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Dana Motors Limited, in partnership with Dongfeng Motor Corporation (DFM), has launched the latter’s range of cars into the Nigerian competitive auto market with a pledge to satisfy the customers’ preferences and after-sales needs.
At a ceremony inside DFM’s new showroom on Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, the partners disclosed that the vehicles, including sedans, a uniquely crafted SUV and an all-terrain P16 pick-up, are assembled at Dana’s plant in Lagos. The line-up, it was learnt at the presentation, will be expanded in due course.
DFM was introduced at the launch as one of the global brands with vehicles known for their innovative designs and impressive engineering across the globe. A native of China, DFM has continued to spread its operations across the world with its growing network covering Africa, and now Nigeria.
Speaking on the collaboration, Managing Director/CEO of Dana Motors, Jacky Hathiramani, remarked, “All of us at Dana Motors are extremely proud to introduce DFM, the leading Chinese brand into the Nigerian automotive market. And we are here to build more than just great cars. We aim to set a new standard in the Nigerian auto industry by providing consumers with world-class products and services while engaging customers exceptionally with quality service deliveries at every touch point.
“Having been a major stakeholder and the leading company in the Nigerian auto industry, Dana Motors Limited has been offering best-in-class brands with a second to none after-sales service to customers in the country for over two decades. Together, both Dana Motors Limited and DFM Global, are committed to providing the best-in-class cars to meet our esteemed customers’ vehicular requirements and exceed their expectations with quality after sales services.”
Hathiramani was represented by a friend of the Dana Group, Alh. Hassan Grema.
The Commercial Manager, DFM Africa, Henry Lian, and the Principal Partner, DFM Nigeria, Stanley Ebeigbe, recommended the brand and its models to the guests, expressing their optimism that the vehicles would succeed in the local market, given their pedigree and performance in other countries.
Lian described DFM as the manufacturer of award-winning vehicles which are currently among the best-sellers in their country of origin, China, as well as some parts of Africa, where they endeared themselves to users with their attractive designs, high-tech features, and reliability.
The Commercial Manager affirmed that the brand’s distinctive design identity runs through the entire line-up of vehicles, making them immediately recognisable all over the world. He also stressed that the initial DFM model range in Nigeria is a foretaste of a big plan for the Nigerian auto market.
On the provision of after-sales service support for Dana Motors, Henry stated that the DFM global team was available to provide all the necessary spare parts and expertise in partnership with Dana Motors Limited.
The Vice President of Dana Motors, Olu Tikolo, assured guests that the locally produced compact sedan, SUV and all-terrain pick-up are specially built for the Nigerian market.
“We are delighted to announce that DFM brand model range will be produced here in Lagos,” said Tikolo. “Producing the vehicles in our assembly plant will enable us to sell highly tropicalised products in the Nigerian market while providing greater flexibility for our local customers.”
Dana Motors explained at the event that producing DFM in Nigeria would also enable it position the leading Chinese brand as one of the country’s fast-growing Asian auto marques.
“Dana Motors’ long-term objective with DFM brand is to replicate the success it has made with other motoring brands, it has been associated with over the years and, as rooted in its core operational drive, it’s poised to ensure that, ‘The Commitment to Service’, is reflected in everything it does in the Nigerian auto industry,” said Dana Motors Marketing Manager, Olawale Jimoh.


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Palm Oil News: Malaysia expects production rebound, rules out export restrictions
Malaysia has ruled out export restrictions and also expects production to rebound later this year as pandemic-related restrictions ease. Many countries around the world are embracing food protectionism to secure local supplies and combat rising food prices, fueled in part by supply shocks caused by the war in Ukraine. Indonesia had temporarily banned palm oil exports but recently lifted it with some runners.
Here are 10 changes:
1) Malaysia has ruled out cutting cooking oil exports as it has enough supplies to meet domestic demand.
2) Malaysia expects palm oil production to rebound to 23-25m tonnes in 2022 from 18.1m tonnes last year amid labor shortages due to the pandemic are easing and that foreign workers are allowed to return to the fields.
3) The labor situation on local plantations is likely to return to pre-pandemic levels by June, as problems with admitting foreign workers are being resolved, which will put Palm oil yields on track to increase in the second half of the year, said Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin.
4) Indonesia has reopened exports of crude palm oil (CPO) and some of its derivative products from May 23, but export permits will be required to show companies have met a so- called domestic market obligation (DMO).
5) The Indonesian government has yet to release details of the DMO, but Chief Economy Minister Airlangga Hartarto has said the goal is to keep 10 million tons of cooking oil at home .
6) Last year, Indonesia produced 51 million tons of palm oil and palm oil, of which about 9 million tons were consumed locally for food.
7) Indonesia is the biggest exporter of palm oil – used in everything from margarine to shampoo – accounting for around 60% of the world’s supply.
8) To restrain domestic edible oil prices, the Indian government has allowed duty-free imports of 2 million tons each of crude soybean oil and crude sunflower oil for the current and next fiscal year until March 2024.
9) India, which imports more than two-thirds of its edible oil, had previously abolished the basic import tax on crude palm oil, crude soybean oil and crude sunflower oil, but maintained a 5% tax known as the Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC) on these three grades of edible oils.
10) The industry body, Solvent Extractors Association of India, had called on the government to also consider reducing or abolishing the 5% AIDC on crude palm oil. (With contributions from the agency)

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BRENTWOOD, TN — Comdata Corporation, a leader in electronic payment innovation, announced its Smart Solutions point-of-sale systems will serve as an approved option for CHS’s 1,400 convenience stores nationwide, which operate under the Cenex energy brand.
Comdata Smart Solutions deliver flexible point-of-sale systems that enable store operators to consolidate convenience store, fuel and other profit centers into a single platform. PCI PA-DSS compliant, Smart Solutions is also integrated with multiple payment types, including the leading fleet cards.
“At CHS, we strive to develop relationships that deliver value to our locations,” said Rick Cummings, vice president of refined fuels marketing for CHS. “Comdata’s rich experience in the industry helps it understand the challenges facing petroleum marketers, and Smart Solutions will allow marketers to consolidate equipment, reduce costs and improve operational efficiency.”
“We are pleased to work with CHS on this venture,” said Randy Morgan, executive vice president of sales at Comdata. “CHS is dedicated to providing high-quality service at each of its locations, and Smart Solutions’ unique ability to effectively manage both diesel transactions and other, more traditional convenience store purchases should provide a key benefit in its ability to create additional value for their customers.”
The national average price of regular unleaded has remained flat at $2.86 per gallon for the week ending Aug. 13 in which consumer demand fell and gasoline inventories increased for the first time in six weeks, according to AAA.


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Platinum and Palladium Rally Ahead of New Russian Exports
Published: June 20, 1997
Platinum and palladium futures prices rallied yesterday on the New York Mercantile Exchange, reflecting scarce supplies ahead of renewed Russian shipments.
On other commodity markets, coffee prices rose and energy prices drifted lower.
Russia is set to begin shipping supplies of platinum and palladium to Japanese automobile, computer and jewelry manufacturers as early as today, but Japanese trade officials said that it was unlikely that large quantities of the metals would become available before the first week of July.
Russia, which produces two-thirds of the world's supply of palladium and is second in platinum production to South Africa, has not shipped either metal for six months. The Russian shipping authority, Almaz, said on Wednesday that it had obtained licenses to begin exports, but bureaucratic problems have delayed movement in the past.
In addition, analysts said, the approaching expiration of the nearby futures contract months for platinum and palladium has forced market participants to compete for scant available supplies to cover their positions. July platinum rose $5.80, to $412.70 an ounce; September palladium rose 75 cents, to $170.20 an ounce.
Gold and silver futures prices rose on the diminishing likelihood that European countries will sell parts of their gold reserves to meet fiscal requirements for a combined European Union currency, according to Tim Porter, an analyst at Refco Inc.
August gold rose $1.40, to $342.20 an ounce; July silver rose 5 cents, to $4.745 an ounce.
Coffee prices rose in light trading on the Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange in New York amid expectations that warehouse inventories in the United States will remain well below normal before new supplies begin trickling in this fall. September coffee rose 4.3 cents, to $1.798 a pound.
Energy futures prices continued their retreat in reaction to an industry report that showed gasoline inventories rising amid heavy production and light consumption since the start of the peak driving season.
July crude oil fell 12 cents, to $18.67 a barrel, and July unleaded gasoline fell 0.69 cent, to 56.09 cents a gallon.


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Last year, we published a story on the launch of a new ecommerce brand called Frank Body that sells coffee based skincare products. The startup leapt out of the gates as an instant hit, mostly due to its on point marketing strategy which has not only been one of the most effective social media campaigns by an Australian startup in the last 12 months, but it has converted brand awareness into cash, and buyers into loyal fans.
The masses of Frank Body fans from across the globe have been aptly dubbed ‘frankfurts’. The co-founding team of Erika Geraerts, Jess Hatzis and Bree Johnson along with Steve Rowley and Alex Boffa created the company to help users reduce cellulite and other skin ‘imperfections’. They use ground coffee beans laced with a concoction of exotic fruit and scented plant oils.
“Like a lot of people, we were disenchanted with our current exfoliators: big promises, price tags, chemical components and brands with no personality. Frank Body is a simple product with a simple strategy, to make women feel great about themselves,” said Johnson.
Interestingly, a lot of the sales for Frank Body come from Instagram, which is by far, the business’ most successful social media channel. And the business announced this week that revenue this financial year will most likely exceed the $20 million mark – making it one of the fastest ecommerce starters in the country.
The startup is also being backed by Officeworks at the moment (from a non-financial promotional perspective). Officeworks is promoting this pending milestone publicly as part of the company’s entrepreneurial focused campaign in conjunction with the sponsorship being shown around Channel Ten programme Shark Tank. Whilst it might seem like a bit of a mismatch from a promotional standpoint, the fact that Officeworks is putting such a focus on the startup space sends a strong message out to the ecosystem about the willingness of enterprise to get involved with new and creative ideas.
The Frank team has also recently started to add new products to the mix outside of the body scrub line, launching a new body balm product last year. With such strong branding and packaging teamed with an impeccable UI and UX on the website, it is no wonder that the company is turning into the beauty and cosmetics juggernaut that it is.
Frank Body products are manufactured in Melbourne and sold exclusively via their online store – a clever move considering their customer base is rapidly growing across the United States, Canada, Europe and the United Kingdom. In fact these markets are rapidly catching up to its original and largest market, Australia.


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India has become a hotspot for football with major football clubs targeting its marketing potential. Recently, Manchester City boss Ferran Soriano was in India to talk about future investments/partnership with Indian brands. While other football clubs like Liverpool FC, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid among others have made their presence felt in India through partnerships and events.
Leading the count of the most number of fans in India is Manchester United Football Club, with a fan base of 35 million. Manchester United's #ILOVEUNITED event in India has gained quite prominence among fans as well. United's ambassador, Denis Irwin and club legend and former striker, Louis Saha returned to India, having previously represented the club in February 2016 for this season's #ILOVEUNITED which took place in Mumbai on 20th January.
The Drum spoke with Sean Jefferson, director of partnerships for United, the world’s most valuable soccer team, worth $3.69bn according to Forbes, to find out the marketing strategy behind the event.
He says: "We are proud to have a global following of 659m fans and we feel it is important to take the club to the fans as often as we can. We do this every minute of every day through our media platforms,with our latest figures showing we receive 147m connections across all social media platforms, including Manutd.com, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Sina Weibo and Line,as well as also stage these physical events which allow our fans to engage with the club.
"Our partners are fully integrated into the international strategy and we work closely with them to select cities, venues, and activations which work for them and our fans. We want to recognise and reward the loyal support we receive from our fans, some of whom will never have the chance to visit Manchester, by bringing a little bit of the United dream to them."
"The last fan party we hosted in Mumbai during the 16/17 season saw over 4,000 fans attend the event, creating an unbelievable atmosphere. Watching a match with that many of your fellow supporters is enthralling and helps recreate the atmosphere of Old Trafford."
United's Indian partners include Apollo Tyres and HCL. Earlier, Chevrolet did a lot of sponsorship activation too, but General Motors' India departure last year has 'limited' its engagement in India. Meanwhile, Gulf, Adidas and Apollo have intensified Manchester United's promotion in India with OOH marketing.
#ILOVEUNITED has already covered three locations covered this season, which includes Shanghai, New York and Mumbai. As to how the sponsors are supporting the #ILOVEUNITED events, Jefferson says: "We have had over 20,000 applicants for tickets, filling each venue to capacity. In Shanghai and New York the club hosted over 3,000 fans between them and we are expecting a full house again this weekend, with almost 10,000 fans applying for tickets for a 3,000 capacity venue, demonstrating the demand for attendance at these kinds of events. We have worked with over 29 sponsors across each location and this weekend’s Indian leg of #ILOVEUNTIED is being supported by Adidas, Aeroflot, Apollo, Concha y Toro, Epson, Gulf, HCL, TAG Heuer and Uber."
The sponsors activated around the event are also offering guests various opportunities to engage with the legends and the club, such as competitions, giveaways, VIP discounts or options to purchase exclusive products.
Fifa U-17 World Cup, which took place last year and India's own football league Indian Super League (ISL), has generated a lot of brand interest in football. However, The Drum recently spoke with ISL team Delhi Dynamos Football Club's (DDFC) marketing head Priyanshu Pande who said that the sponsorship investments are grossly undervalued by brands underestimating ISL.
Whether United plans to include any more sponsors from India, Jefferson says: "With India being such an important market for the club, we are always looking at further partnership opportunities. A number of our global partners are either headquartered in India, or have India as a very high priority market. We have close to 35m followers in India, which is a huge audience for any partner. However, it has to be the right partnership with the right company - ones who can enhance the offering we give to our fans as well as complement the club and its reputation at the pinnacle of world football."
United has already opened Soccer Schools in Mumbai and further intensified its investment in China and in October last year, signing a strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia that will see the club help the Kingdom's General Sports Authority to create a sustainable and thriving football sector.
According to Jefferson, the club's overall strategy is to continue to grow its fan base, to deepen engagement with the fans, and to help the current and future sponsors derive value from the partnerships.
He says: "We will continue to grow the commercial side of our business and see our long-standing, loyal and expanding family of fans in the region as being key to our success. We will also further develop our retail, merchandising, apparel and product licensing business, exploit new media and content opportunities and enhance the reach and distribution of our broadcasting rights."
As to what is the club's APAC strategy, he says: "The opportunities to engage with our huge family of fans means that there is significant potential in the region and the continued growth of business in this area makes it an attractive area in which to operate. The club has had an office in Hong Kong for the last four years, providing a central hub for partners within APAC, employing staff who speak the languages, know and understand the different cultures and importantly who are in the same time zone.This has allowed the club to develop further its business interests within the region. As I think with most international companies these days, the region as a whole and the individual countries within, it remain an important key market for the club."
Jefferson however, thinks that football has yet to become a brand in APAC. He says: "The sport has always been popular in APAC, more so in some countries than others, but I think the global appeal of the sport has increased. Manchester United alone has well over 300m followers in the APAC, which demonstrates the power and reach of football in the region. It used to be that if you travelled away from home you had to try and find a sports bar in whatever city you were in, that was showing the game."
"These days, not only is the game readily available with host broadcasters buying into the Premier League, which has a yearly broadcasting value of $3.7bn, but it is also just as easy to legally watch online or through various different devices making the game more accessible to global fans."


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In an interview with Michelle Pickering, Kraft Foods research and development control manager for the Middle East and Africa, it was announced that Kraft will be considering the creation of two independently publicly traded companies.
She said, 'Kraft's aim is to be a global snack powerhouse.’ Kraft's first big step towards this change was in buying Cadbury. Eighteen months into the Cadbury integration, the company has built a global snacking platform and a North American grocery business that now differ in future strategic priorities, growth profiles and operational focus.
In mid August, despite the recession hitting an all time low on the American stock market, Kraft experienced an all time high in market share value emphasising this decision was on track with global market needs. ‘As our second quarter results once again show, our businesses are benefiting from a virtuous cycle of growth and investment which we fully expect will continue,’ said Irene Rosenfeld, chairman and CEO of Kraft Foods.
The first of Kraft's new companies: Global snacks is worth an estimated $32 billion and the second: North American grocery business an estimated $18 billion. 'Everything's happening so quickly we still don't know what we are going to be called,' said Pickering.
Global snacks will consist of the current Kraft Foods Europe, developing markets units and the North American snacks and confectionery businesses. Key brands will include, Oreo and LU biscuits, Cadbury and Milka chocolates, Trident gum, Jacobs coffee and Tang powdered beverages.
The North American grocery business will have a highly competitive retail presence, cost leadership and a continued commitment to innovation and marketing excellence. Key brands will include Kraft macaroni and cheese, Oscar Mayer meats, Philadelphia cream cheese, Maxwell House coffee, Capri Sun beverages, Jell-O desserts and Miracle Whip salad dressing.
Over the course of Kraft’s strategic transformation, the board of directors and management have explored opportunities to further enhance performance and increase long-term shareholder value and believe that creating two independent public companies was the next logical step.
‘The focus and other benefits that come from creating two companies will provide even greater opportunities for our people and our brands,’ concluded Rosenfeld.


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01 December 2017
UPDATE: 13 November, 2017
Newer images were leaked recently which bring the design aspects of the device in accordance to earlier renders. The handset features a traditional flip phone with two 4-inch screens on both sides of the upper module. The lower part of the SM-W2018 features 15 sets of keys housed alongside a circular capacitive dial.
This year we haven't seen much clamshell smartphones but the South Korean giant is amongst those manufacturers who wants to retain the form factor of clamshell smartphones. So far the company released couple of flip smartphones targetting different niches of customers in few markets. From last few months, we heard rumors the company is working on a new flagship flip smartphone. However much of the details regarding the device were dark until today. Today we have first set of live images of upcomig clamshell flagship from Samsung.
The upcoming device will be released as SM-W2018 but it is still in dark when it will be official. The device form factor and striking design surely will prompt many customers to grab one when it is announced. The leaked images showcased the device is featuring dual displays to give premium feel. The build quality also seems pretty good.
Last month we heard the company starting the testing of SM-W2018 and also the device firmware details appeared online which suggest its firmware version is W2018ZCU0AQI9. From what we know so far the SM-W2018 is featuring a 4.2-inches display with Full HD screen resolution. The Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 SoC is powering the device with 6GB RAM and built-in storage is 64GB. The device rear primary snapper is 12MP and the front-facing selfie snapper is 5MP. A 2,300mAh battery cell is on board to keep its lights on.
So far Samsung released their Android running flip smartphones for the Chinese customers and we can expect the SM-W2018 will also be initially released for People's Republic. Stay tuned, we will keep you updated as soon as some more info regarding the device appears online.


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Venture capitalist Peter Thiel may be looking to buy online news site Gawker.com, BuzzFeed said on Wednesday.
Thiel's lawyers have objected to the currently ongoing sale process of Gawker.com, saying that he has been prohibited unreasonably from bidding for the website's assets, the internet media company reported, citing a federal bankruptcy court filing. (http://bzfd.it/2zYuQmk)
Thiel, who is Facebook Inc's first major investor and a co-founder of payment service PayPal, is known for funding the Hulk Hogan lawsuit that led to the shutdown of Gawker. The site published an article in 2007 about Thiel's homosexuality.
He may buy the defunct website to stop any legal threats against him or to remove content, BuzzFeed reported.
(Reporting by Arjun Panchadar in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva)


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Justin Bieber continues to bring the holiday cheer – and this time he’s getting a little help from Mariah Carey.
Bieber and Carey debuted the music video for “All I Want for Christmas” during the the Christmas in Rockefeller Center special on Wednesday.
PHOTOS: Top 10 Highest Paid Music Artists
The video starts with a Santa spreading his holiday cheer on the street, and then transitions to a more scantily clad Mariah Carey standing against a brick wall in a store. She’s also dressed in a Santa-type suit.
Bieber and a few friends roll by with a shopping cart, and can’t help but notice Carey, who is belting out the holiday classic.
The duet continues with Bieber taking over a verse, and then they proceed to hand out presents to adoring fans. There’s also a sleigh – and a puppy.
The video was shot after hours at the Macy’s Department Store.
VIDEO: Justin Bieber Brings Christmas Spirit
The song is off of Bieber’s holiday album, Under the Mistletoe. He has already released a video of his song with Boyz II Men and another holiday pop song, “Mistletoe.”
Beiber’s Christmas album features a mix of both traditional holiday standards and also some original tracks (many co-written by the singer himself). Usher, The Band Perry and Busta Ryhmes also appear on the album.
Watch the video below:
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Jul. 14th, 2009 2:48 pm
Konami has released a new video for Pro Evolution Soccer 2010, this time featuring Producer Shingo 'Seabass' Takatsuka. Konami has spent the last year expanding the development team's capabilities, and created a number of dedicated sub-teams, each striving to further improve their respective parts of the game both in the short and long term.
The newly-expanded Tokyo-based PES Productions team has also worked hard to create the most vivid player recreations to date. Player expressions are now fully implemented, while the level of detail has been extended to individual skin textures and different weaves for the various kits (jerseys) to mimic the breathable material that many manufacturers use today.
HD (1280x720) | SD (640x360)


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Last month, we learned that Ozzfest would be going to the Metaverse as part of the Metaverse Music Festival, which takes place in Decentraland, a 3D virtual world browser platform. You don’t need any real knowledge of NFTs or crypto to attend: it’s free, no tickets or VR headset required.
While this all still sounds a little silly, Ozzfest has announced the first wave of performers and it’s pretty sick. Motörhead, Megadeth, Black Label Society and Skid Row were just added to the bill, alongside an Ozzy headlining set.
From the official Ozzfest Instagram:
One thing this event is very obviously missing is young artists; when Black Label Society are the youngest band a festival that used to launch young bands’ careers to new heights, it’s hard not to want some fresh talent, especially because there aren’t even any in-person logistics to consider.
Some more general info about the fest:
“MVMF will be presented together with Kraken and is free for all to attend, no ticket or headset required. Just RSVP to this event!


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A directory of suppliers who provide fabrics and other materials to the airport sector. You will also find all the latest news about these suppliers and the sector here.
Lindner has delivered passenger terminals, lounges, shops and airline office projects in locations worldwide.
Sign up to our weekly newsletter to have all the latest global industry news straight to your inbox.
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M-Health has been touted as the next-big thing in healthcare. We believe it’s more than a big thing, we believe that it’s where people want to interact, and mobile provides the opportunity to influence people much more than simply e-health. It makes sense right? Even if you sit at a computer all day, your mobile device travels with you and is always on. Some people are even sleeping with their devices.
Don’t take our word for it though, we’ve compiled some really interesting information and statistics on the growth of mobile and why it’s so important for healthcare.
Mobile Usage and Demographics
Starting from usage, The Harvard Business Review has an interesting take on the Rise of the Mobile User.
“55 percent of Americans said they’d used a mobile device to access the internet in 2012. A surprisingly large number — 31 percent — of these mobile internet users say that’s the primary way they access the web.”
What’s interesting about this, is that it crosses income lines. When we first started Wellpepper, one of the common objections we heard to our mobile focus was that “poor or old people don’t have smartphones” so we couldn’t reach enough of the population. That’s proving not to be true, in particularly because of the types of offers that the carriers provide. People who are accessing the Internet only through their cell phones may have never owned a personal computer.
Tablet technology has also opened up computing to a larger group of people. The ubiquitous iPad is used by babies and grandparents alike. Mobile Marketing Watch reports that 53% of seniors are online, 33% use social media and 70% have a cell phone. Over 50% of people in the US have a smartphone and we know that number is going to keep growing.
“78 Million baby boomers use technology to stay in touch with loved ones, connect online and improve health.” Not really surprising is it?
Mobile for Health
According to an Accenture study of 1,100 people, 90% want to use digital to manage their healthcare. However, they see this as a way to augment in-person visits. 85% of those surveyed also want to communicate in-person with their doctors.
Consumers already understand the value of electronic and mobile communications to improve their healthcare: 63% of respondents to the Accenture study want to receive reminders for preventative or follow-up care on their mobile devices.
Research2Guidance reports that 500M people will be using healthcare mobile apps by 2015. Ralf-Gordon Jahns, Head of Research at research2guidance, points out “Our findings indicate that the long-expected mobile revolution in healthcare is set to happen. Both healthcare providers and consumers are embracing smartphones as a means to improving healthcare.”
The Pew Internet Foundation’s recent study looked at people who track health indicators. Tracking indicators is a positive way to improve health outcomes. They found that while up to 60% of people track some health indicator, only 21% of those who do this are using some form of technology to do so. Most people are keeping track in their head or on paper. Given the benefits of recording the information, like seeing progress overtime and being able to share that information with a loved one or healthcare professional, again, we think this is a trend that will only increase.
The Rise of the Mobile Only User Harvard Business Review
Tracking for Health Pew Internet Research
500M People to Use Mobile Apps for Tracking Health FastCompany summary
Mobile Health Report Research2Guidance


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Do online grocers have a transparency problem?
Just over half (53 percent) of shoppers buying groceries online find it either challenging or extremely challenging to make sure a product meets their diet and wellness goals, according to recent research from Label Insight and FMI, the food industry association.
The survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers who shopped in-store and online for groceries the month prior found only 18 percent never run into challenges.
The majority of those who have adopted online grocery shopping (64 percent) were highly focused on buying products for diets or other health-related programs, either for themselves or other household members.
“Given how the grocery landscape has evolved due to COVID-19, customer expectations have reached new heights, especially when it comes to their focus on health and wellness,” said Tim Whiting, VP, marketing at Label Insight, in a statement.
A new university study from researchers analyzing 12 grocery store websites likewise found shortcomings in online information, including that 15 percent of the sites were missing the Nutrition Facts panel and ingredient statement required on product packaging.
Other findings of the study:
- The legibility of nutrition facts panels and ingredient statements varied drastically, with some being ranked as having “exceptional legibility” and others having “poor legibility.”
- Most stores offered the ability to filter search results by a nutrition-related food category, such as a search for gluten-free foods.
- No stores offered the ability to sort search results by a specific nutrition element, such as the milligrams of sodium per serving or per item.
Further research is planned on which nutrition information on online grocery shopping sites is lacking and the potential reasons for the gaps and their possible solutions.
A lack of uniformity online seems to be one challenge as some grocery sites attempt to mimic the experience of reading circulars and others do not. Fulfilling information needs beyond nutritional content is also necessary. A YouGov survey from last year found the most important factor when grocery shopping (offline and online) was cost, cited by 88 percent; followed in the top-five by ease of preparation, 76 percent; speed of preparation, 68 percent; fat content, 66 percent; and where it is sourced from, also 66 percent.
- STUDY: Two-thirds of omnichannel grocery shoppers are shopping with a diet or other health-related program in mind – Label Insight/FMI/PRNewswire
- Transparency Trends: Omnichannel Grocery Shopping from the Consumer Perspective – Label Insight/FMI
- How to Eat Healthy When You Shop for Groceries Online – Consumer Reports
- Quality of grocery store website product nutrition information online – University of Minnesota
- How Online Grocery Stores Support Consumer Nutrition Information Needs – Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
- Whole Foods Market Launches Online Product Experience Tailored to Dietary Preferences – Whole Foods Market/WebWire
- While shopping for groceries, Americans deem cost more important than nutritional information – YouGov
- SpartanNash to make ‘the healthy choice the easy choice’ for consumers with Nutrition Pathways nutrition and lifestyle attributes – SpartanNash
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Is finding nutrition and other information about food items still much easier in-store than online? Do you see challenges accessing online content as more of a learning curve for shoppers or will it require an overhaul of many grocery websites?


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July 23, 2009 |
MUMBAI: Trade Fairs and Conference International (TFCI), a leading producer of premiere business & technology events, organised a summit - 'DataCenter 2009, India's largest conference focusing on the green initiatives in Data Centers. The objective of the conference was to provide a holistic approach to the enterprises on drivers that can help build greener data centers. Considering the current tough market conditions, the conference also highlighted the benefits that can be achieved from environment-friendly server environments.
July 13, 2009 |
SHIMLA: After its successful run in Latin America and some African countries, the US-based non-profit organisation "One laptop per Child" (OLPC) has launched the programme in India to equip students with specially designed laptop at subsidised rate for better learning. "Over 1,000 laptops have been made available to students in the age group of 5-12 in 20 schools in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu," OLPC President and CEO Satish Jha, who was at Kasauli in Solan district, told PTI. The scheme would be launched in Himachal Pradesh and other states soon, he said, adding the group aims to distribute three lakh laptops by the end of 2009.
February 8, 2004 |
Pitched battles aren't quite the stuff that one associates with geeks, but the Microsoft-Linux face-off is assuming legendary proportions as it spills on to Indian turf. At stake isn't just a question of source code but billions of dollars worth of marketshare. There's a lot of cloak and dagger tactics with rumours fuelling the fire. Typically, the involved parties refuse to come on record. Linux first began drawing attention as an alternative of sorts to proprietary software after Red Hat's entry into India.
December 23, 2009 |
NEW YORK: Wall Street stocks wobbled on Wednesday after a surprisingly weak report on US new home sales dampened some of the optimism from strong earnings news and data showing gains in US income and spending. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 12.70 points (0.12 percent) to 10,452.23 at 1605 GMT, reversing course after a modestly positive opening. The technology-rich Nasdaq composite climbed 5.92 points (0.26 percent) to 2,258.59 while the broad-market Standard & Poor's 500 index edged down a fractional 0.14 points (0.01 percent)
July 31, 2003 |
The Lexmark T632 is a useful multi-function printer that is ideal for complex jobs in a shared printing environment. It has a print speed of upto 38 ppm, a short warm up time and features an internal PDF function that facilitates "drag and print" simplicity for printing graphic files. This printer is suited to growing businesses as it provides users with a wide range of options, including additional input trays, advanced finishing and duplex. The device can be upgraded to a complete multifunction solution to copy, fax, scan and email from a single device.
January 19, 2005 |
Small and mid size Indian businesses are turning to electronic communication, shaking off in the process their traditional dependence on sales staff and telephone to gather data from channel partners. Parallely, several Indian firms which have till now resisted investment in technology are beginning to spend on software and hardware tools to speed up growth and gain competitive advantage. One consequence of the spurt in this IT spend is a new breed of companies coming up with software products, based on open source platforms.
July 29, 2007 |
Dell will soon offer more personal computers that use the Linux operating system instead of Microsoft Corp's Windows, said the founder of a company that offers Linux support services. Mark Shuttleworth, who created a version of Linux software named Ubuntu, said Dell is happy with the demand it has seen for Linux PCs that were introduced in May. Dell, the world's second-largest PC maker after Hewlett-Packard, now offers three consumer PCs that run Ubuntu Linux. "What's been announced to date is not the full extent of what we will see over the next couple of weeks and months," Shuttleworth said an interview.
June 24, 2006 |
NEW DELHI: In a major victory for the Open Document Format (ODF) Alliance spearheaded by Sun Microsystems, IBM, Novell, Red Hat and Oracle in India, and a setback to Microsoft, several government departments in Delhi have decided to switch over to the freely available, ODF-based free source suites from proprietary office suites (mostly MS Office). Initiated as a cost-cutting exercise, the move is expected to save government departments crores of rupees spent each year in buying licences for office suites from vendors such as Microsoft.
November 6, 2007 |
MUMBAI: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has said the use of technology was spreading rapidly in India, but not so much through the conventional mode of personal computers, but through gadgets such as mobile phones, requiring software companies to enhance features of user interface. Arriving in Mumbai on a whistle-stop tour to India, Ballmer sought to pitch Microsoft's strengths in improving user experience and spur technology debate around the online capabilities of non-computer devices.
June 7, 2009 |
SQL Star has been on top of the crest of every wave since it was born as a company. During the socialist years of the Indian economy, there was high demand for education companies. Ask any well-heeled database software developer and he would point to SQL Star and Oracle Education as the two brands he would have gone for in the 80's . It is true, SQL Star has been responsible for many a diploma in Oracle database development in its various flavours; right from 7.1 to the grid computing software of 10g now. Now SQL Star has diversified its expertise to more than just Oracle courses.


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Dozens of Ontario cities, towns and villages have hung keep-out signs on their borders, opting out of hosting pot shops.
On Wednesday morning, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario’s website had a decision recorded for all 414 communities granted the opt-out right by the province. The results: 77 municipalities had decided to prohibit the shops. These included large centres like Mississauga, Markham, Oakville, Pickering, Richmond Hill and Vaughan in the 905 regions surrounding Toronto. Toronto itself voted yes to the shops and is scheduled to see five open April Fool’s Day.
The total number opting in was 337. Of that, 54 did not hold copuncil votes, which automatically included them on the opt-in side.
Municipalities that chose to opt out by the Jan. 22 deadline can reconsider and welcome the stores anytime. But a decision to allow them is irrevocable.
Communities that refused the stores, however, have forsaken their full stake in a $40-million implementation fund the province is providing to help defray any increased policing, education or public health costs the shops may bring to welcoming municipalities.
Read More: Which GTA cities voted to opt-in to allow pot stores? Which ones opted out?
Rod Elliot, a senior vice-president and cannabis expert at the consulting firm Global Public Affairs, says the decision to opt out was largely made by older, more conservative councils that still saw a shady haze around cannabis.
“Most local governments rely on the advice of staff reports and I don’t think I came across one city staff report that recommended opting out,” Elliot says. “So the decision by some councils to opt out I think was purely political.”
He saw two main factors. First, the stodginess of older, more socially conservative councils and communities, who frowned on the concept of legal cannabis. Second, “I think the big shocker was Mississauga opting out early and I think that got a lot of people’s attention,” he says.
On Dec. 12, the decision to bar the stores in Mississauga (population 722,000) shocked many — and gave other GTA communities cover to do the same, Elliot says. As well, he says, many opt-out communities resented the lack of control granted them by the province to decide where stores could be located within their precincts.
Even Toronto, which opted in Dec. 13, did so with an attached provision that the city be given greater control over shop placements.
Nick Pateras, vice-president of strategy at the cannabis resource and information company Lift & Co., says large store-free stretches of territory anywhere could draw black-market operations.
“If there’s a whole territory of municipalities that opt out there is a risk that you have a secondary market that would be illegal,” he says.
And aside from traditional dealers, these areas could also invite ordinary people from opted-in communities to stockpile products and sell them to acquaintances or friends in dry districts. While online sales are available to shopless districts, many pot connoisseurs prefer to buy products they can see and smell, Pateras says.
Brampton, the 905’s second largest community, voted overwhelmingly this week to accept the stores, giving cities to the west of Toronto easier access.
A large majority of the communities that said yes, however, will not see stores opening there anytime soon. The first 25 licences — for which a lottery earlier this month gave winners a chance to apply — can only be used in communities with populations greater than 50,000.
But many in the industry expect pot production shortages that badly disrupted recreational rollouts — both online and in physical operations following legalization Oct. 17 — will be remedied by year’s end.
And the rush of store openings that should follow will see the free-for all market anticipated earlier become a reality. Reticent communities may find it harder to deny the stores as retailers open shops along their borders, some experts says.
In the meantime, Pateras says the Ontario map has been sufficiently covered by opt-in communities that a healthy retail cannabis market could emerge across the province in coming years.
“After today’s deadline, the ball is now in the court of the retailers to open welcoming storefronts with well-trained employees who will guide informed consumer purchase decisions,” said Lift’s CEO, Matei Olaru. “Anything less will bolster the black market and discourage other municipalities from opting in later with a greater degree of comfort.
“In general, I’m seeing municipalities opting in who have a stake in capitalizing on the economic benefits of retail. Border cities like Windsor and Niagara Falls stand to benefit from cannabis tourism from the U.S., and Barrie has the potential to capture cottage country. There is also an opportunity for well-placed retail in cities like Hamilton, Brampton and Oshawa, who can draw traffic from the string of GTA cities surrounding Toronto who have opted out.”


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Results tagged with 'Fast Food'
Published Nov. 21, 2017
Did McDonald's just come up with the greatest promotion of all time? Possibly yes. This Black Friday from 10 a.m. to noon, a random McDonald's in southeastern Wisconsin will be giving out a $100 Visa gift card to a random guest every 10 minutes.
Published Oct. 21, 2017
Last fall, in its quest to live up to Ving Rhames' beefy boast that WE HAVE THE MEATS, the fast food restaurant introduced a venison sandwich to the public. Today, it was brought back to all Arby's locations - so, of course, we had to try it.
Published Oct. 16, 2017
Arby's has worked hard over the past several years to live up to its beefy boast that it has the meats - and that now includes a venison sandwich, which it'll release across the country for one day this weekend.
Published June 26, 2017
McDelivery on UberEATS is available at more than 50 McDonald's restaurants throughout Milwaukee.
Published April 7, 2017
It looks like Wisconsin is getting its first Shake Shack with a location coming to Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward neighborhood. Four local managerial jobs are listed on the company's website.
View the other 45 articles
Expert answers to your health and wellness questionsBy Terra CardwellQuestion: I love fast food, but I am trying to lose weight and improve my health. Is it okay to eat fast foods while on a diet program?Answer: NO! Your current habits are what led you to the situation of wanting to change your l...
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Apple announced today that the new version of its iOS software — which powers the iPhone, the iPad, and the iPod touch — will be available to the public on October 12th.
Among other things, the new operating system deeply integrates Twitter throughout the iOS experience.
This announcement coincides with the imminent launch of new iPhone hardware. The iPhone is currently the world’s most popular smartphone and the iPad is the most popular tablet computer. 90% of the Fortune 500 companies are currently testing or deploying the iPhone, and 92% are testing or deploying the iPad, according to Apple CEO Tim Cook.
The added Twitter integration will make it easier for iPhone and iPad owners to tweet updates to their friends, and those updates could potentially be about your business.
Additionally, iOS 5 includes a new system for managing notifications like text messages, sales available through apps, or location-based pop-ups alerting friends that they’re near daily deals and other things of interest. It also adds many new features to the Safari mobile web browser and the device’s email functionality and camera.
Other features include Newsstand, a marketplace for digital magazines similar to iBooks for books, a new reminders system, and support for Apple’s iCloud service, which lets iPhone and iPad owners store apps, music, videos, and other media on the internet and download those things automatically to any iOS device. iCloud will also launch on October 12th.


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Stadium Jumbotrons can show crude animations or a single live video image, and electronic signs such as the Reuters billboard in New York City’s Times Square already post live Internet news feeds. But thanks to advances in software, huge new screens will soon weave together Web pages, Flash and Shockwave animation, and multiple video feeds of events taking place anywhere in the world.
Such gigantic displays are, in essence, the world’s largest Internet terminals. To run the 365-square-meter video wall under construction at the Fashion Show shopping center in Las Vegas, NV, therefore, engineers at R/GA, a digital studio in New York, spent nine months building a powerful new “scheduling engine” based on extensible markup language, the emerging lingua franca of the Internet. The engine handles all the disparate types of media for the wall, and unlike the software that supported the first generation of large video displays and required powerful graphics supercomputers, it runs on a cluster of off-the-shelf PCs.
The display’s ever-changing montage might show a live video feed of fashion models in Milan swooping across a background of still photos, getting bigger and then shrinking to nothing as the background dissolves to a commercial for jeans. “This level of control is very new,” says John Mayo-Smith, R/GA’s vice president of technology. And because they’re connected to the Internet, he says, “these displays can be modified from anywhere and in real time.” Talk about mass media.
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Mah Sing gets nod to market medical gloves in US
06 Dec 2021
Mah Sing Group Bhd’s healthcare business unit, Mah Sing Healthcare Sdn Bhd, is poised to market medical-grade examination gloves in the United States after obtaining premarket notification clearances from the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The property developer, which diversified into glove manufacturing this year, said the subsidiary had received the US FDA’s notification letter dated Dec 4, 2021, on the 510(k) premarket notification clearances to market nitrile examination gloves.
“This shall be updated on the FDA website in due course,” the company said in a filing with Bursa Malaysia today.
Mah Sing’s glove division began operation in May 2021. In June, the company announced it was ready for export to Europe after getting PC Management System Pvt Ltd’s Conformitè Europëenne (CE) marking certification and TUV Rheinland LGA Products GmbH’s certification for its nitrile and latex examination gloves.
“With these 510(k) clearances, a recent issuance of a medical device licence from Health Canada and pending the completion of EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) certificate, Mah Sing Healthcare will be able to export medical-grade gloves to a wider range of markets, including major markets such as the US, Canada and Europe,” it said.
Mah Sing said that this month, it was expected to complete commissioning all 12 production lines under the first phase of its glove business.
“These new high-speed glove dipping machines can produce 38,000 pieces of gloves per production line per hour, enabling a maximum production capacity of up to 3.68 million pieces of glover per annum,” it said.
Mah Sing Healthcare’s glove factory is a highly automated plant to enhance cost-effectiveness. It is equipped with auto-strip, auto count and auto stack features as well as auto dosing of solutions for higher efficiency.
Mah Sing said it also planned for autoboxing in the near future by collaborating with packing automation specialists.
The company said its management was determined to put in place enhanced manufacturing practices and would adhere strictly to the environment, social and governance (ESG) and other international regulations such as International Labour Organisation Protocols compliance.
“Demand for gloves is expected to remain steady due to structural increase in demand, fears of re-infection, increased health awareness and hygiene compliance requirements for both the healthcare and non-healthcare sectors,” it added.


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Rufftown Records signee Wendy Shay has put in a lot of work over the last two years to build a solid brand and gain her rightful spot in the music industry.random random
According to the “Emergency” singer, this feat is not something she’s willing to let go off that easily.
In a recent interview with Amansan Krakye on GBC Radio Central, Wendy Shay stated that a lot work and resources have been put in place to make her brand a household name. Therefore, she’s not willing to allow anyone to soil it.
“I know what has been put into the brand to get to this level so I won’t sit aloof and watch someone drag my brand into the mud,” she said and talking about her patience to some trolls she added that “I’m very very slow to anger. Everyone close to me knows that I’m not quick-tempered,” she told host.bottom ad


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Facebook Inc. has hired Anand Chandrasekaran, an entrepreneurial product leader, with experience of working with technology companies both in India and the Silicon Valley to help develop strategies for its Facebook Messenger app. This was first reported by The Wall Street Journal on Monday.
Chandrasekaran will assume a global leadership role working on strategies and partnerships for Messenger, Facebook’s high-powered technological platform that enables businesses and developers to interact with a billion users globally, according to the report. He will be based in Facebook’s Menlo Park office, according to sources that did not wish to be named.
Chandrasekaran was most recently chief product officer at Snapdeal, one of India’s leading e-commerce start up companies. Before that, he was chief product officer at Bharti Airtel, a leading cellular operator globally with 300 million subscribers driving Wynk Music, APIs and Airtel Money. From 2011 to 2014, Chandrasekaran was with Yahoo as a senior director for search products and mobile products.
Chandrasekaran holds a MS in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, and a B.S. in Communications Engg. from PSG College of Technology (India).
In 2010, he was named Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. He is also an active angel investor with 19 investments across consumer internet, p2p and b2c marketplaces, Fintech, SaaS and hardware.
Clearly, Chandrasekaran’s diverse global experience makes him a good fit to help Messenger grow beyond being just a tool of communication and leverage it to attract brands and businesses.
It was in July 2016 that Messenger had reached 1 billion monthly active users mark, making the app part of the coveted one billion user club that includes only a handful of apps worldwide such as the Facebook-owned WhatsApp, and Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube. Messenger is the second most popular iOS app, the Android version has been downloaded over 1 billion times, 17 billion photos are sent on Messenger each month, 1 billion messages pass between people and businesses, 380 million stickers and 22 million GIFs are sent every day and the app now has a 10% global marketshare of VOIP calls.
The formal announcement of Chandrasekaran’s appointment is yet to be made.
This article was first published on Livemint.com


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Recycling old computers
Electronics are all around us – in our pockets and on our desks. Now they’re in our trash.
And while the number of electronic devices on store shelves (specifically personal computers) is increasing, their overall lifespan is decreasing.
The average lifespan of a computer purchased in 2002 is only 2.2 years. An estimated 500 million computers will be obsolete by 2007.
The consequence of increased production and a decreased lifespan of electronic devices is a waste stream unlike that of any other in history. This stream of so-called “e-waste” is growing larger and more complicated each year.
Obsolete computers must be disposed of, dismantled or recycled with great care. Not only are there many kinds of plastic, metal and glass in each computer or TV, but there are also various levels of potentially toxic material.
Many of the personal electronic devices we use every day contain materials hazardous to both human health and the environment – from lead and mercury to arsenic and beryllium.
To complicate matters, there is no cohesive strategy for managing end-of-life electronic devices.
From manufacturers to governments to community recycling programs, everyone is struggling to manage e-waste effectively. Right now, the burden lies with you, the consumer, to pay for and responsibly dispose of personal electronic devices, TVs, computers, cell phones and more.
Fortunately, more and more computer manufacturers are beginning “take-back” programs and absorbing some of the cost of recycling an old computer. Dell recently announced the launch of a recycling program where Dell customers can ship old computers back to the company for recycling.
Change is happening with electronics disposal all over the world as part of a broader movement to shift the burden of disposal costs from communities to manufacturers.
Perhaps someday the U.S. will follow suit, but for now, at least, Summit County residents can recycle electronics at town clean-up days with Summit Recycling Project.
Due to the high cost of recycling this material, electronics collection remains a once-a year event.
Residents can bring electronics to the Frisco drop-off center 8 a.m. to 1 p.m Saturday, May 17, and to the Breckenridge skier parking lots 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., also Saturday, May 17.
Electronics from Silverthorne residents can be dropped off 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 17, behind the Silverthorne Recreation Center.
Businesses with more than 10 units must contact Summit Recycling Project at (970) 668-5703 during the week of May 12 to make an appointment for dropoff.
The cost to recycle is $5 per central processing unit (CPU), $10 per monitor and $15 per TV. All other electronics such as printers, VCRs and keyboards are free to recycle. No console TVs will be accepted this year.
If you don’t like having to pay for disposal, contact your manufacturer or senator and let them know.
Carly Wier is the executive director of Summit Recycling Project.
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In a not so surprising move, the Google Play Edition Galaxy S4 has quietly disappeared from the Play Store. It has been out of stock for several months and is based off last year’s original S4, so it was due to be removed eventually.
What is surprising however, is the lack of a Google Play Edition Galaxy S5, which has had evidence of its existence come and go on the Play Store over the last few months. Neither Google nor Samsung have made any comments on its existence or not, which does propose an interesting question.
For the moment, the only two Google Play Edition devices left are the HTC One (M8) and the Moto G. The M8 on the Play Store is obviously different from the Sense-totting model that HTC and the carriers sell across the globe, but the Moto G is almost stock in its original form.
Besides rumors of a Google Play Edition Galaxy S5, we’ve also seen Android Silver being mentioned. According to those rumors, it’s a program that could possibly replaced the Nexus lineup in favor of higher-end phones with stock Android possibly being sold through the carriers.
Especially coupled with the fact that one of the Google Play Edition devices is a low-end model that is close to stock anyway, it has to be said that the future of Google Play Edition devices is a mystery. But for now, both the Moto G and HTC One (M8) Google Play Edition devices are still available for sale on the Play Store.


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Celebrating 65 years of Plus 4 production, Morgan has revealed its limited-edition Morgan AR Plus 4 overnight.
It doesn’t matter what car it is, tyres are a sure-fire way to improve it. Here’s all you need to know about how to choose a car tyre.
There’s a thriving community of brick builders trying to get their creations noticed by Lego, and you can help make this Lego VW T2 Bay Window a reality.
The Mitsubishi Pajero is one of the best-known nameplates in all of motoringdom, but what’s it like to live with? Read our weekly reports on life with the 2015 Mitsubishi Pajero Exceed Di-D.
At a time when sales of big cars are slipping, the 2015 Chrysler 300 has arrived in Australia with prices starting at $49,000 (+ORC).
In completely expected news the Nissan Navara NP300 has scored a top 5-star ANCAP safety rating. A 5-star safety rating is now the norm, and even new utes are expected to achieve it so it is no surprise the NP300 has top-scored. What’s notable in this case is that the
Tony Bosworth writes about the launch of the Fiat 131 Mirafiori and how two journos mistook a … ah, no, better not spoil it.
Should you be concerned about your car in the wake of the recent Jeep Cherokee uConnect car hacking relevations?
Worried about your car being hacked as you drive down the freeway? Here’s a list of affected vehicles. Australian readers can relax – the Aussie uConnect systems do not connect to the Internet, and in any case are an entirely different system to the affected units which are only fitted
Ironman 4X4 has released early photos of the 2015 Toyota Hilux with prototype front and rear bars.


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Clothes to get costlier: If the government decides to increase the GST rates on clothes, then in this situation the prices of branded clothes can be increased by about 7-10 percent.
Clothes to get costlier: People fond of expensive and branded clothes may have to spend more money in this this year. Even though the last meeting of the Goods and Services Tax Council did not agree to increase the GST rate on clothing, yet branded clothes will be costlier for consumers this year. The price of branded clothing is going to increase in the new year due to many reasons including cost of raw material, increasing transportation cost. It is estimated that this year the prices of many branded clothes will increase by up to 20 percent.
Charath Narasimhan, CEO, Indian Terrain Fashions Ltd, told Financial Express Online, “The rising prices of raw materials such as cotton, yarn and fabric, as well as packaging material, freight costs, are a number of factors that have led to the increase in the number of branded garments this year. Prices are likely to increase. At the industry level, it can vary by 8-15 per cent depending on the price structure of different brands. The prices of Indian Terrain brand clothing may increase by 8 to 10 percent.
Booking of Kia Carens starts from today, token amount is 25 thousand, know full details
There may be so much increase in prices
Many brands have already started increasing the prices of their clothes. At the same time, there are some brands that are planning to increase the prices with the launch of their summer collections around March and April. Yuvraj Arora, Partner, Octave Apparels said, “The prices of raw materials, especially cotton, have increased by about 70-100 percent. If we compare the prices of last year with this year, then the MRP is going to increase by at least 15-20 percent. We have already increased our MRP for winter collection by 10 per cent. Apart from this, there will be a further increase of 10 percent in the prices of clothes in the summer season.
Meanwhile, Numero Uno is increasing its prices by 5-10 percent, while women’s clothing brand Madame is going to increase the prices of clothes in its summer collection by 11-12 percent. Industry association Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI) said prices will increase by 15-20 per cent on an average this summer. The hike in GST rate will affect the prices of only those brands which sell goods below Rs 1000 or in the value segment. CMIE’s Rahul Mehta said, “If the government decides to hike the GST rate, I expect another 7-10 per cent hike in clothing prices.”
Budget 2022 Expectations: Expected changes in tax rules related to cryptocurrencies, got these important tips
clothing manufacturers advice
Many textile manufacturers believe that the government should intervene to control the prices of raw materials. The price of cotton in India is increasing in line with the global prices and demand. Due to sanctions by western countries against China, the demand for cotton from India has increased. The companies working in the export market have started exporting most of their stock as they are getting better price in the export market.
(Article: Tanya Krishna)
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Smartphone Addiction And How Retailers Are Leveraging It For Profit
Cell phones and smartphones are so ubiquitous in today’s society, we often forget that just a couple decades ago we lived in a world where very few mobile devices existed. Somehow, in just 10 or 15 years, millions of Americans have not only purchased and used smartphones – but they’ve also become addicted to them.
A Look at the Smartphone Addiction Pandemic
Smartphones have essentially become extensions of our own bodies. They are almost always within reach and we tend to feel a little lost or empty when we don’t know where they are. If you’re like most people, your smartphone is always somewhere nearby – in your pocket, on the bedside table, in your purse, on your desk, clipped to your belt, or sitting in your car’s cup holder.
You aren’t alone, though. According to a survey from the Pew Research Center of more than 3,000 Americans, 90 percent of respondents said they frequently have their phone with them. And it’s not just a millennial issue, as 95 percent of cell phone owners between the ages of 30 to 49 report frequently carrying their phones with them.
And despite negative connotations attached to using a cell phone in social settings – such as during dinner, at the movies, in a meeting, or in the middle of a face-to-face conversation – 89 percent said they have used their phone in their most recent social situation.
Here comes the really interesting information. According to the data, younger adults – those in the 18 to 49 age group – very rarely turn their phones off. Only 3 percent said they do so on a regular basis. Roughly half – 48 percent to be exact – rarely turn off their phone, and 34 percent never turn it off.
Okay, so people like their phones…so what? Well, “like” isn’t a strong enough word – especially for the youngest age brackets. According to a recent survey reported on by CNN, half of all teenagers are addicted to their phones.
“Nearly 80% of teens in the new survey said they checked their phones hourly, and 72% said they felt the need to immediately respond to texts and social networking messages,” CNN notes. “Thirty-six percent of parents said they argued with their child daily about device use, and 77% of parents feel their children get distracted by their devices and don’t pay attention when they are together at least a few times per week.”
But again, it’s not just younger people. The same study shows that 69 percent of parents check their devices at least hourly and 48 percent feel the need to respond immediately to texts and social media messages.
And just to further drive the point home about how addicted Americans really are, check out the following data points as curated by researcher Tyler Durden:
- The average smartphone user checks their phone at least 35 times per day.
- 70 percent of smartphone users report checking their phones within an hour of getting out of bed in the morning.
- 56 percent of smartphone users check their phones within an hour of going to sleep at night.
- 61 percent of smartphone users regularly sleep with their phone under their pillow or beside their bed.
- The average cell phone user spends 3.6 hours per day using their device.
Those may initially seem like shocking statistics, but you’re probably guilty of at least some of them. For better or worse, it’s just the way we’ve been conditioned.
How Retailers are Seizing the Opportunity
While we can spend hours arguing whether or not smartphone addiction is good for Americans, this is where we are. And from a purely business standpoint, it wouldn’t make sense to overlook this massive opportunity to reach and engage customers of all ages. Retailers certainly aren’t.
If you look at some of the data from the report that we recently published in partnership with RetailWeek, you’ll notice that there’s an opportunity for retailers to use this mobile communication channel to their benefit.
When asked if they’re happy to receive text messages from retailers, 38 percent of customers said they are. Another 40 percent said they are, but only for certain purposes. In other words, balance is the key. Only 3 percent of customers are okay with being contacted once per day by an individual retailer, while 25 percent say they’re fine with receiving a text once every couple of months.
The versatility of SMS is what makes it so attractive to so many retailers. Some of the possibilities, ranked by consumer preference, include order confirmation and delivery updates, in-store pick-ups, loyalty programs, personal offers and discounts, customer surveys and feedback, new product announcements, new store openings, and products viewed online.
While the opportunity for garnering large returns certainly exists right now, the future is even brighter.
“There are so many channels to communicate with the consumer nowadays; it’s very hard to decide which one is right for your business. We like SMS as we know it’s a channel that every person who owns a phone can be reached on – unlike social media and email,” a marketing director at a leading fashion brand explained in our RetailWeek guide. “That said, social will play a bigger role going forward as our audience becomes increasingly savvy with using the technology.”
With SMS, retailers get extended reach, higher response rates, increased customer retention, and the ability to target and track campaigns at a micro level. There are still some wrinkles to be ironed out in terms of what customers want and when they prefer to be contacted, but we’re gaining more insights into these issues and retailers are thrilled about the present opportunities and future uses.
Let OpenMarket Help You Get Started
Enterprises all over the world are increasingly relying on OpenMarket to handle their SMS and mobile communication needs. If you’re looking for a reliable and trustworthy partner that will help you reach and engage your customers, then you’ve come to the right place.
Contact us today and we’d be happy to help you get started with SMS!


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One-fourth of new users of smartwatches and other wearables say their devices failed to meet their expectations, according to a survey by communications technology company Ericsson.
Also, about 10% of all users of wearables have abandoned their devices, one-third of them within two weeks of purchase, according to the survey released today. The online survey was conducted with 5,000 smartphone users ages 15 to 65, in the U.S. and four other countries in March. Half of the the respondents were owners of wearable devices.
Of those who abandoned their devices, 21% said wearables were too limited in their functionality, with too heavy an emphasis on fitness and health apps instead of apps that increase their safety and security or perform other functions.
Also, 23 percent said they want smartwatches and devices that have standalone connections to wireless networks, instead of having to pair via Bluetooth to a smartphone. Nine percent said they gave them up because of inaccurate data and 8 percent did so because of the fast battery drain.
The findings are an indicator to makers of smartwatches and other wearables of what they need to focus on in coming generations of devices, Ericsson said. The next-generation Apple Watch, which may debut at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference next week, is reported to include a faster processor and cellular connectivity. Some Samsung smartwatches, such as the Gear S2, have already included cellular connections, instead of requiring a Bluetooth connection to a smartphone.
The disappointments with wearables aired in the Ericsson survey could partly explain why the smartwatch category has been slow to catch on. Some analysts predicted Apple would sell up to 40 million Apple Watches in the first year, but market research firm IDC said the number was far lower, with just 13 million sold in 2015.
Meanwhile, Samsung has openly expressed concerns about the category.
“Consumer objections to wearables are very legitimate, I can say,” said Jasmeet Sethi, senior researcher at Ericsson ConsumerLab and author of the wearable report on the survey. “They say, why should I invest in something which just does sleep and calorie counting when my needs are much more diverse? They see a lack of functionality, lack of connectivity, inaccurate data and a walled garden approach by vendors, but all four need to come together to ensure that wearables are a success.”
While some wearable apps work across both the Android and Apple Watch platforms, Sethi said vendors need to work harder to create cross-platform functionality.
Even with the reservations found in the survey, Sethi said wearables have a bright future. “The wearables boom will be around 2020, which gives the industry a window of four years to fix what is broken and go beyond health and wellness,” he added.
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Reliance Jio’s Rs 699 phone for this festive season
Reliance Jio has dropped price for its entry-level smartphone to Rs 699 from Rs 1500 during the festive season. This is without any special conditions like having to exchange your old phone. In addition to this, the customers will also get data benefits valued at Rs 700.
Jio will add Rs 99 worth of data for the first 7 recharges by the customer. “The savings of Rs 800 on the JioPhone and the Rs 700 worth of data, totals to a massive benefit of Rs 1,500 on every JioPhone. This benefit of Rs 1,500 is Jio’s Diwali Gift for a prospering digital India,” Reliance Jio said in a statement.
Mukesh D Ambani, Chairman & Managing Director of Reliance Industries Ltd. Said, “We are making an investment of Rs 1,500 towards bringing every new person from the Bottom of the Economic Pyramid into the Internet Economy.”
Since its launch, nearly 7 crore 2G users have been on-boarded on the JioPhone…….Read More>>


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Tom Davies, founder of TD Tom Davies
British entrepreneur Tom Davies has brought the production of his leading eyewear brand back to the UK after opening a new factory in Brentford.
Handmade eyewear brand TD Tom Davies is celebrating its fifteenth year in business with the opening of a new £800,000 factory in Brentford.
Production by his 37-strong team at the new Brentford facility has already started, with experts flying in from China to train up 10 new local school leavers and graduate apprentices.
As Davies scales down operations at his Shenzhen factory, by the end of the year, 30% of his frames will be made in Britain, next year 50% and increasing to 70% over the next three years. Ultimately, the new facility has the capacity to produce 10,000 frames per month.
While manufacturing moves here, he will retain the Shenzhen facility as a resource and sales office for his increased distribution across Asia. In the wake of Brexit, this is a smart move, however his plans preceded the 2016 vote.
“China has been fantastic for the business and the brand, but as we’re expanding I really wanted to do it in the UK,” Davies said. “I’m really looking forward to training a new generation of craftspeople, in our unique production methodology which combines traditional handcrafted skills with state-of-the-art technology.”
Davies’ career began in China 20 years ago when he moved to Hong Kong in 1997 after graduating in Art and Design from the University of East Anglia.
He spent three years working as chief designer for an eyewear start-up, creating frames for a number of international brands before returning home in 2002 to establish Tom Davies.
Five years later, his business was booming enough for him to open his own dedicated Shenzhen production facility.
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Fuel card providers Fleetmaxx Solutions has confirmed a new partnership with buying group Confex to help support their wholesale members who trade across retail and more.
Confex is a family-run buying group with a successful 48-year history, its trading experts negotiate terms, rebates, pricing, and promotions with more than 200 suppliers scross all product categories.
Managing director of Confex, Tom Gittins, said that the impact of the coronavirus lockdown has been devastating, saying: “Many of our members trade with hospitality and retailers and deliver grocery, soft drinks, snacks and confectionery. They typically supply 65% hospitality and 35% retail across the nation.”
He added: “That’s why this partnership with is going to help them with their fuel costs so they can continue doing what they do best.”
Lower fuel costs help reduce paperwork and administration down to one weekly invoice meaning up to two weeks of free credit before direct debit payment.
Tom Chambers, business development manager at Feeltmaxx Solutions, said: “We believe in delivering real savings. Confex now have access to discount diesel throughout the UK, and preferential rates on bulk fuel and AdBlue.
“Our fuel cards offer a typical saving of up to 10p per litre on national average pump prices.
“When a Confex member picks any of our comprehensive range of commercial rate fuel cards, there are no transaction charges, network fees or other surcharges. With other suppliers, you can expect £2 or more to be added to the bill with each refuel.”
Steve Clarke, marketing manager at Fleetmaxx Solutions, welcomed the new Strategic Partnership Programme, which is free to join.
He said: “I am positive that working together will help all of us do a little better. Together, as partners, we are looking forward to the future.”
Fleetmaxx Solutions is also offering Confex Members a 10% discount on the installation of all tracking, telematics and vehicle camera products, Fleetloc8 and its Fleetvision range of vehicle cameras.


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Some corporations and Microsoft allies claim there are compelling reasons to upgrade to Microsoft's new business-class operating system: improved stability, better hardware support and simpler system administration. Because Windows 2000 will be compatible with existing programs and come as standard equipment on a growing number of PCs, the switch may be inevitable for many firms.
Others, however, plan to take their time in transitioning to the new OS. The first "service pack," or collection of bug fixes, comes out in June, eroding some of the compulsion for early adoption.
A recent report from research firm Gartner Group found that about 25 percent of customers may come across some sort of problem in upgrading to Windows 2000--another factor that builds the case for many firms to wait it out.
But Gartner Group also concluded that the adoption of Windows 2000 would be much faster than that of Windows NT 4, particularly on desktops.
"Client adoption to NT was slow because of impediments--legacy applications, legacy hardware and mobile computing," Gartner Group analyst Michael Gartenberg said.
An estimated 15 to 20 percent of Windows 95, 98 and NT PCs and about 5 percent of the servers will move to Windows 2000 this year, the research firm found.
One customer summed up the feeling of many.
"We're committed to understanding Windows 2000, but we're not sure how we're going to deploy it yet or what the true implications to the company will be," said Jim Smale, IT manager for distributed systems management for agricultural conglomerate Cargill.
"We understand internally this is not a simple NT upgrade," he added.
Although Microsoft will be pushing its operating system in the coming months, it also will get some help from major computer makers that have already included plans to incorporate the OS in new hardware: Compaq Computer, Dell Computer, Hewlett-Packard and IBM, to name a few.
Corporate customers say there are several reasons why a firm would make the switch, depending on company computing goals and the version of Windows 2000 it chooses to buy.
Mellon Financial said it is moving to Windows 2000 because the bank anticipates customers will also upgrade their own systems. In one of the more dramatic migrations noted so far, the company, which currently uses both Unix and Microsoft servers, will convert all of its systems to Windows 2000.
"We wanted to make sure we were ahead of the curve when Windows 2000 came out so we would have the infrastructure in place to go and support our customers' applications and business needs," said Joe Cirra, Mellon assistant vice president.
Pittsburgh-based Mellon has been working with IBM to smooth the transition, which initially focuses on converting nearly 600 servers to Windows 2000. Server conversion will start late in the second quarter of this year, but Mellon doesn't plan on upgrading its more than 17,000 PCs until the fourth quarter.
CenterBeam, a services start-up that offers customers computers, data storage and Internet connectivity for a monthly fee, has built its entire operation on Windows 2000. The start-up standardized on Windows 2000 beta code last year and started offering the new operating system to its customers.
"We found that Windows 2000, even in its early access versions, was the most stable operating system we could get our hands on," said Marc Epstein, CenterBeam's executive vice president of product management and development. Recently, CenterBeam started upgrading customers remotely to final Windows 2000 code.
But Epstein may have another reason to praise Windows 2000. Microsoft and Dell, which provides CenterBeam with its hardware, are both investors in the start-up.
Microsoft during the past year has aggressively worked with companies considering a Windows 2000 migration--and for good reason. Successful early adopters become showcases for other potential customers and service providers.
"Those are the types of companies that are completely jumping in--either they're fully deployed or will be when we launch the product," said Craig Beilinson, lead product manager for Windows 2000. "They even surprised us."
Jennifer Langan, Dell's product manager for Microsoft operating systems, said Microsoft's current operating system options force customers to choose between the less reliable Windows 9x and Windows NT. NT is more crash-proof but doesn't provide the same level or variety of hardware support. Windows 2000 will allow them to combine the benefits of both.
"People are very excited about being able to tie the two together and meet all their needs with one OS," Langan said. "We're finding a lot of customers are really interested in Windows 2000. It's not so much a question of if they will go to it, but when."
Windows 2000 potentially means a big boost to portable users, offering the stability and manageability of Windows NT and the device support available with Windows 9x, assuming no bugs crop up. Corporations have long complained about NT's poor power management features as well as its limited support for docking stations and other mobile hardware.
On the server side--with Mellon being a big exception--companies are taking a very conservative approach. A series of server crashes at several e-commerce companies this year has resulted in headaches and financial loss, spurring firms to be careful when choosing their back-end systems. Some companies have thus been reluctant to experiment by getting rid of their installed Unix systems.
Active Directory, which can help technology directors more easily manage corporate networks and is one of the features of Windows 2000, is also prompting extreme amounts of caution. Active Directory will simplify corporate network management, according to Microsoft. The far-ranging nature of the conversion, however, is prompting customers to stick with Novell Directory Services for now.
Cargill, and even Mellon, are among the large corporations still unsure whether to take on the unproven Active Directory. Minneapolis-based Cargill plans "to twilight Novell Directory Services," though the company is "still evaluating whether it will adopt Active Directory," Cargill?s Smale said.


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Microsoft and NAB are testing biometric technology to make passless ATMs possible. Facial recognition would allow customers to withdraw money from their account. The first tests are already taking place with the equipment, which should reduce the risk of fraud.
The National Australia Bank (NAB) is investigating the possibilities for a future without debit cards. To this end, the bank works together with Microsoft. The aim is to develop an ATM that allows customers to withdraw cash from their account through facial recognition. During the Sibos fair in Sydney, a proof of concept was shown, which was developed on the basis of the Azure Cognitive Services.
No physical pass
The cloud-based application eliminates the need for physical debit cards or devices. Customers can withdraw money from their account with facial recognition and their PIN code. According to the NAB and Microsoft, the innovation improves the customer experience, and would drastically reduce the risk of debit card fraud and skimming.
According to NAB’s CTO Patrick Wright, cloud technology enables the bank to deliver new technologies quickly. Working with companies such as Microsoft allows us to develop these kinds of concepts. Wright says it is a look at the future of the banking sector.
The ATM does not store images, but it does store biometric data. These are stored on Microsoft’s cloud. Because it is a trial, the data will be deleted after the experiment. Furthermore, the information is only used to authenticate the customer’s identity.
NAB customers can use a kiosk to register. There they have to have their faces scanned and link that data to their debit card and PIN code. To be able to withdraw money, people need to have their faces scanned and then enter their PIN code. The concept will be tried out over the next two months.This news article was automatically translated from Dutch to give Techzine.eu a head start. All news articles after September 1, 2019 are written in native English and NOT translated. All our background stories are written in native English as well. For more information read our launch article.


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Tickets for Hamilton go on sale Tuesday
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- You can soon buy tickets for one of the most popular shows in the world without flying to Broadway.
Hamilton is coming to the Marcus Performing Arts Center in October.
The show begins on Oct. 22 and runs through Nov. 17. Tickets go on sale Tuesday morning.
There's a limit of eight tickets per person.
You can buy them at the box office starting at 8 a.m. on Tuesday or online starting at 10 a.m.


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KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 25): Trendcell Sdn Bhd, which operates supermarket chain Jaya Grocer, plans to open five new stores across the country this year to take the total store count to 27.
Jaya Grocer operations director Daniel Teng said the company will open new stores at Eco Ardence in Setia Alam next month, Kuala Lumpur Eco City in Bangsar in June, Empire City Damansara in July, Kiara 163 at Mont'Kiara in September and Kuala Lumpur East at Taman Melati in December.
Teng said the management chose each location of the outlets carefully, after considering the shopping habits of consumers in each neighbourhood.
“Even though Jaya Grocer itself is 10 years old, the management team is led by retail veterans with a family heritage dating back to pre-independence Malaya. We are proud of our heritage and are yet humbled by the overwhelming support shown by our loyal customers through the decades,” Teng said in a statement today.
Trendcell is 45% owned by the Asean Industrial Growth Fund (AIGF), with the remaining 55% being held by the founding Teng family which continues to manage the Jaya Grocer business. AIGF, a private equity fund, is 45 owned by CIMB Private Equity, 45% by Mitsubishi and 10% by the Development Bank of Japan.
On Jaya Grocer’s online delivery service, Teng said it would be gradually expanded to cover more areas in the Klang Valley, beginning with its Pearl Point Outlet in Jalan Klang Lama.
“Since we started at the end of 2016, our online segment has grown by 30%,” he said. “It has certainly helped to meet a need among modern consumers with a hectic city lifestyle or busy mothers with young children who cannot spare time to shop in person." — theedgemarkets.com


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Kamal al-Ayash. | Anbar | (Niqash.org) | – –
Even before the extremists were in control in Anbar, selling alcohol was banned. During extremist control, selling liquor was punishable by death. But now liquor stores have become a sign of freedom.
Sign of hope? Beer on sale at a bar in Iraqi Kurdistan.
These days as you head into Karmah, one of the smaller cities in the central Anbar province, you may notice a small store on the way into town. It’s not a big shop but its doors are wide open and it is selling alcohol. It is an unusual sight in this province, where conservative traditions and religious customs prevent the open sale and consumption of alcohol. But things have changed since the extremist group known as the Islamic State was in charge here.
“While we were displaced we lived in both Baghdad and in northern Iraq,” says Ahmad Abu Ali, a 44-year-old local; Karmah was part of the territory controlled by the extremist Islamic State, or IS, group and Abu Ali and his family fled their hometown. “And we used to see a lot of these shops there, close to where we lived. To us, it was an indication that these cities were safe and secure.”
“Although the drinking of alcohol is against our religion, the shop is a good sign. It is proof that the militants who once had such a big role in this city, and those who supported the militants, no longer play a part here,” Abu Ali explains. “Each person can practice their own religion. And when we saw this [the alcohol store] it gave us hope.”
It’s not logical to describe the opening of these [liquor] stores as some sort of issue of personal freedom.
Although Abu Ali doesn’t drink, his fellow townspeople who do are happy about the alcohol store for other, more obvious reasons.
“In the past we used to have to go to Baghdad to buy spirits,” Ibrahim Abdo, a 38-year-old local of Fallujah, told NIQASH. Abdo used to travel to the capital to buy enough alcohol to last a couple of weeks but he no longer has to do this. “We used to hide the bottles in the car so that the police and people at checkpoints wouldn’t harass us. They would destroy the drinks if they found them. Today I can just buy what I want even while the security forces are watching,” he says, somewhat incredulous.
Abdo says he used to feel like some sort of smuggler even though Iraqi law doesn’t prevent anyone from drinking or selling alcohol.
Selling alcohol is a fairly lucrative business in some parts of Iraq. A bottle of spirits can be sold for double the original price in areas where alcohol shops don’t operate. A kind of network of contacts brings the spirits into those areas.
One local taxi driver, Yahya Darwish (not his real name), often takes passengers between Baghdad and Ramadi in Anbar. He got to know the soldiers deployed at checkpoints on the way between the two cities and was able to pass through with minimal inspection.
No beer here: A park in Ramadi.
“At the beginning it was just one of my friends who asked me to bring back two bottles of spirits. When I got back, he was waiting for me and paid double what I had paid for the drinks, as well as the taxi fare,” the 44-year-old says. “After that I realized I could do good business with this trade and I started bringing back bottles to sell to friends and family.”
Darwish says that he has since expanded the trade and that his income is now dependent on it. “I know it’s a risky business but I now have customers of all kinds, from army officers to engineers and clerical staff,” he says.
The demand is another reason why locals are starting to open alcohol shops in the aftermath of the extremists. Under the IS group, selling and consuming alcohol or cigarettes could see the perpetrator punished severely, perhaps even executed. Even before that, selling alcohol was seen as a sort of insult to local society here and to religious customs. Opening an alcohol store was a very risky business in the past. Even if one had a license, it could mean being harassed by locals and in some cases the presence of liquor stores have made people so angry that the shops have been blown up or vandalised and owners beaten or killed.
But now it has become possible to open a store selling beer and spirits. Anbar’s big cities such as Ramadi are seen as having particularly good potential.
“Some of our customers came to Baghdad regularly and they encouraged us to open a store in Ramadi,” explains Awat Haiwa, 54, a local from Baghdad who has just completed his application for a liquor license. His next step will be to find a suitable property in Ramadi where he can open the store. “They encouraged us because the province is now free of extremists and the people are feeling free.”
A lot of Haiwa’s customers come to his Baghdad premises from other parts of Iraq and take alcohol back to their home towns to sell. “This has resulted in a lot of unlicensed vendors who are exploiting the buyers, charging at least double what the price really should be,” he says. They also make for more competition for the licensed store owners such as himself, he notes.
Of course, not everyone in Anbar is happy about the new access to alcohol. One 48-year-old resident of Ramadi, Abdul Razak al-Fawhan, says he thinks this new trend aims to upset the local way of life and goes against religious, cultural, and tribal norms in Anbar.
“It is an attempt to undermine our values,” he told NIQASH. “Of course, we know that a lot of people go to Baghdad or to other provinces to buy spirits but it’s not logical to describe the opening of these stores as some sort of issue of personal freedom. The opening of liquor stores is dangerous for locals. They are going to see what God has banned, out in the open, and that the government is supporting it. The locals themselves don’t even get a say as to whether they want this or not,” he concluded.