600,000 stolen data logs from 269 countries," said the report.
SEE ALSO: Most popular ‘how to’ searches on Google in 2022 in India
Dharmaj Crop Guard lists at 12% premium but below grey market expectations
From Brahmastra to KGF: The most searched movies on Google in 2022 in India
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Pepsico Inc. ended 1992 with double-digit gains in operating profits for each of its three business categories: soft drinks, snack foods and restaurants. Fourth-quarter operating income, before nonrecurring charges, rose 10 percent in beverages, 20 percent in snack foods and 35 percent in restaurants for an overall increase of 21 percent, to $801.1 million.
"This has been a particularly encouraging year for us," Wayne Calloway, Pepsico chairman and chief executive, said in a statement.
For the year, which ended Dec. 26, Pepsico had accounting adjustments and restructuring charges that cut net income by $1.1 billion, or $1.34 a share. The effect of two required accounting changes required results for the first three quarters of 1992 to be restated. As a result, net income declined 65 percent, to $374.3 million, or 46 cents a share. The company had previously signaled that its year-end results would be affected by the charges.
For the year, the company's businesses recorded operating profit increases ranging from 12 percent in beverages to 19 percent in snacks and restaurants, giving it annual growth of 16 percent, or $2.765 billion, compared with $2.37 billion for 1991.Continue reading the main story


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The supply chain disruption caused by the global spread of the novel coronavirus disease COVID-19 is now expected to have a bigger impact on U.S. imports than originally anticipated.
According to the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates’ latest Global Port Tracker report, the impact of the outbreak will be both longer and larger as factory closures and travel restrictions in China and beyond continue to ripple through the shipping channels.
“There are still a lot of unknowns to fully determine the impact of the coronavirus on the supply chain,” says NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold. “As factories in China continue to come back online, products are now flowing again. But there are still issues affecting cargo movement, including the availability of truck drivers to move cargo to Chinese ports. Retailers are working with both their suppliers and transportation providers to find paths forward to minimize disruption.”
The current forecast, which Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett says is “based on the optimistic view that by the end of March or early April some sort of normalcy will have returned to trade,” calls for an 18.3% decrease in March when compared to last year. April, which had not previously been expected to be affected, is now forecast for a 3.5% drop this year.
Provided that Chinese factories return to their full production volume soon, imports are forecast to spike 9.3% in May as companies move to catch up on the lower volumes of product shipped in the first quarter.
Additionally, a separate survey of NRF members found that 40% of respondents reported supply chain disruption due to the virus while another 26% expect to see disruptions in the weeks ahead.


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Despite experiencing some of his best business in years, Walter Hoehn is selling his business.
Walt’s Hook Line and Sinker, along Ottawa Road, just outside of St. Peter, is up for sale.
But while the COVID-19 virus pandemic stay at home order has been going on, more people are going out fishing, so that has brought in more business to Walt’s. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the sale of fishing licenses is up 36 percent over 2019.
It also helped that Hoehn has been offering a going out of business 10 percent discount on tackle in early May when he put the place up for sale.
Hoehn said his sales are up 40 percent. He only had two rods and two reels left for sale in June, and he had to order more tackle, even though he had planned to sell as much as possible before selling the place.
“Tackle has been flying out the door,” Hoehn said. “With only being able to go fishing, everybody wants to get out of the house, so license sales have been way up. People that haven’t gone fishing in years are going fishing again, so they’re picking up stuff that they needed before.”
He added, “Everything is getting jammed up all the way back to the suppliers. They can’t keep up with our orders. I ordered some line, and it took 10 days to get here. Normally it’s a two-day turnaround. The warehouse is that far behind because there are so many orders. We’re all in the same boat.”
Normally, Hoehn said he gets low on supplies in the end of July. But this year it’s been low in the first week of June.
“And it isn’t just one item,” Hoehn said. “It’s a little bit of everything.”
Live bait sales of minnows, angle worms, night crawlers and wax worms have been very good, too, Hoehn said: “Wax worms have been going out because families are taking the kids out fishing. It’s easy for them to use. Minnow sales have been tremendous. We pretty much have been able to get everything we wanted as long as you don’t over order on suckers.”
Hoehn, who turns 70 this year, is moving to Webster, South Dakota, where he already has purchased a home. He likes the area because he has good fishing, something that he hasn’t had much time to do in the last 13 years running the bait and tackle shop.
He has fished the lakes near Webster, South Dakota, for about a dozen years.
That doesn’t mean Hoehn won’t miss the customers.
After working in factories for 20 years at Onan in St. Peter and five years at Door Engineering in Kasota, Hoehn welcomed the chance to be around more happy people.
“The attitude here is totally different,” Hoehn said. “Most of them are happy. They’re going fishing. They’re not going to work,so they have a really good attitude. It’s the best job I’ve ever had.
Thirteen hours a day here seem like five. Eight hours at the factory seemed like 15.
Hoehn owned the property, constructed the log cabin bait shop and built an addition where he now lives.
While he will miss the people, Hoehn said he will welcome the chance to go fishing whenever he wants. He has been working virtually every day of the year from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. with a few vacations and parts of days off.
“I’ll shut down early on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve and Easter,” said Hoehn, who works portions of all the holidays. “You don’t get holidays and weekends off here, because that’s when everybody goes fishing.”
His son, Justin who just graduated from South Central Tech in HVAC and boilers and is looking for a job, and the retired Chuck Bomboy, of Kasota, fill in and give him a break sometimes for vacations and to pick up supplies.
Hoehn took his first vacation in about a year (a whole three days) this June. He missed spring, fall and winter fishing plans.
“Every time that I was able to sneak out and go fishing, something would come up conflicting,” Hoehn said. “So I decided that I needed to go fishing full-time.”


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Shooter is a television adaptation of the movie Shooter (which itself was based on the novel Point of Impact by Stephen Hunter) and again focuses on the lives and missions of trained snipers.
Shooter - Laatste content
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is officially free-to-play on PC and Mac, and a new, smaller scale battle royale mode has been added.
BioWare’s closed alpha for Anthem is coming soon, and registration is open now.
A new trademark and a series of puzzling tweets are hinting there's a new Alien game waiting in the walls.
Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi is officially coming to Star Wars Battlefront 2 as part of the free Battle of Geonosis update on November 28.
Battlefield 5's battle royale mode, Firestorm, will launch with post-release content in March 2019.
The campaign mission puts players in control of a German soldier inside a Tiger tank.
Executive Producer Mark Darrah says the day one content will keep players busy for months.
The official map for Blackout includes 13 locations and is the largest map in Call of Duty history.
Sony has revealed the PlayStation 4 exclusive content coming to Destiny 2: Forsaken, including new armor sets, an exotic weapon, a ship and a strike.
A few existing perks can be stacked in Far Cry 5’s New Game+, allowing players to further improve their abilities.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is finally a part of the Xbox One Backward Compatibility library and it is available to play on your Xbox One or Xbox One X starting today.
All Destiny 2 players will have a chance to go hands-on with the upcoming Gambit mode this September.
Ubisoft has announced that Tom Clancy's The Division 2 is getting a Standard, Gold, Digital Ultimate and two Collector's editions, all available for pre-order now.
The Open Beta for Battlefield V will begin on Sept. 4 for early access and Sept. 6 for all other players who preordered the game.
PUBG roadmap promises to fix bugs, performance, and more over the next three months.
Bungie has revealed details on the new weapons, mods, and abilities being added to the game leading up to the release of the Forsaken expansion.


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The UK Information Commissioner released a report on the misuse of personal data in the Brexit vote. The investigation "uncovered a disturbing disregard for voters' personal privacy" and found that the Leave.EU campaign and Cambridge Analytica both improperly harvested personal data. The Commissioner's office will fine the Leave.EU campaign and would fine Cambridge Analytica if the firm were not already in bankruptcy proceedings. The UK report proposes a code of practice for the use of personal data in political campaigns. Earlier this year, EPIC and a coalition of consumer groups urged the FTC to investigate the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica matter. In March, the FTC said it would investigate the matter, but there is still no report, no findings and no fine. In response to EPIC's Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, the FTC has released agency emails about the 2011 Facebook Consent Order.
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CoD: MW2 - Ghost Could Return; Insider Announces Testing
Krzysztof Kaluzinski, 24 April 2022, 22:39
Infinity Ward may show off a teaser trailer for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 next week. The cryptic image posted on social media features Ghost, a familiar character from the series.
Elden Ring's Performance on PC Still Lacking, but There's Improvement
Krzysztof Kaluzinski, 24 April 2022, 22:23
Elden Ring has been plagued with performance issues since its release, experienced mostly by PC users. However, fans have noticed an improvement after installing patch 1.04.
Bethesda Launcher Migration to Steam Starts Next Week
Krzysztof Kaluzinski, 24 April 2022, 22:18
Starting next week, users of the launcher offered by Bethesda will be able to transfer the games they own to Steam. The platform of Skyrim's creators, which has existed for six years, will be shut down in May.
Company of Heroes 3 Devs Boast of Improved Graphics
Adrian Werner, 24 April 2022, 21:38
Relic Entertainment has released a video from Company of Heroes 3, showing off the improvements in the realistic representation of vehicles and characters that the strategy game will offer.
Battlefield 2042 Patch 4.0 Doubled Player Numbers on Steam, But That's Not Enough
Adrian Werner, 24 April 2022, 21:36
Patch 4.0 led to a doubling of the number of Battlefield 2042 players on Steam. Even now, however, the results achieved by the game are not impressive.
Need for Speed 2022 - Leaked Map, Screenshot and Gameplay
Adrian Werner, 24 April 2022, 19:54
NFS 2022 videos have leaked online. They show, among others, the game map and a short gameplay fragment.


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The state of EV charging infrastructure in the U.S. is, as we in the biz say, not great. A patchwork of efforts from charging providers and auto manufacturers has left owners of electric vehicles with a mess of apps, maps, and third-party sites to sort through, just to plug in their cars. Yet, for all that complexity, most of the country still has a dearth of chargers — making EVs not just impractical, but borderline impossible to own.
An effort from the Biden administration, however, seeks to change that. The most recent infrastructure bill (the one that passed last year, not the one that was introduced at the same time but died off this year, keep up) allocated billions of dollars in federal funds for EV infrastructure. Now the Department of Transportation has announced a $5 billion plan to fund charging stations nationwide, starting with over $600 million this year.
The program, which will spread that $5 billion investment over the next five years, is designed to build EV charging infrastructure in every state. It’s focused around chargers on or near interstate highways, and within something the administration is calling “Alternative Fuel Corridors.” It seems those corridors have yet to be defined, but the process of creating them appears to be currently underway.
While the U.S.’s current EV charging network leaves a lot to be desired, this sort of investment can go a long way towards fixing that — and making EVs a practical choice for far more Americans. Now if we could just get clean energy to power those chargers, things could really start shaping up well.


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So much for all the greenwash
I do not want to even think of the chiller bill for North Carolina. They might as well put the servers in Sahara. So much for all the green wash PR being spread around.
Facebook has announced plans for a second custom-built data center, saying it will build a $450 million facility in western North Carolina, which is suddenly a big-name data-center hot bed. Apple and Google have already built high-profile data centers in the Great North State, which isn't really in the North. It's in the South …
North Carolina isn't in the north?
Next you'll be telling us that South Dakota isn't in the south, and West Virginia isn't in the west.
North Carolina temp and humidity is brutal for much of the year? Well, if your definition of "much of the year" means July and August and perhaps a bit of September, then perhaps yes; certainly not worse than, say, southern Italy or Greece. I'd hazard that the rest of the year it's really quite nice, based on my one or two forays there.
Social media megacorp Meta is the target of a class action suit which claims potentially thousands of medical details of hospital patients were shared with its Facebook brand.
The proposed class action [PDF], filed on Friday, centers on the use of Facebook Pixel, a tool for website marketing and analytics.
An anonymous hospital patient, named John Doe in court papers, is bringing the case — filed in the Northern District of California — alleging Facebook has received patient data from at least 664 hospital systems or medical providers, per the suit.
Judges in the UK have dismissed the majority of an appeal made by Facebook parent Meta to overturn a watchdog's decision to order the social media giant to sell Giphy for antitrust reasons.
Facebook acquired GIF-sharing biz Giphy in May 2020. But Blighty's Competition Markets Authority (CMA) wasn't happy with the $400 million deal, arguing it gave Mark Zuckerberg's empire way too much control over the distribution of a lot of GIFs. After the CMA launched an official probe investigating the acquisition last June, it ordered Meta to sell Giphy to prevent Facebook from potentially monopolizing access to the animated images.
Meta appealed the decision to the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), arguing six grounds. All but one of them – known as Ground 4 – were dismissed by the tribunal's judges this week. And even then only one part of Ground 4 was upheld: the second element.
Opinion Consulting giant McKinsey & Company has been playing a round of MythBusters: Metaverse Edition.
Though its origins lie in the 1992 sci-fi novel Snow Crash, the metaverse has been heavily talked about in business circles as if it's a real thing over the last year or so, peaking with Facebook's Earth-shattering rebrand to Meta in October 2021.
The metaverse, in all but name, is already here and has been for some time in the realm of online video games. However, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's vision of it is not.
Facebook parent Meta has settled a complaint brought by the US government, which alleged the internet giant's machine-learning algorithms broke the law by blocking certain users from seeing online real-estate adverts based on their nationality, race, religion, sex, and marital status.
Specifically, Meta violated America's Fair Housing Act, which protects people looking to buy or rent properties from discrimination, it was claimed; it is illegal for homeowners to refuse to sell or rent their houses or advertise homes to specific demographics, and to evict tenants based on their demographics.
This week, prosecutors sued Meta in New York City, alleging the mega-corp's algorithms discriminated against users on Facebook by unfairly targeting people with housing ads based on their "race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, and national origin."
Facebook owner Meta's pivot to the metaverse is drawing significant amounts of resources: not just billions in case, but time. The tech giant has demonstrated some prototype virtual-reality headsets that aren't close to shipping and highlight some of the challenges that must be overcome.
The metaverse is CEO Mark Zuckerberg's grand idea of connected virtual worlds in which people can interact, play, shop, and work. For instance, inhabitants will be able to create avatars to represent themselves, wearing clothes bought using actual money – with designer gear going for five figures.
Apropos of nothing, Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg is leaving the biz.
An ongoing phishing campaign targeting Facebook users may have already netted hundreds of millions of credentials and a claimed $59 million, and it's only getting bigger.
Identified by security researchers at phishing prevention company Pixm in late 2021, the campaign has only been running since the final quarter of last year, but has already proven incredibly successful. Just one landing page - out of around 400 Pixm found - got 2.7 million visitors in 2021, and has already tricked 8.5 million viewers into visiting it in 2022.
The flow of this phishing campaign isn't unique: Like many others targeting users on social media, the attack comes as a link sent via DM from a compromised account. That link performs a series of redirects, often through malvertising pages to rack up views and clicks, ultimately landing on a fake Facebook login page. That page, in turn, takes the victim to advert landing pages that generate additional revenue for the campaign's organizers.
The US datacenter construction boom may be faltering and the reasons are not difficult to predict. The same supply shortages, price hikes and a lack of labor that have characterized not-quite-post-pandemic life is a risk for DC builders, too.
Construction consultancy firm Turton Bond's Darren Flood authored the report making that argument. Flood said that the need for datacenters is stronger than ever, but that "COVID-19 variants, changing restrictions, constrained supply chains and strong demand create an unpredictable market."
All of this is hitting after the datacenter real estate market exploded into its own boom times, with unprecedented investments in suitable building sites.
Cambridge Analytica is back to haunt Mark Zuckerberg: Washington DC's Attorney General filed a lawsuit today directly accusing the Meta CEO of personal involvement in the abuses that led to the data-slurping scandal.
DC AG Karl Racine filed [PDF] the civil suit on Monday morning, saying his office's investigations found ample evidence Zuck could be held responsible for that 2018 cluster-fsck. For those who've put it out of mind, UK-based Cambridge Analytica harvested tens of millions of people's info via a third-party Facebook app, revealing a – at best – somewhat slipshod handling of netizens' privacy by the US tech giant.
That year, Racine sued Facebook, claiming the social network was well aware of the analytics firm's antics yet failed to do anything meaningful until the data harvesting was covered by mainstream media. Facebook repeatedly stymied document production attempts, Racine claimed, and the paperwork it eventually handed over painted a trail he said led directly to Zuck.
Nvidia exceeded market expectations and on Wednesday reported record first-quarter fiscal 2023 revenue of $8.29 billion, an increase of 46 percent from a year ago and eight percent from the previous quarter.
Nonetheless the GPU goliath's stock slipped by more than nine percent in after-hours trading amid remarks by CFO Colette Kress regarding the business's financial outlook, and plans to slow hiring and limit expenses. Nvidia stock subsequently recovered a little, and was trading down about seven percent at time of publication.
Kress said non-GAAP operating expenses in the three months to May 1 increased 35 percent from a year ago to $1.6 billion, and were "driven by employee growth, compensation-related costs and engineering development costs."
A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has proposed legislation that would likely force Alphabet's Google, Meta's Facebook, and Amazon to divest portions of their ad businesses.
The bill, called the Competition and Transparency in Digital Advertising Act (CTDA), was introduced on Thursday by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), with the participation of Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).
The bill would prevent large ad companies from participating on different sides of the ad transaction chain. Large ad firms could operate supply-side brokers selling publisher ad space, demand-side brokers selling ads, or ad exchanges connecting buyers and sellers – but not more than one of these.
Biting the hand that feeds IT © 1998–2022


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Apple tried to win the rights to stream 'Friends'
2018-12-6 05:42 pm
Though it ultimately lost out to Netflix, which is paying roughly $100 million, Apple was one of the bidders for rights to stream the '90s sitcom "Friends" in 2019, a report revealed on Thursday.
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PARADE has been loving all the nominations the Western Advocate has been receiving for the best coffee house in Bathurst.
We’re planning to do a story on the city’s best coffee shop, as voted by readers, and we’ve already had some great nominations.
Not only are readers nominating boutique coffee shops brewing local beans, but they are also nominating chain stores they know and love.
Don’t miss the chance to have a say on which one you like the best by letting us know on our social media channels using the hashtag #bathurstcoffee.
Or, feel free to email in your nomination and photo to email@example.com.
Full belly yet? Nope, keep going
THIS time of year is always a bit of a struggle for Parade with endless parties full of tempting food.
Christmas parties can start as early as late November, then there’s Christmas Day, Boxing Day and new year celebrations.
Then, Parade and her significant other both have their birthdays in mid January, and then they are followed Australia Day.
By the time all of this is done and dusted, Parade always feels a few kilos heavier and in desperate need of some healthy food and no more champagne.
Cooling off in a hot summer city
AS temperatures continue to soar to well above average in the city, Chifley Dam and a pools across Bathurst have been the place to be.
And, Western Advocate Phil Blatch snapped some great photos of people beating the heat at the dam recently, including the one above.
December was a hot month for the city, with the mercury soaring above 30 degrees many times in a month with a long-term average of 26.4.
Bureau of Meteorology data shows, however, that the median top in the city last month was actually 33.2 degrees.
While the mercury is predicted to reach the mid to high 30s later this week, it is far off the hottest January day on record which was in 2013 when the temperature reached 40.2 degrees on January 12.


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Industrial Robotics Editorials
Industry : Life Sciences Pharma Biomed Medical Devices
Lanco Integrated in Westbrook and ODAT Machine in Gorham worked around the clock to produce the machine in a fraction of the time such projects usually take.
What follows is part one of a multi-part blog post on selecting handheld mobile barcode scanners.
The latest release of Epicor Advanced Requisition Management (ARM), v10.
ERP and automation technologies have grown by leaps and bounds to address small business’ need for efficiency, productivity, and profitability.
Held at Epicor’s annual Insights user conference, the Epicor Insights Executive View is an invite-only exclusive, interactive, educational seminar focused on helping you grow your manufacturing business, enhance productivity, and differentiate.
The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) has made C-Corporation status much more attractive to business owners, and the 21% flat tax rate has caused many to consider whether converting to a C-Corporation may be worth the switch.
While Supply chains differ from one manufacturing company to the next, data still needs to be exchanged between suppliers, manufacturers, and customers.
Chances are you have come across the terms Internet of Things (IoT) or the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).
What Is Budgeting Process Improvement? When it comes to gauging corporate performance, the less time spent on non-revenue generating processes, the better.
This year marked the first of many under the new tax regime set in motion by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Robots have been a part of the industrial landscape for decades.
Assessing risk has always played a vital role in the development and implementation of industrial machinery.
The manufacturing industry has experienced a recent breakthrough in welding technology thanks to the efforts of scientists from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Don't miss this automation event in Chicago, IL April 8-11.


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Happy Family, New York, N.Y., says its new Happy Child Super Nutrition Shakes each feature 8g of protein, 21 vitamins and minerals and are a great source of antioxidants and calcium. Available in Chocolate and Vanilla varieties, the USDA-certified organic shakes are made without artificial sweeteners and flavors, are non-GMO and contain zero trans fat.
Happy Child Super Nutrition Shakes are sold in packs of four for a suggested retail price of $10.99, and will be available nationwide at Target, Safeway and online at Amazon.com. Officials say the shakes deliver a tasty, drinkable way for children to absorb essential nutrients while at home, school or on-the-go.
“At Happy Family, we pride ourselves on producing products that are organic, rich in nutrients, and support babies, tots and children through each developmental milestone,” says Shazi Visram, Happy Family’s founder and CEO. “As a proud mom who cares about what I feed my own child, I understand how challenging it can be for parents to cope with picky eaters and keep track of their child’s intake of key vitamins and minerals. With the Happy Child Super Nutrition Shakes, we are offering parents assurance that their children are getting the essential nutrients they need to grow up happy and healthy.”
Launched on Mother’s Day 2006, Happy Family offers a complete line of organic, nutrient-rich foods for babies, toddlers and kids. Officials note that Happy Family adds functional ingredients such as Salba (a “super chia”), probiotics, DHA and choline for eye and brain health—whenever possible.


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Massive blaze at CG Electronics factory
A massive fire broke out in the factory and warehouse of Chaudhary Group Electronics at Satungal in Kathmandu on Sunday, causing a huge loss of property. Fortunately, there were no casualties or injuries.
It took almost five hours to bring the inferno that started at around 5 pm at the CGE facility under control. A combined effort of all five fire engines of Kathmandu Valley managed to finally douse the fire after great difficulty. A special fire engine from the Tribhuvan International Airport was also involved in extinguishing the fire.
Some 50 security personnel from Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police helped the fire brigades to douse the fire. Locals actively participated in the efforts to douse to douse the fire as they feared that the blaze might spread into their settlement.
Although the cause of fire is still not clear, but police suspect that electronic short circuit at the factory warehouse caused the blaze. Large number of TVs, mobiles, refrigerators and other consumer electronics assembled in the factory and which cost millions of rupees were destroyed in the fire, it is learnt. Nepalnews.com


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Posted on November 17th, 2009 No comments
With identity theft rampant, people worry their information will not be kept confidential despite federal law protecting privacy and ensuring only statistical tabulations are disseminated. However, concerns reached a fever pitch in October when the U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report admitting that fingerprinting flaws made…
2010 Census Mired in Controversy
…But the possibility of a data breach is a greater concern. When a company suffers from unauthorised access to customer card information, the results can be disastrous.
Here is the original post:
Opinion: Ignore your customers’ privacy at your peril
Earlier this month, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed SB20, written by State Sen.
LifeLock Inc. and Experian Information Solutions Inc. have settled their lawsuit, and the agreement permanently blocks the original process LifeLock used to protect its clients.
U.S. Rep. John Adler is optimistic that a potentially burdensome regulation on small business will not advance further
See the article here:
Federal proposal would help small businesses
Posted on May 11th, 2009 No comments
Experts Say New Measure is a Start, but Industry Standards are Needed. The announcement by Heartland Payment Systems (HPY) that it will offer its merchants end-to-end encryption capabilities is seen as a positive step by industry experts


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Help Wanted: The new sign of the times - While customers are back in restaurants and businesses around the country, many employees are not, creating job openings on this Labor Day weekend that few expected. "48 Hours" correspondent Erin Moriarty talks with former restaurant employees who say the COVID shutdown gave them a rare chance to pursue a new, better-paying career – and with a restaurant owner who says the pandemic may have changed the hospitality business for the better.
The economy is undergoing massive changes. There’s a big mismatch at the moment between the jobs available and what Americans really want.
The USA has 8.4 million unemployed and 10 million openings


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A woman’s lost wallet being found and returned by a Good Samaritan led to a huge surprise this holiday season.
Chloe Marino and her son Cooper were shopping at Foodland at Queen Kaahumanu Center in Kahului where she apparently lost her wallet and hours later, a man showed up at her house with it. “I was completely blown away. First up, I didn’t even realize I had lost it because I haven’t gone anywhere since the store to pay for anything, to even realize it was gone,” Marino said.
Aina Jose, a security guard at the grocery store biked more than three miles from Kahului to Waiehu only to return the lost wallet. “Forgetting your wallet is a huge fiasco and stop your cards and getting a new license and everything else is just a nightmare so really saved the holiday for sure,” Marino said.
“I lost stuff before too,” he said. “I would greatly want someone to come forward and do the same if I lost something,” Aino said.
A post was shared on Facebook by Marino’s husband about the kind deed and a friend Greg Gaudet started a GoFund Me to help Jose get a new car. “So humble, Aina. Never met this gentleman before. Was humble and kind and just want to help out and just completely out of his own goodwill,” Gray Marino, Chloe’s husband, said.
Gaudet’s inspiration to start the fundraiser came from a similar incident he experienced when he was a teen and so he wanted to pay it forward. “I worked to wash all the neighbor’s cars for months to get a radio in my car and the next day, someone smashed my windows and took my radio. A family friend took my car into the shop and got me a new radio. That whole thing, when I was 16 years old or whatever it was, it had such an impact on me,” Gaudet said.
In just two weeks, they raised over $25,000 and were able to buy Aina a 2017 VW Jetta and cover his insurance and gas costs for six to 12 months as well. Aina was completely blown away and never thought that he would get a car in return for finding a lost wallet.
This is awesome. A lot of people would’ve taken the wallet and spent everything in it. This gentleman was honest and returned it. Honesty paid off.


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As AT&T® is expanding its 5G mobile network, the executives of the carrier are starting to explore distinct strategies, comprising a tiered billing structure. The Telco giant still has not disclosed the precise 5G pricing structure though, which subscribers can expect. “I think the business models are still evolving,” said David Christopher, AT&T’s Mobility and Entertainment President, at the event Mobile World Congress Americas held in LA. “There will be different tiers of service.”
The next-gen 5G mobile networks will offer several advantages to subscribers, and it seems the best internet provider may charge distinctly for these types of advantages. Besides offering quicker download speeds, the latency of the next-gen 5G will be lower. David Christopher thought about creating a pricing tier for online gaming to capitalize on the lower latency of 5G. Note that an internet connection with low latency ensures online gamers can enjoy it without lags. Besides 5G’s benefits to gaming, its faster speeds may be advantageous for delivering augmented and virtual reality content.
Those who are looking to purchase a 5G-compatible laptop meant for gaming may be locked into a network at the time of the buy. The AT&T® Vice President of Converged Access and Device Technology, Gordon Mansfield, said so because carriers operate 5G on distinct spectrum and bands, and there will not be a modem, that provides cross-compatibility between telecommunications companies initially. This means that in case you purchase a gaming laptop via AT&T®, you will only be able to use the carrier-specific SIM card.
Besides 5G plans centered on gaming, the Telco may offer bundles with IoT devices. Recently, it announced a “SmartThings” tracker device with Samsung, which comprises one year of AT&T® service and comes at a price of $99. After the first 12 months, subscribers who wish to keep the 5G service of AT&T® can either choose to pay bills monthly or annually. For the latter or annual payment option, they will get a discounted amount.
Another option will be to add the 5G service to a subscriber’s existing bill. The Dallas-based telecommunications company could tack on a service charge for connecting smaller devices like Apple Watch to its 5G network. As of now, it charges subscribers a monthly fee of $10 to add Apple Watch’s LTE-equipped version to their phone plans.
The first 5G-compatible device to launch on the 5G network of AT&T® in 2018 is described as one that resembles a puck, which suggests that it could be a hotspot device. Phones will probably launch later this year when the Telco expands its 5G network. It also promises that 5G-compatible devices will be able to rely on the Long Term Evolution network.


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The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) tentatively invalidated Apple's "pinch-to-zoom" patent Wednesday following a second review.
The claim was a key component to Apple's legal victory over Samsung earlier this year. It may be years before anything comes of the decision, but the rejection could spell a retrial in the Apple vs Samsung legal saga.
It seems the South Korean company paid attention to the ruling as it informed a federal court of the invalided patent the day all its claims were rejected.
A long history
At the end of August, Samsung was found guilty of infringing on a number of Apple patents by a U.S. District court.
Apple's "pinch-to-zoom" patent was a cornerstone of the Cupertino company's case against Samsung. Now that the USPTO has at least temporarily invalidated the patent, it could leave the door for Samsung to recoup some of its losses.
Several other Apple patents have recently been picked apart during second examinations by the USPTO.
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In October, the U.S. patent office invalidated another pillar of Apple's suit. The office rejected all 20 claims relating to Apple's "rubber-banding" (also called the over-scroll bounce) patent.
Then a few weeks ago, the patent office nullified another 20 claims related to the so-called "Steve Jobs" patent that dealt with touchscreen heuristics. While it's a crucial patent, it has less to do with the current Samsung case.
The long road ahead
Though it seems Apple may not be left with a patent to stand on, it will be a long time, maybe years, before anything comes of the recent ruling.
The tentative rejection is only the first trigger in a long line of legal steps and not much is certain right now. For the moment the onus is on Apple as it will have to defend the validity of the patents to the USPTO.
The patent office may validate the "pinch-to-zoom" patent after Apple defends it, or a final rejection could lead to a retrial.
The only thing we know for certain is there will be a few more ups and downs on the roller coaster ride that is the Apple and Samsung legal tug of war.


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Both laws will legalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana for individuals 21 and older, and set up mechanisms for regulation of marijuana similar to alcohol.
However, the drug remains federally illegal, leaving feds unsure what to do about the legalization in these two states. "I really don't know what we're going to do," said one high-ranking law enforcement official involved in the decision who was not authorized to speak publicly.
Meanwhile, both states are working on rolling out plans and new laws following this milestone decision.
According to NORML, Washington State will have regulations for marijuana retails outlets drafted by the Washington State Liquor Control Board, a process which is expected to last about a year. Laws regarding posession will go into effect much sooner. New regulation states that any person over the age of 21 is legally allowed to possess up to 1oz (28 grams) of dried marijuana, 16oz (453 grams) of marijuana solids (edibles), and 72oz (~2kg) of cannabis infused liquids (think oils and lotions). It is also no longer a crime to possess marijuana paraphernalia.
The vote in Colorado is awaiting final certification, a process that is expected to take about a month. After this approval, it will immediately become legal in Colorado for adults over the age of 21 to possess up to an ounce (28 grams) of cannabis and for them to grow up to 6 plants in a secure indoor space.
The state is required to adopt a legal framework for retail sales by July of 2013, the first marijuana retail outlets could potentially open as early as the start of 2014.
It can only be hoped for that more states and other countries will follow this important move. We'll keep you in the loop about updates following this news.


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Show some love for honey bees in June by participating in Honey Bee Awareness month! To raise awareness for dwindling honey bee populations, Whole Foods Market has designated June as Honey Bee Awareness month. They'll be offering activities, events and classes at their locations in the southern Pacific region of the U.S. throughout June and July to promote awareness of the importance of honey bees. If you don’t live in that area, you can still make changes in your life to help support those vital buzzing insects!
Save The Bees!
Honey bees pollinate more than 100 fruit and vegetable crops around the world, from cucumbers to almonds, and are essential to maintaining our food supply. Approximately one third of all the food Americans eat is directly or indirectly derived from honey bees, according to the American Beekeeping Federation.
“Bees pollinate a third of our diet, yet they’re literally vanishing from their hives,” Cheryl Galway, marketing director for Whole Foods Market’s South region, said in a press release. “Many people have no idea that honey bees play an essential role in our agricultural system. By raising awareness of the issue we hope to motivate people to take action and share many ways they can be a part of the solution.”
What You Can Do
Whole Foods Market offers six easy ways for anyone to help declining honey bee populations. You can:
1. Bee organic. Buying organic is one of the easiest ways to support bee-friendly forage.
2. Bee a gardener. Plant bee-friendly fruits and flowers to provide forage for honey bees.
From the Organic Authority Files
3. Bee savvy at home. Most lawn, garden and home pest problems can be solved without toxic and persistent chemical pesticides.
4. Bee a smart shopper. Several Whole Foods Market suppliers have donated funds to support honey bee preservation. Look for “Share the Buzz” signs on their products.
5. Bee a beekeeper. Whether you live in the country or the city, you can show your commitment to honey bees by hosting a hive in your backyard or even on a rooftop. The backyard beekeeping movement is growing, so you’re sure to find swarms of folks who can help you find your way.
Check your local Whole Foods Market store calendar for more buzz-worthy educational events.
image: Whole Foods Market


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New analysis indicates it’s gotten harder to get an app to the top of the App Store, in terms of downloads, over the past several years. According to new data from app intelligence firm Sensor Tower, the number of downloads needed for an app to break into the No. 1 position on Apple’s iPhone App Store in the U.S. has climbed by 37% since 2019. Specifically, it estimates an app now requires approximately 156,000 downloads on a given day to hit the top spot, up from 114,000 daily downloads back in 2019.
But to be clear, downloads alone don’t move an app to the top of the charts. It’s only one of several factors that Apple’s ranking algorithm takes into account for managing its Top Charts.
In the early days of the App Store, Apple soon realized that downloads alone would give developers an easy way to buy their way to the No. 1 spot.
It then expanded its ranking algorithm to make it more complex — and more of a mystery. Another firm, Apptopia, believes it has reverse-engineered the current version of this algorithm, which is said to consider numerous factors like velocity, app usage, quantity of new users and more.
That said, downloads are still a part of the equation here, and an interesting factor to examine, given how little information there is about how Apple’s App Store ranks actually work.
Among the new findings, Sensor Tower noticed that Apple appeared to have adjusted the ranking algorithm to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
It reports that in 2020, the number of downloads it was taking an app to hit No. 1 on the U.S. App Store hit a record high of 185,000, up 62% year-over-year. That would be in line with the overall boost seen in app downloads and usage that was occurring as consumers stayed at home under government lockdowns, while schools, stores and workplaces closed.
Getting to the same position on Google Play was easier at that time, however, as the number of daily downloads required grew just 5% year-over-year to reach 87,000 in 2020.
Since then, the number of daily downloads needed to reach No. 1 has declined on both marketplaces as post-COVID trends (or rather, post-lockdown trends) have normalized app usage.
This year, Sensor Tower estimates apps must reach a median of 156,000 daily installs to reach No. 1 on the App Store, as noted above, but Android apps now need just 56,000 installs, down 33% from the 83,000 required in 2019.
Breaking into the top 10 on the U.S. App Store also requires more effort than hitting that same position on Google Play.
Per the report’s findings, it now takes approximately 52,000 daily downloads to get into the Overall Top 10 on the App Store, up 2% from the 51,000 required to reach the Top 10 in 2019. But Android apps only need 29,000 daily downloads, which is down 9% from 2019 levels.
Still, these figures are approximations reached from trends across the respective app stores.
When looking at figures in more detail on a per-category basis, there are different trends to be found. For instance, on the App Store, it’s tougher to break into the Top 10 free iPhone apps for those ranked in the Entertainment category than others like Shopping, Social Networking, Travel or Finance. Android is similar in that it also sees Entertainment as needing more daily installs, but this is followed by the Shopping, Tools, Finance, then Communication categories.
It’s worth pointing out that these trends only hold true for mobile apps, not mobile games. That’s an entirely different matter.
When looking at mobile games, Sensor Tower found iPhone games now require a median of 93,000 downloads to hit No. 1 while Android games need 37,000 installs. These figures are down from 2019 levels, dropping by 46% and 68%, respectively.
The report also notes that, historically, it’s taken fewer installs for games to get into the Top 10. So far in 2022, iPhone games have needed 26,000 daily downloads to reach the Top 10, down 40% from 43,000 in 2019. And Android games needed just 16,000 daily installs, down 52% from 33,000 in 2019.
While much of the new report is focused on the U.S. market, Sensor Tower did examine how the U.S.’s Top 10 compared to other countries.
Here, it found that it’s much tougher for non-game apps in China to reach the Top 10 — requiring more than twice the number of daily downloads as in the U.S. at 108,000 (China) versus 52,000 (U.S.)
But on Android, it’s India that is the most difficult market to top, requiring 292,000 daily downloads to reach the Top 10 in the free charts for non-game apps.
While the data here is worth investigating, this analysis doesn’t take into account the other factors apps and games require to climb the charts, so it’s not a complete picture of how or why apps can climb to the top of the app stores.
In addition, there have been some hints that Apple may have been adjusting its algorithms even more in recent weeks, as bigger apps like Facebook, Netflix, Snapchat and others have taken ranking hits since around mid-April, Apptopia told us last month, when we inquired how relative unknown apps had been finding their way to the Top 10. This could be a test or a more permanent change meant to give smaller apps a chance to stand out and be discovered amid the tech giants, but more time will be needed to conduct that analysis.
Still, this sort of tweaking could help to highlight a variety of apps that are benefitting from marketing, promotions, and other trends. This might explain why Planet Fitness is No. 2 on the Top Free Charts in the U.S. today, for instance — the company gave teens free gym passes for the summer. Meanwhile, DIRECTV’s recent consolidation of its apps has driven it to No. 3, while the newcomer social networking app LiveIn, popular among teens, is now sitting higher than Facebook and Snapchat at No. 7.


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IT’S all about China this weekend. There’ll be dragon and lion dances, Year of the Dog celebrations, banquets, yum cha, and dumplings all over the place, and all the usual hand-wringing about what drinks go best with Chinese food.
Our wine industry leaders will answer that with an ever hopeful and self-congratulatory “Australian wine” of course, given that China is now our biggest export market in value terms, making up a third of all Australia’s exports in dollar terms.
That adds up to $848 million into mainland China and, if you add Hong Kong to that, clock up an extra $118m, the vast majority of that being red wine. The industry data doesn’t break down that market’s varietal preferences, but globally the top five order of popularity was shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, shiraz/cabernet blends, chardonnay and merlot.
The flip side of this is a very different story. I’ve had the displeasure of tasting just a few imported Chinese-made wines over the years, and not been convinced.
But a couple of newcomers have arrived this year on to the shelves at Dan Murphy’s Welland store (and limited stores interstate as well as via online sales) and they have upped the impression of a much improved world of Chinese wine culture.
Both wines are cabernet sauvignon blends with merlot in different proportions, from the Ningxia region in mainland China’s central north and, more specifically, the Helan Mountains subregion.
The winemaker is a colourful woman Wang Fang, known apparently as “Crazy Fang” for her innovative winemaking and pioneering spirit.
Crazy it may seem, but her two wines, under the Kanaan Winery label that we can now buy here, are terrific, traditional, full-bodied cabernet blends, a style China’s serious wine drinkers relish from France and Australia.
The Kanaan Winery 2012 Black Beauty ($129) is a 70/30 cabernet merlot that’s spent two years in new French oak barrels that do impart their influence on the wine and perhaps limit more vibrant fruit characters, though it’s big, rich and soft with deliciously fine tannins.


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Latest Dairy Market Blog
IFA analysis of the current dairy market trends and developments and how they affect Irish farmers.
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Weather events continue to moderate US and EU milk output into Summer
Milk supplies for April 18 lifted a little for the EU 28, at +2.1%. In the US, the growth was quite modest for April (+0.7%) and in May (+0.9%). Together with a 4% increase for April/May 2018 in New Zealand, this has led AHDB to predict a slight recovery from the trend to March.
However, I would venture to guess that dry and hot weather in North Western Europe, and wet weather in other parts of Europe in May and June will probably moderate growth in the EU 28 again for those months.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Source: AHDB Dairy[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Commodity prices strengthened through June – easing somewhat now
EU and international commodity prices have been strengthening since the beginning of the year, in response to strong demand and moderate production growth, especially in the EU 28.
EU average dairy commodity prices as reported to the EU Milk Market Observatory (EU MMO) at 24th June (most recent available as we write) suggested a gross return before processing costs are deducted of 37.93c/l for a reasonably representative Irish product mix. This was despite a slight easing that week of butter, SMP and WMP prices. After deduction of a nominal 5c/l processing cost, this would be equivalent to a price level of 32.93c/l + VAT (34.70c/l incl VAT).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Based on EU MMO data[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Ornua PPI for June also showed improved butter and SMP returns, rising from 105.4 points for May to 109 points for June. This is equivalent to a price level – as stated by Ornua – of 31.1c/l + VAT (32.78c/l incl VAT).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Source: Ornua[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]In recent days, however, some commodity prices have eased a little, influenced by 3 consecutive negative GDT auctions.
Spot prices have also eased, as have futures markets for the main commodities (butter and SMP).
For all that, the combined GDT average price for SMP and butter based on 3rd July results would yield a gross return of 34.64c/l and a price equivalent at Irish constituents of 29.64 c/l + VAT (31.24c/l incl VAT). [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Source: GDT[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Most recent European cash market (spot) quotes for butter and SMP (4th July 2018), though slightly easier, would nonetheless yield a gross return of 39.57c/l and a milk price after deduction of 5c/l nominal processing costs of 34.57c/l + VAT (36.47c/l incl VAT).
All these indicators would suggest that a price increase is well and truly justified for June milk – as well as being badly needed by farmers who are now again struggling with fodder shortages, this time due to drought! What a challenging year 2018 will have proven for dairy farmers! A market based price increase on June volumes will go a long way to support farmers’ ailing cash flow as grazing grass, never mind fodder stocks, get scarce, and the cost of feed rises dramatically.
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Dairy markets: we have definitely turned the corner
With global milk output growing at much slower rates (just over 1% for March, the level analysts believe is required to rebalance markets), intervention SMP stock shifting more readily, and international commodity price indices on the up, it looks like we may have seen the last of the (base) milk price cuts for 2018.
EU dairy commodity prices as reported by the EU MMO have continued to firm. Butter prices have gone up by over €1000/t since January, while SMP has lifted €120/t in the last month (see graph based on EU MMO reports below).
Based on EU MMO data[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]SMP stocks moving at last
SMP prices seem set to recover – though slowly – as intervention stocks are starting to move in earnest at long last.
In the most recent tender, which closed 15th May and was adjudicated yesterday, the EU Commission received bids for 124,360t, with prices offered ranging from €500/t to €1277/t. The minimum price selected by the EU Commission for adjudication was €1155 – €100 above the April tender – which resulted in 41,598t of SMP being sold between the €1155 and the top price bid. In fact, the bids exceeded the amount of product available by around 5,000t (there was insufficient stock of the right age in certain countries relative to the bids within the eligible price range).
This means that, since December 2016, over 76,000t of SMP has been sold out of intervention – of which around 65,000t in the last 2 tenders alone.
The EU Commission is expected to increase the quantities available for the June 19th tender to around 149,000t. It will do so by bringing forward the eligibility date for the stock from product purchased before 1st May 2016 to before 1st June 2016.
Buyers are clearly engaging more with the scheme, and willing to pay more as the fresh market picks up. This is very positive and holds the prospect that a substantial volume of SMP in intervention could be disposed of before year end.
In recent weeks, traders had been pointing out that the EU intervention stock had become largely irrelevant to the fresh market – and this was showing as SMP prices started firming slowly.
There’s a long way to go, though. With EU average prices (13th May) averaging at €1440 and latest spot quotes (16th May) at €1490, only this week’s GDT price at US$ 2047 (€1734) exceeds the intervention reference price.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Returns inching up
The returns for the Irish product mix, based on EU MMO reported average EU prices, have lifted half a cent per litre in the last week alone. This is largely driven by increases in butter, SMP and whey powder prices.
Based on EU MMO Data[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]An analysis of the most recent EU average returns, EU average spots from Germany, the Netherlands and France and the latest GDT auction earlier this week, show that these commodity prices would justify stronger milk prices than what is currently being paid by most co-ops (even allowing for the much-appreciated support top ups paid by most).[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The April Ornua PPI, unchanged from March at 100.4 points (equivalent to 29.6c/l incl VAT), shows that returns available to Irish co-ops have at least bottomed out. Many contracts will have been signed forward some weeks/months ago at prices lower than the current spots or market averages.
We would reasonably expect to see some PPI improvements in the months ahead, reflecting fresh contracts being signed at higher prices.
The PPI provided its hedging effect last autumn/winter, when it returned more than average EU prices, and this lag effect is operating the other way – at least for the moment.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Dairy Market Blog – 3rd May 2018
Are SMP markets on the mend at last?
SMP prices have languished well below €2000/t since June 2017, after which they staged a free-fall. They have been below €1500 since November. In the last few weeks, average EU SMP prices as reported by the EU MMO have first stabilised just over €1300/t, and in the last couple of weeks have even staged a small recovery to €1380 (29th April 2018). Could it be that we’ve seen the worst of the SMP prices?
Based on EU MMO data[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]While we all hope so, there are a number of indicators which suggest that we might just be right to be optimistic.
Spot markets too have been rallying of late, now reaching €1420/t on average for the Dutch, German and French quotes on 2nd May 2018. This is around €200/t above the early April quote for SMP.
What is also very interesting to observe is the buyers’ attitude to the SMP intervention stock. The last tender, on 17th April last, saw for the first time a significant amount of product sold (24,066 t, compared to just around 10,000t sold over the 17 preceding months). Even more meaningful was the price at which the product sold: poor at €1051, but stable/up for the first time in those 17 months. Furthermore, the range of prices buyers were prepared to bid at reached above the intervention reference price of €1700 for the first time since last September. It would seem that buyers are now prepared to pay more for SMP intervention stock. Some operators have suggested that sellers are now finding it a little easier to dismiss the relevance of SMP stock because it is aging rapidly, and is no longer real competition for the fresh stuff. Facts appear to prove them right![/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Looking at global market trends for SMP, GDT auctions over the last couple of months have shown stronger prices than even European prices. At US$1,999/t at the auction of 1st May, it would be equivalent in Euros to €1670/t.
Source: GDT[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Positive EU price trend extends beyond SMP
Other EU dairy prices have also improved somewhat in April.
Butter prices are nearing €5200/t, a price over twice the butter price of two years ago, WMP has inched up to €2700/t during the month, while whey powder has lifted slightly to finish the month $700/710/t. All commodity cheese prices have held up well during the month, too.
Returns in terms of cents per litre do reflect the improved average returns – however, where operators have sold on forward contracts signed some weeks back, those would have been at somewhat lower prices. Hence the Ornua PPI may well end up trailing slightly the EU average returns over the coming weeks, just as it was slightly ahead of them when prices started to ease in the last quarter of 2017.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Based on EU MMO data[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]EU returns at end April equivalent to 30c/l + VAT
Taking account of recent price improvements, the average returns before processing costs for a representative Irish product mix based on the most recent data for 29th April quoted by the EU MMO now exceeds very slightly 35c/l – or, excluding a nominal 5c/l processing cost, would be equivalent to 30.22c/l + VAT.
While co-ops may have contracts which were signed for lower returns than those, it would appear at least that those will progressively be replaced by higher priced contracts.
This should give co-ops the confidence to continue supporting milk prices, which farmers still suffering from the consequences of the disastrous spring need badly.
Based on EU MMO data


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Canada responded to the US tariffs on steel and aluminium by imposing billions worth of countermeasures, while Mexico put duties on food and steel.
US President Donald Trump’s decision Thursday to slap tariffs on steel and aluminium from Canada, Mexico and the European Union sharply escalated global trade tensions and widened a rift with America’s closest allies.
The Trump administration’s announcement that its once-delayed tariffs would take effect starting Friday was met swift condemnation and retaliation as well as a multilateral challenge at the World Trade Organisation.
Mexico responded to the news by announcing immediate retaliatory tariffs on US products including pork bellies, apples, grapes, blueberries and flat steel.
Canadian leaders reacted particularly angrily to the tariffs, 25 per cent on steel and 10 per cent on aluminium. Trump had justified the import levies on the grounds of national security – a line of reasoning Canadian officials called absurd, illogical and illegal.
Canada, the largest exporter of steel and aluminium to the United States, said it would apply countertariffs of 25 per cent and 10 per cent on US$16.6 billion worth of American metals, farm goods and other products, to take effect July 1.
European Union leaders already had drawn up a list of American imports worth several billions of dollars that would be subject to tariffs, including jeans, Kentucky bourbon and Harley-Davidson motorcycles – goods aimed at applying maximum political pressure as they are produced in home states of top lawmakers.
French President Emmanuel Macron said in a speech that the US tariffs would mean “war”.
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Kraft Heinz has withdrawn its proposal for a US$143 billion merger with larger rival Unilever, the companies said on Sunday, only two days after publicly confirming its interest in acquiring Unilever.
Kraft had made a surprise offer for Unilever to build a global consumer goods behemoth that was flatly rejected on Friday by Unilever, the maker of Lipton tea and Dove soap.
Unilever quickly rejected Kraft Heinz's approach, saying it "fundamentally undervalued" the company.
The American food conglomerate withdrew its offer because it felt it was too difficult to negotiate a deal following the public disclosure of its bid so early after its approach to Unilever, Reuters quoted people familiar with the matter.
A combination would be the third-biggest takeover in history and the largest acquisition of a UK-based company, according to Reuters. The combined entity would have US$82 billion in sales.
Kraft had not expected to encounter the resistance it received from Unilever, one of the people said. Some key concerns raised during talks included potential UK government scrutiny, as well as differences between the companies' cultures and business models, the person added.
"Kraft Heinz’s interest was made public at an extremely early stage," Kraft Heinz said in a statement. "Our intention was to proceed on a friendly basis, but it was made clear Unilever did not wish to pursue a transaction. It is best to step away early so both companies can focus on their own independent plans to generate value."
In their joint statement Sunday announcing that there would be no deal, the companies said that "Unilever and Kraft Heinz hold each other in high regard."
The Financial Times reported that British Prime Minister Theresa May had asked officials to examine the merger. Her team held talks with both companies on their plans for job growth, research and development, and operations in the UK.


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PEPSICO Incorpoated released its first quarter 2019 results on Wednesday, followed by a conference call with analysts.
According to Forbes, the company beat market expectations for revenue as well as earnings. PEP reported a revenue of $12.88bn in Q1, marking a year-on-year growth of 2.6 per cent.
The results, which were posted on the New York Stock Exchange, showed that the higher revenue was mainly driven by strong growth of 5.5 per cent in the Frito-Lay segment, effective net pricing and higher volumes for healthy snacks, juice and water products, and non-carbonated drinks.
The company’s core EPS came in at $0.97 per share in Q1, slightly higher than $0.96 in the year-ago period and much higher than the consensus of $0.92 per share.
Higher earnings were primarily a reflection of stronger revenue growth, productivity savings, and lower interest burden, partially offset by an increase in the effective tax rate.
Revenue from Frito-Lay North America, which contributes a little over a quarter of the company’s total revenue, increased by 5.5 per cent year-on-year in Q1. Higher revenue was primarily driven by effective net pricing and volume growth of two per cent.
Higher volume was driven by strong sales of its trademark Doritos and Ruffles, partially offset by a double-digit decline in Santitas. Operating margins increased marginally in Q1 due to net revenue growth and productivity savings, partially offset by certain operating cost increases.
For the full year, analysts expect the company’s revenues to grow by 3.1 per cent to $66.7bn in 2019, driven by growth in the company’s healthy snacks, sports drinks, and non-carbonated beverage portfolio.
An effective tax rate of 21 per cent in 2019 (compared to tax benefits received in 2018), incremental investments by the company to strengthen its business, and absence of gains from sale of assets (unlike in 2018), is expected to lead to a sharp drop in net income margin to 8.5 per cent in 2019 from 19.4 per cent in 2018.
However, gains from the company’s recently announced new productivity plan are expected to support margin growth going forward.
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Samsung’s spring flagship – the Galaxy S8 – hasn’t even shipped yet, and already we’re onto what to expect in autumn. An image of an alleged Galaxy Note 8 is making the rounds today, giving us what could be our first look at the next phone in the Note lineup.
The image in question appeared on Slashleaks over the weekend. It was posted by Leakspinner and shows off a phone displaying the Bixby setup screen standing next to a vertical S-Pen. While it could be the Galaxy Note 8, there’s plenty of reason to approach this with a lot of skepticism.
For starters, we don’t see any branding on the phone that identifies this as the Galaxy Note 8. Complicating matters more is the fact that this appears to be a retail-ready phone and not a prototype, when we’re at least five months out from the launch of Galaxy Note 8. It seems like a Note 8 spotted this early in the game would be a little more rough around the edges.
The most damning bit of evidence, however, comes from this photo’s original source. This image was originally posted to microblogging site Weibo on April 1, 2017. That means we’re likely looking at an April Fools prank that initially went undetected. With all of this in mind, it seems likely that this is a Galaxy S8+ someone placed next to an S-Pen from a previous Note.
There’s always an outside chance that this is indeed the Galaxy Note 8, but even if you’re ready to hop aboard the hype train, it’s best to take this with a grain – possibly a bucket – of salt. All of the focus will be on the Galaxy S8 in the coming weeks and months, so don’t expect the legitimacy of this image to be determined any time soon. For now, though, head down to the comments section and let us know what you think – is the the Galaxy Note 8 or just an April Fools joke that has gained a little too much traction?


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SINGAPORE XM Asia has confirmed its conference programme and key note speaker roster for its first event in the region. The XM Asia Internet and E-Commerce for Exhibitions is a sister event to the successful Xm Europe events organisers hope with become and annual conference in Asia Pacific. XM Asia will be held at Suntec Singapore on January 21 and 22. The theme Internet and E-commerce for Exhibition Organisers is aimed at providing delegates...
- Campaign Asia-Pacific online premium content* including in-depth monthly focus on key trends and industry issues
- Unlimited website access*, and an archive of more than 70,000 articles
- Regular value-added supplements including brand health checks, sector studies, ad critiques and research charts
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Heidelberg has released its latest six month financial results and says it is well on track despite the difficult global economic situation.
It has seen a slight improvement in sales in the key EMEA region thanks to growth in the packaging segment. After adjustment for exchange rate movements, the technology company achieved sales that matched the previous year as did incoming orders after six months. The adjusted operating result (EBITDA) improved on the same period of the previous year. In addition, the corresponding adjusted EBITDA margin increased to 9.2 per cent from 8.2 per cent the previous year.
The company says packaging and label printing is experiencing structural growth due to burgeoning worldwide demand for packaged goods. The market launch of new technologies from Heidelberg for this growth segment enjoyed success. For example, the Gallus One digital label press impressed at the major industry trade show LabelExpo and attracted a great deal of interest from customers. The Boardmaster press for high productivity in packaging printing also generated further sales. In parallel with this, incoming orders for the Packaging Solutions segment saw a significant increase of around 16 percent in the first half-year.
Ludwin Monz, chief executive at Heidelberg, says, “Given the stable growth of packaging printing, we are continuously further expanding our portfolio in this sector.”
Besides effects associated with the product and country mix, price adjustments to compensate for higher personnel, material, and energy costs have also had a positive impact. The net result after taxes for the half-year remained clearly positive. Compared with the previous year, higher tax expenditure, increased pension-related interest costs, and the lack of positive special items had a bearing on the result.
The cash generated from operating activities (operating cash flow) improved substantially, in particular due to rigorous management of inventories and receivables (working capital). Despite this positive development, the free cash flow after six months was down on the previous year’s level, which had included special items.
Tania von der Goltz, chief financial officer at Heidelberg, says, “The current free cash flow situation underlines the necessity to use further impetus from our value creation programme to generate resources for growth in segments such as the lucrative digital printing sector.
“The programme’s analysis phase is ongoing. Heidelberg still plans to achieve a positive free cash flow at the end of the financial year.”
Heidelberg’s forecast for financial year 2023/2024 remains as it published on June 14, 2023. Assuming the global economy does not see weaker growth than predicted by the economic research institutions, the company expects sales in financial year 2023/2024 to match the previous year’s figure. Also, it expects the adjusted EBITDA margin to remain at the previous year’s level.


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OMD's very first conference under its new event series, Sense will be held at the Museum of the Future on Wednesday this week and will focus on human behaviors and affinity.
OMD, the media network part of Omnicom Media Group, will launch its new event series, Sense, with a conference in Dubai this Wednesday. It will reveal and explore new ways to build closer bonds with consumers and stakeholders. Titled (De)Code H, the invite-only event will bring international thought-leadership and best practices to discuss the relevance, importance, and management of trust, empathy, psychology, and ethics in business and corporate relationships.
Business and marketing have turned cold - driven by data, algorithms, and artificial intelligence, often looking at people not as human beings but as mechanical ones. The result is a growing disconnect with people falling ever more out of love with advertising. It’s urgent to change focus and consider the warmer side of data if organizations are to create a deeper bond and get closer to consumers and, more broadly, business partners.
(De)Code H will take place at the Museum of the Future, with an anticipated audience of senior business, marketing, advertising, and media executives. It will feature Nathalie Nahai, author, consultant, lecturer, and human behavior expert, and Chrissie Hanson who is OMD’s global chief strategy officer. Andrew Campbell, Brand Finance’s MD for the Middle East, and Seb Hernoux, OMD’s chief data and technology officer will also be addressing the audience for a session. Together, they will take the audience on a journey towards a better understanding and application of human motivations and behavior, valued experiences, and a fairer value exchange.
Going beyond today’s reality and priorities, OMD's Sense series explores the impact and implications of emerging trends, fresh thinking, and innovations on people and brands. It focuses on strategic considerations that transcend marketing and affect the broader business, aiming to give its stakeholders a rich knowledge experience and a sense of direction.
“The past two years have accelerated change and deeply affected businesses everywhere. They’ve also given us the time and reason to rethink what knowledge to share and how with our business partners. The result of this reflection is the Sense series and the first theme. Decoding human behaviors, to better understand and work with them, is a major step forward for businesses and brands as it leads to greater affinity, trust, and attention,” said Saleh Ghazal, Managing Director at OMD UAE. “Our expert panel of speakers will explore this endeavor from their own unique perspective to provide insights and guidance for our business partners to make their next strategic move towards higher business performance. Balancing tech with human insights and psychology, using more physical and emotional metrics, will get us closer to people. From this, we’ll be able to develop more effective, sustainable, and balanced relationships for our client's brands.”
W Group, a company owned by W Ventures Holding, has come on board as the event’s exclusive partner. With its subsidiaries Hypermedia and DigitAll, offering cutting-edge Out-Of-Home media, and digital and experiential solutions. The company keeps innovating to create tech-rich, impactful, memorable, and engaging brand experiences, backed by data analytics and real-time measurement.


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This week has seen the launch of FedEx Returns Technology. It’s new service billed as a comprehensive solution for returns management which aims to give high-volume merchants and ecommerce retailers the ability to quickly and easily improve their customer experience by helping them take returns.
They say that by using the FedEx Returns Technology platform, merchants will have complete visibility into returns requested by shoppers as well as giving merchants an easy way to track shipments, manage inventory, analyse returns trends and make more informed decisions based on shoppers’ returns behaviours. The service will be integrated into more than 1,700 participating FedEx Office locations across the United States and enable retailers to offer their customers the ability to easily drop off returns that can be inspected, professionally packed and, in some cases, enable a faster credit refund.
Returns are increasingly important to buyers with a recent service cited on the product page saying that 95% of online shoppers would shop again with a retailer who provided a satisfactory returns experience. And that seems to be the key impetus behind this new feature:
Returns have rapidly evolved into a critical factor, second only to cost, in satisfying today’s e-commerce customers. FedEx Returns Technology bridges the gap between digital and physical, allowing merchants to define a returns strategy that works for their business model and for their customers.
– Ryan Kelly, senior vice president, FedEx Supply Chain
As it stands this service is currently only available to merchants trading in the United States, but it is a useful reminder and indicator of how big shipping firms are thinking in terms of what they offer to retailers and their customers.


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Microsoft forthcoming patch Tuesday will bring no relief from an unpatched Excel flaw that's the target of active malware attacks. The March edition of Black Tuesday promises three updates, one of which Redmond classifies as critical because it poses a code execution risk. The other two flaws involve spoofing risks and are …
Well, that's alright then...
...I don't use Excel.
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