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“IoT” is an acronym for the “Internet of Things.” And any device that can connect to the Internet and transmit or receive data can be considered a “smart” thing. That includes smart homes, also known as connected homes. Smart homes — in which IoT devices such as thermostats or ovens can be programmed from anywhere — are popular with consumers who seek convenience. Some people, however, may not realize the connected devices or appliances they’ve grown to depend on could leak private information or be susceptible to hackers. In the rush to get products to market, smart device makers may not see security as a priority.
We’re counting down days until Christmas is here,
And gifting you cool security tips to be of good cheer,
And make sure this season is the best of your year.
"We’re counting down days until Christmas is here,
And gifting you cool security tips to be of good cheer,
And make sure this season is the best of your year."
Join us every day for a new Norton tip to keep your holidays merry and bright. A secure holiday is a happy holiday with Norton.
Top 5 Tips To Protect Your Identity On Campus
Back to school season is upon us, and while you are caught up in the enthusiasm of moving into your new dorms and ogling your class schedules, it is doubtful that the thought of protecting your identity is at the forefront of your mind. However, with 41% of adults having fallen victim to attacks such as malware, viruses, hacking, phishing scams, fraud and theft last year, it’s important to take practical action to keep your information safe on campus.
There are the obvious precautions to take in protecting your devices, such as never le...
Identity theft is a growing threat on the Internet landscape. 9 million identities are stolen in the US every year. Learn how to protect yourself from becoming one of those 9 million.
Strong, secure passwords are one thing that stands between you and a potential data breach. Here are some tips on how to make your passwords more secure and ways to manage them all.
You may have seen it on the news recently; 7 million Dropbox usernames and passwords were allegedly stolen. Initial reports were that the Dropbox service itself had been hacked; however, the company issued the following statement on their blog:
The usernames and passwords referenced in these articles were stolen from unrelated services, not Dropbox. Attackers then used these stolen credentials to try to log in to sites across the Internet, including Dropbox.
Regardless of where the leak originated, this is something we see all too often in the tech and busine...
With reports of data breaches becoming more frequent, now is the time to look into ways to make your accounts more secure.
While any time is a good time to adopt new habits, the New Year seems to be the most popular time for resolutions. When most people are resolving to make changes to their lifestyle, health, and habits, a lot of people do not realize that they should consider making resolutions to their digital lifestyle as well. Here are some suggested resolutions to living a healthy and secure online life.
Software Updates- Install Early, Install Often
Software vulnerabilities are security holes discovered and exploited by hackers that allow them to access your computer. The attacks are carried out by...
According to the credit reporting firm Experian, the average Internet user has about 19 different online accounts, for which they only have seven different passwords. In addition, one in ten users never change their online passwords, and one in 20 uses the same passwords for all of their online accounts.
Those statistics definitely show that the password system is broken. When passwords were invented in the 60's, they were rather simplistic, as there was not a wide scale need for them. Today we have passwords for an exponential amount of web services. Couple that with the fact that we no...
It’s another year and another shiny new iOS for all to enjoy! Apple hits the mark on all the usual exciting, fun enhancements such as a more intelligent Siri, and those new Emojis we’ve all been waiting for. However, after a few privacy mishaps last year, such as the iCloud photo breach, an iCloud password vulnerability, and the more recent keyraider malware, Apple took notice and significantly upped their security game.
Private Means Private!
iOS 9 will not tie any usage data to an Apple ID or any other Apple service. The data is now completely anonymized, and Apple states that they w...
Thanksgiving not only marks the start of the fantastic holiday season—it’s also a time to reflect on what you’re thankful for. One of the many things to be thankful for this holiday is cybersecurity, which has gotten more and more advanced as of late.
Have you heard of something called cyber hygiene? Surely brushing teeth and taking showers isn’t something we traditionally associate with technology—yet the term is a useful metaphor for those of us who need to make smart decisions about our smart devices.
Good hygiene is something we’re taught as children and something that generally sticks with us for the rest of our lives. It involves three basic principles: using products/tools that fit our hygiene needs, performing these hygienic tasks correctly, and establishing a routine.
But what does that have to do with your computer?
Falling for an email scam is something that can happen to anyone. It’s a frightening concept, and one that frequently results in undiluted panic. Also known as a phishing scam, an email scam involves using email and fraudulent websites to steal sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, account data, addresses, and more.
Fraudulent emails are crafted to appear legitimate, such as messages from your bank or another trusted source. They request personal information, which criminals then use for identity theft.
So what should you do if you find yourself a victim of an e...
Mobile payment apps are changing the way we do business, but they can also be convenient ways to send money to friends and family. It’s easier than ever to send money to the people who need it, but also easier than ever for hackers to gain access to that money before it gets where you want it. How do you keep yourself and your money safe, while also being able to access the convenience of mobile payment apps?
How Mobile Payment Apps Work
You can pay using your phone, even without apps. Some companies, such as your phone company, allow you to pay your bill using standard text messaging....
Did you know that an attacker can flood your house via the water dispenser on your connected refrigerator? Or that bluetooth enabled locks can be picked from ¼ of a mile away using radio frequencies? I didn’t either, until I attended this year’s DefCon 24, an annual hacking convention in Las Vegas.
While a hotel in Las Vegas full of 22,000 hackers sounds like it might not be a good idea, it’s just the opposite. The purpose of this conference is to bring together Internet security professionals from all over the world to help educate, inform and learn how to make the Internet a safer place...


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Yesterday April 12/04 Banco Santander, one of the world’s largest banks with more than 130 million customers, announced the launch of its new and innovative payment service, based in blockchain technology “OnePay FX”.
Available to retail customers in, Spain, UK, Brazil and Poland, the service is planned to expand to more countries in the coming month. “OnePay FX” makes possible for customers, in many cases, complete international transfers on the same day it is made. According to the Santander more features will be added in the near future, just possible with blockchain technology, such as
“international payments in several markets before the summer, making it significantly faster than existing international payment services.”
“One Pay FX uses blockchain-based technology to provide a fast, simple and secure way to transfer money internationally – offering value, transparency, and the trust and service customers expect from a bank like Santander. … Our goal is to help the thousands of people who use international payments services every day, and we will be adding more currencies and destinations in the coming months.” Said Ana Botín, Executive Chairman of Banco Santander.
With the launch of this service Santander becomes the first bank to apply the benefits of blockchain technology to international payment services, this new service uses xCurrent a technology based on distributed ledgers, developed by Ripple. Startup taken by InnoVentures, Santander`s fintech venture capital found.
“Blockchain technology offers tremendous opportunities to improve the services we offer our customers, and the launch of Santander One Pay FX is the first of many potential applications” Declared Ana Botín.
Santander`s InnoVentures, with their $200 million capital found, promises interesting new services coming in the future, with more than 20 investments in promising financial technology like artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain, payments, financial advisory, SME and automobile finance or mortgages.
Projects like this one reinforces the trust on blockchain technology all over the world and promises the elimination of global payment frictions as more financial institutions like Santander adopt and build upon Ripple solutions.
by Samuel Larreal

domain: news


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North America Supply Chain Delays
Since the outbreak of Covid back in 2020, North American ocean freight movements have been gradually becoming more problematic, with availability on vessels now the most prominent issue.
As things stand, there is a booking waiting time of between 4-6 weeks for all full load exports to the US, with around 2-3 weeks for full load imports from the US.
Over recent weeks, service schedules have become far less reliable and the industry has witnessed a high volume of port omissions, short shipments and rollover bookings.
With the ongoing problems with US domestic transport, low chassis availability, and port and terminal congestion, the situation is extremely challenging, resulting in delays and additional costs being incurred at short notice.
Further challenges are expected if the proposed CP Canadian rail-workers strike goes ahead. This was due to commence yesterday, and while seemingly delayed, is still deemed likely to go ahead in the next few days.
Meanwhile, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) is committed to an “ongoing investigation into supply chain disruption”, and news broke this week that at least one of the world’s biggest two carriers have been subpoenaed.


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Americans are losing their taste for a sugar substitute made from maize
IN A sun-dappled yard, above the cheerful whoops of healthy children, one mother assures another that high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a sweetener made from maize (corn), is, like sugar, “fine in moderation”. Yet fewer and fewer Americans, it seems, are convinced of the claim, made in a series of advertisements by the Corn Refiners' Association, an industry group. Demand for HFCS declined by 8% between 2007 and 2009. Several fast-food chains and consumer-goods firms have ostentatiously dropped it from their recipes. Michelle Obama, the first lady, has expressed concern. Some Americans feel so strongly that they have posted spoof advertisements online, explaining that lead poisoning, Nazism and genital mutilation are also “fine in moderation”.
HFCS, which became a common ingredient in processed foods in the 1980s thanks in part to an abundance of subsidised maize, is cheaper than sugar. A rise in the price of sugar in recent years has increased the difference, yet big firms such as Pepsi and Kraft have substituted sugar for HFCS in many of their products. ConAgra, another big foodmaker, announced earlier this month that it had removed HFCS from its Hunt's ketchup brand, and slapped a prominent label to that effect on the bottles. The move, the firm says, reflects consumer demand.
The most common complaint about HFCS is that it has helped to make Americans fat. But that idea is hotly disputed. The American Medical Association and the American Dietetic Association argue that there is no direct link between obesity and consumption of HFCS in America, although both have surged in the past 30 years. Other studies have fingered HFCS, including one released in March by scientists at Princeton, which found that rats gained more weight eating it than table sugar. HFCS's defenders blame perfidious sugar refiners for their bad press.
Another complaint centres on subsidies for maize, which, the theory runs, have warped America's entire food chain. Yet high tariffs on imported sugar, to the benefit of America's beet and cane farmers, have also helped to promote HFCS. Mike McConnell of the Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service estimates that HFCS and sugar would be roughly comparable in price in a free market. In that respect, at least, the two products are as bad as each other.
This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline "Sickly sweetener"
From the May 29th 2010 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contentsExplore the edition
The age of “boring AI” will be anything but
Don’t despair for the Patagonia-vest set just yet
Klaus Müller should have been an anonymous bureaucrat, but he’s become a celebrity


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Home furnishing retailer Ikea paid $46 million for the 22-acre Burbank site where it has begun demolition in preparation for constructing its largest U.S. store.
The Netherlands-based chain bought 13 parcels at 805 S. San Fernando Road adjacent to the 5 Freeway south of downtown Burbank. The long-planned portfolio sale had been in the works for more than two years and closed in first quarter, according to real estate data provider CoStar Group Inc.
The parcels were acquired from Crown Realty and Development Inc., an Irvine real estate investor that also owns the Burbank Town Center. The sale takes nearly 380,000-square-feet of industrial space off the market in Burbank.
IKEA is razing 19 buildings on the property and plans to build a 470,000-square-foot store there starting later this year. The new store, expected to open in spring 2017, will replace the home furnishing retailer’s existing 242,000-square-foot outlet less than a mile away near the Town Center mall. The current store will remain in operation until the new store opens, likely in spring 2017.
One of the 15 companies that had operated on the property, Vision Scenery Corp., moved its business fabricating sets for the entertainment industry from Burbank to Sylmar. Last July, the company leased a 100,000-square-foot building at 12450 Foothill Blvd., doubling the size of its space.


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Whether you’re looking for one of the year’s biggest spectacles or one of the year’s shortest, celebrated films, all of it and more is streaming this week.
New Release: ‘WeWork: Or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn’
Jed Rothstein said that when he started working on the documentary “WeWork: Or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn,” he thought it was going to be a pure follow-the-money story along the lines of the tale he told in his documentary “The China Hustle.” But as he explored the story of the share-space company whose $47 billion valuation plummeted ahead of a planned IPO that ultimately failed, he found something much different.
“As I researched it, I realized there are definitely financially interesting questions about the rapid rise and fall of WeWork, but it wasn’t really a fraud story, per se,” says the director of the documentary, out Friday. “It was more of a story of collective delusion and hubris and a lot of very smart people wanting something to be, maybe greater and more than it was.”
One example of that hubris, according to the documentary, comes over a cup of coffee. A Forbes editor, Alex Konrad, recounts the time he met with the company’s charismatic co-founder, Adam Neumann. Mr. Neumann ordered a latte at WeWork’s headquarters but was given a cappuccino instead because, as Mr. Konrad is informed, that’s what Mr. Neumann called them.


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Here's a sign that there's a hunger for co-working space in Naples.
So many people turned out for the October grand opening of Venture X that some had to be turned away because letting them in would have exceeded the limit for the fire code.
More than 300 people packed into the 8,000-square-foot hip office at the upscale Mercato shopping center in Naples, home to Whole Foods, trendy restaurants and designer clothing stores.
“We have 20 companies signed up,” says Brett Diamond, who co-founded Venture X with his father, David Diamond, and John DeAngelis. (DeAngelis and Diamond are known for the Naples-based commercial construction firm that bears their names.)
Co-working space is one big, open office space where people can come plug in their laptops and recharge their phones at any open desk. There's free coffee, super-fast Internet access, lounge seating, conference rooms and lockers. Such space is popular in technology centers such as Silicon Valley and Austin, Texas, where young tech entrepreneurs gather to collaborate on projects.
Membership works like a gym. Members pay a fee of up to $500 a month for full access to the facility; there are no contracts or leases.
Brett Diamond says the company now offers a variety of plans to suit entrepreneurs' different hours. “You've got to adjust to what the market gives you,” he says.
For example, Venture X now has a $350 a month plan if you only use the facility from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. If you're a night owl and use the facility from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. and on weekends, it's $175.
Another surprise: Venture X has seen more drop-in customers who just pay for the day than Diamond expected. For example, some of those who use the facility for the day are people who are on vacation and need a place to work. They need space away from their family and don't want to spend time in a cramped business office at the hotel. “We didn't expect vacationers,” Diamond says. “We're working with the Hilton and the Ritz. They asked for it.”
Besides vacationers, members include itinerant salespeople who usually meet clients at Starbucks, a personal finance adviser who makes occasional trips to Naples and software developers who prefer to write code late at night. “They don't work 9-to-5, that's for sure,” says Diamond.
A big market is the army of work-from-home people who don't get social interaction. “The ones who come here are really social,” Diamond says. “Geeks love networking with others.”
Retirees are likely to be another source of members as the winter season gets under way. Such seasonal residents would prefer to work outside the home, but it's hard to find temporary office space. Diamond is contemplating advertising at the airport in the baggage claim area to let them know about Venture X. “We are doing direct-mail marketing” to reach people at home, Diamond says.
“The big challenge now is getting in front of the right people,” says Diamond, who expects to have 60 companies signed up by March.


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GENEVA--Cie. Financière Richemont SA is considering price increases of 5% to 7% for its Swiss watches to counter the impact of the sudden surge in the Swiss franc.
The likely move by Geneva-based Richemont, the world's second-biggest luxury company, follows the sharp rise in the value of the franc versus the euro after the Swiss central bank scrapped its currency cap of 1.20 francs per euro last Thursday.
The rise in the franc reduces the value of Richemont's sales in euros, putting pressure on profitability.
The price rises would come in addition to regular price rises and apply only to the eurozone, where it gets around 30% of its sales.
Late last year Richemont, which owns Cartier, IWC and Piaget watch brands, increased its prices in Russia to counter the weakness of the ruble.
Write to John Revill at firstname.lastname@example.org


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Lloyds promises to ditch sales targets in bid to snuff out mis-selling and overhaul the bank's tarnished image
Lloyds has promised to ditch sales targets in a bid to snuff out mis-selling and overhaul its tarnished image.
Speaking to the Mail, retail boss Alison Brittain insisted she is running a ‘clean bank’ but described the move as a ‘last symbolic gesture’ to break from its scandal-hit past.
The High Street giant said that it will introduce its ‘radical’ new regime at 2,249 Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland branches from January 1.
Making a 'step change': Lloyds retail boss Alison Brittain has insisted that she is running a 'clean bank'
Brittain described it as a ‘step change’ for the state-backed lender, which has racked up an £11.3bn bill for mis-selling payment protection insurance and was fined £28m last December for its high pressure sales culture. The bank has already informed many of the 38,000 staff working in its High Street operation about the changes.
Brittain said: ‘No one will have any opportunity, whatever level they are, to say they were incentivised to do something wrong.’
Lloyds has come under fire for continuing to pressurise its staff to sell after its huge fine from the Financial Conduct Authority for giving its most prolific salesmen bottles of champagne and ‘grand in the hand’ bonuses.
But Brittain argues that changes Lloyds has made over the past 18 months to the way it pays staff meant it could already ‘control the risk of mis-selling’.
Under the system she introduced when she became retail boss in September 2011, old-fashioned sales targets were replaced with ‘balanced scorecards’ which measured the performance of staff based on their service to customers as well as sales.
Brittain said that sales had become only a small factor when determining bonuses, adding: ‘Despite that there was an issue where in people’s mind the symbol of even keeping it [the sales target] was bigger than the reality.’
Describing ditching sales targets as an ‘overwhelming symbol of a different way of thinking and running a business’, she said: ‘We’ve managed all the risk out. We knew we were running a clean bank, but this last symbolic gesture says to everybody who works all the way through the line that it’s just about the quality of the conversation you have with the customer, not about sales.’
But the new regime will still open up Lloyds to criticism as it will impose strict targets on salesmen to meet a certain number of customers.
A senior personal banking adviser, who asked not to be named, said: ‘The directors always paint a false picture to cover their own backs. Any person knows the sales culture at Lloyds is appalling. Earlier this year the bank increased sales targets and last year the FCA fined Lloyds for mis-selling protection policies.’
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By Business Editor
LOCAL Companies are appreciating the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) foreign currency auction system for removing distortions in the exchange rate.
A thriving parallel market, price distortions, speculative behaviour, uncertainty, shortages, high inflation and low productivity characterised the economy before the introduction of the foreign currency auction system by the RBZ in June last year.
“Indeed it is for all to see how we are benefitting and its impact on sustaining the entire economy,” said Mike Lashbrook, the National Foods Limited Group Chief Executive Officer.
BAT Zimbabwe Chairperson, Mr Lovemore Manatsa outlined the impact of the auction on production.
“It is all about sustaining productivity and creating that platform to boost our viability base in the country.”
DZL Holdings Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Anthony Mandiwanza commended the credibility of the exchange rate.
“Before the auction this economy was in full swing of arbitrage activities but look how the auction has stabilised everything with the issue of black market trading being out completely.”
Zimbabwe Fertiliser Company Managing Director, Dr Richard Dafana weighed in emphasising the importance of the auction system in restoring business confidence.
“Confidence is now back at last one can plan for the future without any uncertainty which is good for businesses.”
Financial results being released though modest have however seen companies supporting the exchange rate stability in terms of revenues, sales, growth, cash flows, spending and shareholder returns.
The post Companies appreciate RBZ foreign currency auction system appeared first on ZBC NEWS.


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Social Security spending is headed for an unprecedented shortfall. According to a report on the CNBC website, the Social Security Administration has projected “that unfunded obligations will reach $11.4 trillion by 2090.” This is an increase of $700 billion over previous projections.
Unfortunately, that’s not even the worst estimate for future unfunded mandates like Social Security. In another projection cited in the same article, by the year 2090, the U.S. is looking at unfunded obligations to the tune of $32.1 Trillion. To give you a sense of scale, according to Statista, in 2015, the Gross Domestic Product for the United States was 17.95 trillion in U.S. Dollars. Assuming GDP conditions remain the same in 2090 as they are now, Social Security alone will cost more than twice the dollar value of all services and goods produced in the U.S. in one year.


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Skirting the line between farmers market and traditional grocery store, Whispersholler Farms Market is the latest addition to Asheville Food Park. Grand opening celebrations take place during the park’s Equinox Spring Fest, Saturday and Sunday, March 19-20.
Urban Orchard Cider Co. hosts a free Halloween celebration with entertainment, a costume contest and a special flight of spicy ciders.
Last year, Accelerating Appalachia orchestrated the transfer of about $505,000 in investment funds toward sustainable, nature-based ventures in Western North Carolina. This year, the Asheville-based nonprofit — the region’s first social-impact business accelerator — partnered with impact investor Reinventure Capital for 2015 and recently invited businesses to submit funding applications online. Submissions for 2015 are due by […]


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Sony Corp.’s continued struggles and falling stock price could spark another battle with activist investor Dan Loeb, The Post has learned.
Loeb, the founder of the Third Point hedge fund, may jump back into a battle with the Sony board if shares of the electronics company — down 5.2 percent this year, to $16.39 — continue to tumble, sources familiar with Loeb’s thinking said.
Last summer, Loeb amassed a small stake in the $17 billion company and called for Sony to consider spinning off the firm’s entertainment assets as a way to unleash their true value.
Loeb, in a letter to the Sony board, pointed out several inefficiencies, hence embarrassing executives.
Sony politely declined the spin-off idea but promised to undertake major restructurings and rounds of cost cuts.
Nearly one year later, Sony’s financial situation doesn’t look much different.
“Loeb will be rattling now that the stock has dropped,” said the person familiar with the situation. “This [also] opens the door for other activist investors.”
Sony’s poor financial situation leaves its US chiefs in a tough spot, wondering how to expand their businesses when all the capital has to head back to Tokyo, one person explained.
“It’s going in the wrong direction,” said one source with knowledge of the situation.
“As long as the stock keeps dropping, Loeb’s plan for a spin-off of the entertainment assets is logical,” a second source in the loop said.
This person likened the entertainment assets of Sony to the value of Yahoo!’s Alibaba stake — meaning that the core business adds little to the overall value of the company.
Sony’s move to spin off its television-set business into a new entity is being viewed as a precursor to a possible sale — one move that would fit into Loeb’s vision of a slimmed-down Sony.
Sony’s entertainment assets are valued at roughly $14 billion, sources estimated.
A stock price decline to the $13-a-share neighborhood could bring activists off the sidelines, the person said.
If the entertainment assets were sold, Sony could give its stock price a huge boost and begin a period of reinvestment in its core products.
Sony has continued to say it isn’t interested in selling its entertainment assets and rejected Loeb’s plan for a spin-off soon after its proposal last year.
A Sony spokesman couldn’t be reached for comment.
Third Point declined comment.


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Comixology Originals announced the September 26, 2023 release of Black Sight, a new thriller set in the 1960s by Stephanie Phillips and Conor Boyle.
Browsing: Digital Comics
In a harsh and blasted land, a man must do what he can to survive and make sense of the things he sees, even if they aren’t always there. Your Major Spoilers review of Wag #1, awaits!
Comixology Originals releases Wag from Scott Hoffman and Juan Bobillo on Tuesday, and ahead of the release, we have a look at the main characters of the series.
Kodansha USA has two new digital releases coming our way this month. Take the jump for a rundown on the two collections.
ZOOP announced Paul Allor and Juan Romera bring readers Pink Midnight Present: Barber Psychic, the latest in the anthology series, on September 5, 2023.
Oni Press is pleased to announce a new partnership with modern digital comic store and reader app Omnibus.
Scott Hoffman and Juan Bobillo are teaming for Wag, a new mini-series from Comixology Originals.
Curt Pires is launching two new monthly series next week at Comixology Originals.
Scott Hoffman (aka Babydaddy) of the multi-platinum selling band Scissor Sisters makes his comics writing debut with NOSTALGIA, a noir adventure about a futuristic rock star that takes cues from Hoffman’s own life as a musician.
Kodansha USA announced two new manga titles coming our way this month.
Kwento Comics, the first all-women, all-Asian comic book company highlighting Filipino and Asian mythology through the medium of graphic novels, has made The Mask of Haliya available on GlobalComix!
Amazon and Comixology have seriously reduced their staffs and services. Is digital dying?
Comixology Originals announced the return of Breaklands by Justin Jordan and Sarah Stern.
GlobalComix welcomes many of the biggest publishers in comics today as new additions to their ever-expanding community and catalog; including Image Comics, BOOM! Studios, Archie Comics, TOKYOPOP, NBM Graphic Novels, and more!


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Neil Van Uum can't pinpoint exactly what it takes for an independent bookstore to run with the big dogs, but he thinks he has a pretty good idea. 'It's everything,' said the owner and president of Joseph-Beth Booksellers. 'We better be a lot better than them or we're dead.' Whether it's offering more book titles than its competitors, operating a full-service restaurant or getting involved in the community, Joseph-Beth Booksellers' new store at Shaker Square in Cleveland plans to do it all and do it well. 'We've waited a long time to put a store in Cleveland,' Mr. Van Uum said. Fourteen years, to be exact. In 1986, Mr. Van Uum wanted to open his first bookstore in Cleveland but couldn't find the right location. So, he ended up in Lexington, Ky. The Joseph-Beth Group is Mr. Van Uum's parent company for the Joseph-Beth shop in Kentucky and another in Cincinnati, as well as for Davis-Kidd Booksellers stores in Nashville, Memphis and Jackson, Tenn. The stores employ 600. Mr. Van Uum plans to hire 100 more to staff the Cleveland location. He intends to pull some of them from his competitors. In a world where giants such as Barnes & Noble and Borders have overshadowed some of the smaller players in the book market, the location of Cleveland's first Joseph-Beth bookstore was key to Mr. Van Uum's plan. The 36,000-square-foot store is amid renovations at 13217 Shaker Square, as part of the newly remodeled Shops at Shaker Square. Mr. Van Uum said he hopes to open the main store before Thanksgiving, but construction of an attached children's store could take a little longer. Mr. Van Uum was attracted to the Shaker Square location in part because of its location -- surrounded by neighborhoods filled with young families and single, young, college-educated professionals who are drawn to the bookstore/coffee shop atmosphere. Natives of the area also show their loyalty by coming back to shop at Shaker Square, even though they have moved into the suburbs, he said. Joseph-Bet h Booksellers can't offer the biggest discounts in town, but Mr. Van Uum said it can offer things that 'make people drive by our competitors.' Amenities such as a full-service bistro, a conference room and a classical music area might do the trick, he said. 'The store becomes sort of a community center for a lot of people,' he said. 'It's a place where you can kind of hang out, drink coffee, drink wine.' As part of his efforts to make the store consumer friendly, Mr. Van Uum is installing a music sampling system that allows customers to scan the bar code sticker on a compact disc, then listen to the first 45 seconds of every track on the CD before purchasing it. The system initially will store more than 20,000 music titles and about 80% of the music in stock. However, the largest portion of sales, Mr. Van Uum said, still is generated from books. He claims the Shaker Square store will have the largest selection of any bookstore in Ohio: 125,000 titles. Also planned are more than 250 special events throughout the year, including book signings and children's events. 'Lots of people don't really care where they buy books,' Mr. Van Uum said. 'We're trying to create a store people want to come into.' To achieve that goal, the atmosphere is important, Mr. Van Uum said. So, he has poured more than $3.5 million into renovations of the 71-year-old building. As part of the makeover, the store's rear walls were knocked down to expand the area by more than 2,000 square feet, and the ceiling between the first and second floors was removed to open up the store. An elevator and a winding staircase were built in the middle of the store to connect the two floors. Mr. Van Uum also wanted to use as much of the original architecture as possible. A brick, wood-burning fireplace on the main floor was preserved, and four brick archways originally built into the walls now create entranceways into the main store on the first floor. 'The archways were never designed to be exposed. But as we look at things today, that's probably one of the cooler features of the building,' he said.
Store tries its book smarts here
Retailer looks to create literary destination at Shaker
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Busy professionals may be able to stand the heat, but that doesn't mean they have any desire to get into the kitchen after the workday is through. To the contrary, there's often precious little energy or time left over to expend on preparing the evening meal. Rather than microwaving bland TV dinners or heading out to restaurants, however, these professionals are increasingly opting for pre-prepared meals to be enjoyed at home.
Pioneered by home-style fast-food chain Boston Market, the home-meal replacement industry is cooking up a storm. In addition to the grocery stores and restaurants offering packaged foods to go, some 1,000 personal chef businesses throughout North America are tasting success. Perhaps even more impressive, David MacKay at the U.S. Personal Chef Association projects the number of personal chef businesses will increase fivefold in the next five years.
"It's still in its infancy," says MacKay of his industry's prospects. "It's just begun to grow."
As have grocery store/restaurant hybrids like Eatzi's in Texas. Considering the majority of consumer food dollars are spent on meals prepared away from home, it's clear that the modern-day definition of home-cooked meals are meals meant for eating at home-but prepared by someone else. Hey, we're not complaining.


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The Sporting Club opens at Voorhees Town Center
Voorhees, N.J. — Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust announced that The Sporting Club fitness center has opened a 13,000-sq.-ft. satellite location at Voorhees Town Center, located in Voorhees, N.J.
Located on the Boulevard, Sporting Club joins Firecreek Restaurant + Bar, Doghouse Gourmet Burgers, Coffee Works Café, Rizzieri Studio Salon, Rizzieri Aveda School for Beauty & Wellness, Rizzieri School for the Healing Arts, and It’s A Doggie Dog World, which just opened in early March.
“In the past year, Voorhees Town Hall, three popular restaurants, and a handful of stores have opened at Voorhees Town Center,” said Maria Umbriac, mall marketing director. “It’s really all coming together, and there is more on the horizon as we continue to expand our shopping and dining choices and services for the community.”
Also opening this year are restaurant Catelli Duo and self-serve frozen yogurt emporium Spoon Me.
Mid-City Market breaks ground in New Orleans
New Orleans — Covington, La.-based Stirling Properties announced that urban shopping center development Mid-City Market has broken ground in New Orleans, along the North Carrollton Avenue commercial corridor.
Opening in early 2013, Mid-City Market will complement the proposed Lafitte Greenway pedestrian and bicycle pathway that will border the shopping center.
The 107,713-sq.-ft. Winn-Dixie-anchored shopping center represents Stirling Properties continued investment in the New Orleans market and one of the most significant retail developments in the city since hurricane Katrina.
“This project embodies the strength of the New Orleans recovery and represents yet another important step in bringing retail back to the city,” stated Lewis Stirling, executive VP of Stirling Properties.
Stirling Properties’ Townsend Underhill, VP of development, added that Stirling Properties will continue to work on a number of other potential projects in the city of New Orleans and hopes Mid-City Market will be the springboard to furthering the recovery in New Orleans.
Tenants with executed leases in the development include Office Depot, Neighborhood Pet Market by Jefferson Feed, Felipe’s Taqueria, Pinkberry Frozen Yogurt, Five Guys Burgers and Fries, and Pei Wei Asian Diner. Mid-City Market is 80% pre-leased.
Hull Storey Gibson acquires Piedmont Mall
Danville, Va. — Augusta, Ga.-based Hull Storey Gibson Cos. announced Wednesday that it has acquired Piedmont Mall in Danville, Va., the 18th enclosed mall in the company’s portfolio.
The 731,500-sq.-ft. Piedmont Mall is slated for full renovation, including an upgrade of the interior and exterior lighting, entrances, signage, painting and flooring.


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Auto sales and manufacturers’ profits in Europe have been bounding ahead, but investors worry that a faltering economy and a price war initiated by electric vehicle maker Tesla may also infect the traditional combustion sector and end the positive scenario.
The profitability of high-end manufacturers like BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen’s Audi and Porsche subsidiaries have benefitted from a combination of events. The shortage of semiconductors may have depressed production, but strong demand has allowed them to sell more highly profitable sedans and SUVs and end up making even higher overall profits. Some mass vehicle manufacturers have followed a similar path, but higher interest rates have weakened demand and the slowing economy is undermining sales.
The supply chain that was wrecked by the Covid pandemic has largely been restored, but now demand is faltering. Prices and therefore profits are likely to come under pressure as carmakers scramble to find buyers for their products.
S&P Global Ratings said in a recent report that what it called positive momentum in European sales could falter in the second half of 2023 as the economy weakens and tighter monetary policies undermine consumer purchasing power. S&P Global Ratings expects stagnation in Europe this year.
LMC Automotive points out that despite strong Western European sales so far this year and an 8% increase expected for 2023 to 10.96 million, the market is still significantly below the 14.29 million achieved in pre-Covid 2019.
“Most markets in the region are still significantly below pre‐pandemic 2019 levels. As such, we expect to see further improvements in selling rates as supply picks up. While underlying demand has taken a hit from rising interest rates and slowing economic growth, on a more positive note, the economic outlook has generally improved from the start of the year. That said, supply is still expected to dictate market pace this year,” LMC Automotive said in a report.
Investment bank UBS said Tesla’s price cutting means Europe’s electric carmakers will have to follow and with their higher cost structures the drive to make EVs as profitable as internal combustion engines (ICE) will be derailed.
“There should be a knock-on effect on ICE pricing too. Irrespective of Tesla price cuts, the ICE segment should be much more competitive as production and inventories have grown while demand has declined in the 4th quarter,” UBS said in a report.
Mass carmakers will likely find maintaining price discipline and high mix difficult, while expecting only flat to slightly higher sales.
“We’re cautious on all mass (market manufacturers) for 2023, while preferring more cycle-resistant luxury names and Tesla thanks to cost and technical leadership,” UBS said.
Bernstein Research said Tesla’s price cuts have shaken up the market and put pressure on competitors, but will have annoyed Tesla’s current customers who have seen the value of their cars undermined. As well as stimulating demand, it might also have the reverse effect as many potential electric vehicle buyers decide to wait for the next big price cut. This might have a positive outcome for Tesla’s upmarket competitors.
“Tesla is not only sacrificing its EV margins to achieve its volume ambitions. To some extent it is also placing the goodwill and brand equity that it has built up on the altar too. This is most important in the premium end of the market, where brand perception and social status are the crux of sales. We see Mercedes and BMW’s offerings have now moved clear out of Tesla’s price range. They’re still holding on to their brands. In the long-run, this may actually be good for the premium (manufacturers),” Bernstein said in a report.
Read the full article here


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A rare, original piece of art was sold using a unique method of payment.
Emillions Art in Naples sold a rare Pablo Picasso etching using a form of cryptocurrency called IDON. It’s the first ever sale of an original Picasso using a digital currency.
ABC-7 sat down with Owner/CEO of Emillions Art, Marlissa Gardner. She’s a global art consultant who made the sale.
“The first thing I did was call up some crypto experts and say, ‘What do you think of this?'” Gardner said.
The currency is a digital token called IDON. It was created by a Switzerland based company, Idoneus. It utilizes a barter-trade model that allows sellers to trade luxury items like the Picasso, for other luxuries like sports cars, yachts, properties or IDON tokens. The company is creating a digital economy, and collecting luxury assets, for those trades to happen.
IDON differs from other forms of digital currency, like Bitcoin or Ethereum, in that it has a base floor that will never fall below $10 in value.
FGCU Professor of Finance, Tom Smythe said cryptocurrencies may soon become a household name.
“If you would have asked me before the pandemic started, I would have said 15 or 20 years away. I think we might be as close as 10 years away now,” Smythe said. “People are buying and selling things with Bitcoin in the United States now. It’s just not mainstream. You can’t walk up to Kohls and say, ‘Hey, I’m going to buy this dress in Bitcoin,’ but we may not be too far away.”


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The rising prices in agro-commodities supplies in the export market directly led to chilling demand from overseas buyers. This resulted in the fall of U.S wheat futures.
The United States is one of the biggest producers of wheat in the world. Therefore, any fluctuations in the supply chain directly affect the global market and the domestic futures trades. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) weekly Export Sales Report, total known outstanding sales and accumulated exports of all classes of wheat for the 2022-23 marketing year, through October 13, 2022, was 11.2 million metric tonnes (MMT), 8 percent lower than last year’s 12.3 million metric tonnes.
Net sales of 163,100 metric tons were reported for delivery in 2022-23, 8 percent less than the previous week’s 211,800 MT and below trade expectations of 200,000 to 500,000 MT. Increases were reported for Mexico (52,482 HRW, 704 SRW, 40,348 HRS), Nigeria (36,000 HRS), Algeria (31,500 durum), Japan (9,883 HRW, 17,044 HRS, 251 white) and Colombia (18,700 HRS).
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecasts 2022-23 U.S. Wheat Exporters to a total of 21.09 million metric tonnes. The US has been able to fulfill 54% of the total projected exports of wheat and wheat products in the year so far.
Chicago Board of Trade grain and soybean futures strengthened on Wednesday as weakness in the U.S. dollar raised hopes for improved export demand for American crops.
The Fluctuations in Dollar Compounded to the Issue
The Federal Reserve increased the interest rates a while back leading to an appreciation in the dollar. However, the most traded currency i.e. dollar, fell near a three-week low versus major peers after poor U.S. economic data reinforced speculation that the Federal Reserve will slow its interest rate hikes.
A softer dollar makes U.S. commodities look more attractive to importers on the global market. The importers get to buy the commodity at a lower exchange rate allowing them to get more profit margins once the dollar regains strength.
Owing to a weaker dollar, the benchmark Chicago Board of Trade December soft red winter wheat futures contract (WZ2) settled 8-1/4 cents lower at US$8.41-1/4 a bushel after hitting technical resistance at its 40-day moving average. K.C. hard
red winter wheat December futures (KWZ2) fell 2-3/4 cents to US$9.41-3/4 a bushel and MGEX December spring wheat (MWEZ2) dropped 2-3/4 cents to US$9.53-1/4 a bushel.
Forecasts of Rain
There have been forecasts for showers in the eastern U.S Midwest and the Argentine region is expected to aid the developing crops. This eased some worries for the farmers in the wheat-growing areas that are currently suffering from unfavorable dryness.
“Low water levels on the Mississippi River have shifted U.S. crop exports during the peak export season from Gulf Coast facilities to the Pacific Northwest and South American ports”, said Greg Heckman, chief executive of grain trader Bunge Ltd.


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This post was written by senior staff writer Dan Greene.
With the start of the men’s basketball season about three weeks away, the athletic department is not worried that premium season tickets remain unsold, Director of Athletics Jack Kvancz said Monday.
The closest section of seating for sale, often referred to as the “blue seats” because of their color, is typically sold out each year. Each seat costs $375, and includes tickets to all of the team’s home games.
Kvancz said that the current ticket situation is not unlike past years, but that recent economic developments may be having an affect on ticket sales.
“The reality is that there’s always a turnover,” Kvancz said. “My biggest concern is that the economy is hitting every professional sport – it’s disposable income. That’s where my concern is.”
Still, Kvancz said he doesn’t think any decrease in ticket sales will be too severe.
Season ticket holders from the 2007-2008 season have until Nov. 1 to renew their tickets for the upcoming season. Kvancz said the department will have a better assessment of the situation after that date and then respond accordingly.
An e-mail was sent out to current ticket holders to alert them that more tickets were available, and the department has advertised the ticket availability in the D.C. Examiner.
“Basically we have been able to sell them by word-of-mouth,” Kvancz said of past years. “This year we’ve taken a shot at getting the word out that they can buy some extras if they want to do it because it hasn’t been as easy by word-of-mouth.”
If economics are playing a part, however, Kvancz fears there may be no real course of action available.
“I’m not sure what it is you do,” Kvancz said. “And until we can figure out you’re not renewing your season tickets because of these reasons, we can’t address it. If there’s something that I can do, we intend to address whatever it is.”
Kvancz also cited similar concerns at the professional level, where the economic downturn recently prompted the NBA to lay off 80 workers in the U.S.
“If the NBA is concerned, then I would say we should be concerned,” Kvancz said. “But just like them, until they tip it off and find out how many they sell, I don’t know what it is.”


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Something different has been brewing in Redmond, Wash. recently.
Microsoft Corp., the tech giant known for its software offerings, is doubling down on hardware by designing and refining its premium tier of products called Surface in a way that is similar to competitors such as Apple Inc. and now Google Inc.
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As a result, the company is gaining some consumer hardware swagger and brand loyalists, while also encouraging partners to step up their design game. It’s taken a team of passionate employees and strategy tweaks to get there, but Surface is finally cresting in a crowded market for Windows-based machines.
“We realized that in order to build new things, you have to do it end to end and then grow the entire market for our partners,” said Satya Nadella, Microsoft‘s chief executive, during an interview in Toronto. “We are now silicon-to-cloud capable and how we express it is by picking and choosing things that Microsoft can uniquely do in the world.”
Microsoft has certainly experimented with hardware in the past, with failed devices such as its Zune MP3 player and wearable MSN Watch, and successful ones like the Xbox gaming console and recently released mixed-reality headsets.
But Surface marks a significant strategy shift for the company since it’s competing with high-priced premium devices from both partners and traditional Windows foes, while also intertwining with its flagship operating system. With little room for error, Microsoft is taking a centre-stage gamble on hardware that seems to be paying off.
The Surface got its start in October 2012 as the Surface RT — a hybrid tablet and the first computer designed by Microsoft, but it had a modified version of Windows 8 that could only run specific apps from the Windows Store. The limitations didn’t resonate with customers, and the company ended up taking a US$900-million writedown, which raised eyebrows externally, but didn’t prevent Microsoft from sticking with the idea.
You cannot make great software without great hardware
Panos Panay, Microsoft’s corporate vice-president of devices and the creator of Surface, said the tipping point came just prior to the 2014 launch of Surface Pro 3, a proper two-in-one laptop with a detachable screen, fully functional Windows operating system and premium design.
“We believed it was the product that would help change the way people worked between a tablet at that time and a laptop,” he said in an interview. “There were a few moments where Satya (Nadella) was somewhat new to the role at the time and we were really clearly looking at that product saying, ‘This is what Microsoft needs to be in the hardware business.’ We got behind it pretty heavily as a team, literally as a family and as a company. I don’t think we’ve looked back since.”
The Surface lineup has since expanded from the original two-in-one concept to include an all-in-one desktop (Surface Studio), a dedicated laptop (Surface Laptop) and a professional-focused hybrid option with more power (Surface Book), which was updated in mid-November with beefier specs and a refined design.
Surface has had an evolutionary journey during a revolutionary period of time in technology, Panay said, since the definition of software keeps widening to include everything from artificial intelligence and machine learning to mixed reality and cloud services. This creates a greater need for hardware to be intimately designed with the software to ensure there is less room for error.
“In this day and age, you cannot make great software without great hardware. It’s so many things coming together,” he said. “We need hardware to be the stage.”
Exclusive: Microsoft's Satya Nadella wants to make emerging technologies available to everyone
Behind the scenes: How Microsoft's Xbox One X is going against the grain
Microsoft has also been ramping up its marketing efforts for its Surface devices as a way to build its brand presence. Its commercials feel trendy and energetic, similar to those from competing companies that make hardware aimed at consumers and creatives — not necessarily something you’d expect from Microsoft.
Cinematic product unveiling commercials have devices slowly moving across the screen as modern, haunting renditions of songs from classic films set the tone: Surface Studio gets a darker version of Pure Imagination from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory; a melancholy-filled rendition of You’re the One that I Want from Grease is used for Surface Laptop; and, most recently, a futuristic bass-driven Fly Me To the Moon by Frank Sinatra is the soundtrack for Surface Book 2.
“One of the most important things Satya has ever said as CEO, about a year and a half ago, was, ‘We want people to love our products; we don’t want people to just buy them because they feel they have to,'” said J.P. Gownder, vice-president and principal analyst at Forrester Research. “That has been the ethos that Panos (Panay) has certainly been pushing forward, and you’ll find that it has been successful.”
Microsoft doesn’t break out specific numbers for Surface products during quarterly reports, but Gownder said the products have been successful overall and the line continues to grow in sales and market share.
“It’s been very important for branding, because it said that you can make a high-end Windows machine that people will love and lust after, and it’s been a practical move, because they have made billions of dollars,” he said. “These devices are definitely finding niches among what Microsoft calls creators … people who are architects, designers, engineers, product designers and people who do art.”
Behind the scenes, Microsoft recently created a prototyping facility for its hardware division inside an unassuming place called Building 87 on the company’s main campus in Redmond.
Large open areas are filled with laser and water jet machines to cut all sorts of materials to help nail down a new device’s look and size. Giant rolls of fabric sit next to a table that has pieces randomly strewn about as designers decide on the next keyboard colour; and 3D printers sit near hundreds of buckets of paint, allowing employees to print, feel and see products to get the right shade or texture.
“The energy on campus is awesome. People take pride when they can hold the device in hand,” Panay said. “Satya talks about ‘one Microsoft’ and this sits right in the middle of that culture, because people want to be energized about products that they use.”
There is a cool factor. It's awesome. There is a brand people associate to
Building 87’s on-campus location means various company leaders and software teams can drop by to see the products, understand design details and learn how far the Surface team wants to take the device’s elegance and features, Panay said.
“When you get people energized around it, it’s amazing what they can create and how inspired they get,” he said.
The design team has also noticed that Surface is catching the attention of creative customers and that more and more of their products are being used by various demographics.
“I remember when we started Surface, I would walk into coffee shops just hoping to see one, and now you walk into coffee shops and count them all,” Panay said, adding that when he sees a Surface in the wild he walks up to the user and asks what they think of it.
Another thing he does as a way to anecdotally measure Surface’s success is walk the length of an airplane when travelling to see how many of the devices are on board.
“I will check every single seat,” he said. “My kids hate it. We get on a plane and I go do a count and then I ask my boy to do it or I ask my daughter to double check.”
It’s that energy, commitment and passion of the Surface team internally that has made the product line so successful, Panay said.
“If you take it from the perspective internally, there is a cool factor. It’s awesome. There is a brand people associate to,” he said. “Microsoft is going through awesome change and growth and I think Surface is a part of that.”
But Microsoft’s chief executive said that being cool is not a goal unto itself.
“I want the artist who uses the Surface Book and some of the new tools we put into the Windows 10 Fall Creators update to feel cool, because we want to always be celebrating the people who use our products, whether it is the hardware products in the computer space or the cloud computing,” Nadella said. “In there, our own image changes, but it’s not that we have a goal to say, ‘Let’s change it.'”
It needs to be so beautiful and an object of desire that people want
There has also been a secondary benefit for Microsoft in creating the Surface product line. Other brands running Windows have been forced to step up their design game and many partners — such as Hewlett-Packard Co., Lenovo Group Ltd. and Dell Inc. — are innovating to compete in a higher price tier.
“The direct revenue is important, of course, and now we are looking at somewhere between a $4- and $5-billion runway,” Forrester’s Gownder said. “But Microsoft is trying to do both: have an independently successful product and also inspire a better design among OEM partners.”
Two-in-one devices largely didn’t exist prior to Surface, he added, and “you can kind of smell the impact” Microsoft had on the form factor of devices such as the Dell’s XPS 13. “It’s been about showing the other OEMs what Windows can do when it is at its best.”
Microsoft has been open about this strategy, too. The rising tide lifts all boats in the Windows ecosystem, Panay said, and both the company and its partners gain from Surface.
“Creating the next generation of technology or next bet on our products — the next screen or the next chipset in our pen — these are all opportunities for how we empower our partners to take that technology, use it with that integration of Windows, and bring more to customers around the world,” he said.
Part of the process of bringing Surface to more people has been listening to existing customer feedback and tracking what users are saying.
In the early days, there was no data, just a “paper and a pen,” Panay said. Now Microsoft can track anything customers say about Surface, the positive and negative, both in person or online — including some heavier reading of social networks such as Reddit, Twitter and even Instagram.
“From how the products are being used, how much they are being used, how much they are being pushed, what is being created on it… We look at everything customers will tell us,” he said. “There are so many indicators and so much data now.”
Panay said the end goal for Surface’s product team is to design premium devices that allow users to connect their thoughts and create.
“The product needs to disappear into the background and get out of the way, but it needs to be so beautiful and an object of desire that people want, are proud of and hold,” he said.
“It has a real press of all the love, energy, detail and attention given to the sound, feel and presence of the product. That’s all put into it and all comes out when a user uses it. That’s a reflection of the people and putting everything they have into it.”


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The logistics market in Ireland has begun 2021 as the golden child of the property sector. The economic and political climate in the past number of years has helped to shape and grow its development, but cultural trends, and the adaptation of society to a changing world has also been pivotal in moulding the sector.
In its most basic sense, logistics is the blanket term used when referring to the process of managing how resources are acquired, stored and distributed to their final destination or end user. As such, it focuses on storage and transportation services. For the Irish property market, this has manifested in increased take-up of warehousing space, data centres and transport hubs.
It would not be possible to discuss any sector in the current climate without acknowledging the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Surprisingly for the logistics sector, the pandemic has likely been a friend to its recent rise in popularity. While not the most welcome of allies, COVID-19 has seen a change in the way we live our lives. People are restricted in how they interact. Businesses have had to adapt. Consumers have had to develop new habits.
One such habit has been a growth in online shopping as a result of nonessential physical retail outlets remaining closed during extended periods of restrictions. This emergence in e-commerce has resulted in increased warehousing demand, and also an increased demand for data centre space.
It's no secret that the uncertainty surrounding Brexit has impacted on certain sectors of the economy in recent times. On the flip-side however, this uncertainty has had knock-on effects for companies who have had to change the way they do business to prepare for the possible eventuality of a no-deal Brexit. Ultimately, a deal was agreed but by then many businesses had already put plans in place. For the Irish logistics market, this in turn meant a higher demand for space.
The COVID-19 Brexit Balance
CBRE reported in its recent Market Outlook for 2021 that a solid uptake was recorded in the industrial and logistics sector across 2020. This was in line with high volumes achieved in previous years. Indeed, in the last quarter of 2020 the Dublin industrial and logistics sector saw the highest quarterly take-up in 5 years.
The logistics sector is both capital and employment sensitive, and, coupled with the global freight transport industry, is driven by trends in global trade. The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation in its Focus on Transport and Logistics in August 2020 noted that while transport in general (including passenger traffic) fell post-COVID-19, air cargo supply lines have remained robust throughout the crisis. It also noted that the ecommerce driven logistics industry has grown in 2020. As a result, those companies have increased employment.
In the latter part of 2020, Brexit stockpiling by companies in the run-up to Christmas was reported as assisting Dublin Port Company in its overall performance for 2020. While the second quarter of 2020 saw a large reduction in volumes through the Port, this recovered in the third quarter and further again in the fourth quarter.
With the uncertainty generated by both COVID-19 and Brexit, trends in the Irish (and international) logistics sector have emerged. These include:
- The popularity of online shopping is likely to remain constant as consumers have now become more accustomed to this method of purchasing. This should see increased demand for data centre space, and also for storage and warehousing for online shopping.
- With more people working from home, and home-schooling becoming commonplace during periods of restriction, cloud-based businesses have performed strongly. Microsoft recently reported that its Azure cloud computing services grew 50% in the final quarter of 2020. This was the second quarter that growth was experienced.
- As COVID-19 vaccines come on stream, storage requirements may change and develop. For example, the Pfizer BioNtech vaccine has demonstrated the need for cold storage facilities, and indeed the Health Services Executive (HSE) took delivery of a consignment of ultra-low temperature storage freezers to the National Cold Chain Centre in December 2020.
- Amazon has recently been reported as being close to agreeing terms on additional warehouse space in Dublin for its fulfilment centre. This is in addition to its existing warehousing facility for its Amazon Prime business. The new fulfilment centre would be a welcome development for Irish consumers as it would allow for the UK to be bypassed by Amazon, avoiding potential delays or further charges due to Brexit trading arrangements. It is reported as being the largest deal of its type in the Irish property market.
Other Developments and Trends
Outside of global pandemics and international political changes, sustainability remains high on the agenda globally. In Ireland, the environment is seen as a valuable asset to be protected, and businesses need to operate in a way that is sustainable and poses as little threat to the environment as possible. An Post (the Irish postal service) recently became the first Irish logistics company to join EV100. This is a particularly timely development for a thriving logistics market in a world that is increasingly investing in sustainable ways of doing business. EV100 is a global initiative which describes itself as bringing together forward-looking companies, committed to accelerating the transition to electric vehicles. 30% of An Post's fleet is already made up of electric vehicles, and the company is now focusing on alternatives for its HGV fleet with a view to carbon reduction.
In recent years, international investors have been competing for available industrial and logistics space in the Dublin market and this trend is set to continue. Prime industrial rents rose in 2020 and are expected to increase further in 2021. Prime industrial yields are expected to be stronger in 2021 than previously. Data centre and technology space also remains popular, with the Irish-based Hewlett Packard campus being sold in November 2020 to an international investor.
COVID-19 and Brexit have been influential in the Irish logistics market, and while they may in themselves be transient, the changes they have brought about in how people live their lives, and in how businesses operate will continue into the future. Coupled with the desire to find sustainable ways of living and working, this can only be positive for the future of the logistics market in Ireland, and beyond.
Originally Published by The Law Firm Network.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.


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- US Super Bowl prompts 86 per cent surge in searches for TV deals
- Electronics offers up 248 per cent this year
- Takeaway codes up 82 per cent
This weekend is an important one for American Football fans with the biggest game of the year, the Super Bowl, being played on Sunday. In the U.S. the event is huge for retailers as people host parties or head out to bars to catch the game, and it appears the trend is gaining traction on this side of the Atlantic.
Recent analysis from VoucherCodes.co.uk reveals fervour is already building amongst consumers ahead of the big game between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots this Sunday. The past week has seen an 86 per cent surge in searches for TV discounts and a 110 per cent increase in people hunting for grocery offers, suggesting having a good TV on which to watch the action and plenty of food for party guests will be key for sports fans over the weekend.
Looking at last year’s data, takeaway restaurants should see a boost in custom on Sunday night from Super Bowl fans choosing not to cook at home - searches for takeaway offers rocketed by 168 per cent on the day of the game in 2014. This year, food retailers have made 82 per cent more codes available this weekend to respond to the consumer demand.
Sports retailers also stand to benefit from inspired fans; in the week following the Super Bowl in 2014 VoucherCodes.co.uk saw a 238 per cent increase in consumers looking for sport-related offers and, in line with demand, sports retailers have made 63 per cent more codes available this year.
Claire Davenport, general manager of VoucherCodes.co.uk, comments: “Last year saw big U.S. retail events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday explode on this side of the pond and our site data suggests the same could be true of the Super Bowl.
“Whilst it’s unlikely that the event will drive the level of revenue for UK retailers that’s seen in America, it is likely that the Super Bowl will be bigger than ever in Britain this year. The game will be widely accessible, being aired on Sunday night rather than very early Monday morning by Channel 4. Build-up is likely to start early, food retailers in particular should be prepared for a surge in interest on Sunday evening so they aren’t caught out.”


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In Sikandar Goth area of Karachi, a shopkeeper opened firing on Assistant Commissioner when he asked about the prices of milk as an ordinary citizen. The Assistant Commissioner decided to visit the milk shop after receiving several complaints against milk prices and prfiteering.
The Assistant Commissioner decided to visit the shop as an ordinary citizen without any security and protocol. After finding out about the high prices of milk by shopkeeper, AC asked about the price list provided by government which made the shopkeeper furious.
Profiteers increasing inflation
After an argument AC summoned the police to arrest the shopkeeper for profiteering, shopkeeper closed the shop and tried to run away but police arrested him to which he opened fire on Assistant Commissioner.
The Assistant Commissioner narrowly escaped the gun fire after lying on floor. Luckily no other person was harmed by the fire. Police later tried to arrest the shopkeeper but residents area scuffled with officials and freed the accused.
Along with new mini budget and economy crises, inflation is increasing day by day but the main problem is about some black sheeps in the market which increases prices on their own and cause difficulty for citizens.
There are a lot of profiteers in flour market, daily food items, like vegetables, fruits, meat and milk. Government is trying hardly to counter against these profiteers and make sure that all the things are available on normal prices for public.


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Rest in peace, McDonald’s Dollar Menu. The beleaguered chain is finally replacing one of its most iconic promotions in favor of an even more caloric deal.
Beginning next year, the Golden Arches will launch a “McPick 2″ option where customers can choose two items from the following list: a McChicken, a McDouble, small fries, or mozzarella sticks—because the only thing better than one McChicken is two for just two dollars.
coulda been a pro athlete but then mcdonalds came out with the dollar menu
— Matt (@MattMylleville) November 17, 2015
The menu was announced just days after McDonald’s released a mozzarella stick snack retailing for just one dollar. The switch to the “McPick 2″ is an attempt to bring back customers looking to snag a deal after the restaurant moved away from the Dollar Menu.
Back in 2012, McDonald’s introduced an “Extra Value Menu” that offered various items with the price tag of one dollar and up. The Associated Press notes that this menu failed to catch fire, and the restaurant created a “Dollar Menu & More” option that confused customers.
Now, the “McPick 2″ strives to alleviate the company’s slumping sales when it begins a five-week run starting January 4th—just in time for that weekly cheat-day meal once you begin your New Year’s diet plan.
[via Associated Press]


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More than 40 people participated in From Recipe to Reality. The staff in the ECC was pleased with the turnout and plans to present more seminars.
Out of a family recipe, Marigel and Corando Treviño brought Cilantro Sauce to the public in September of 2017. Now a developing, growing business, Cilantro Sauce was one of the businesses who participated in From Recipe to Reality, a round table hosted by the UTRGV Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Center, UTRGV Small Business Development Center From Recipe to Reality... Helping New Businesses Succeedand sponsored by the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center on March 5, in Brownsville. “The workshop offered important information that compared many aspects of our business with other businesses that have reached similar goals to answer all of our questions. This was something we appreciated to be invited to, and we recommend this program to anyone who would like to bring their recipes to the real world,” said Treviño. At the workshop, entrepreneurs learned about preferences, food trends and food industry rules and regulations for a product or idea to have a successful launch into the market. They heard from successful food entrepreneurs who shared their experiences, best practices they utilized to achieve success, as well as the challenges they faced establishing a food product. “We live in a region driven by its culture and traditions allowing for food entrepreneurs to create unique food recipes that can be commercialized,” said Linda Ufland, Manager of the UTRGV Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Center. “The workshop allowed food entrepreneurs to learn from a panel of experts. It was a great success, and we are excited to see our participants create a path of success for their products.”Cilantro Sauce, LLC, a family owned and operated business, is now on the path to having its products available in stores.


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First it was Poundland. Next, House of Fraser. And then, Marks & Spencer.
In Aldershot, for example, the devastation of the local Marks & Spencer closing led to other traders losing 30 per cent of their income. In other towns, such as Cannock, Peterborough or Rugby, issues with high streets are nothing new. Shops on high streets remain shuttered, with betting shops and charity outlets filling in gaps. In total over, 6,000 shops closed in 2016, a rate of 13 per day. These figures, produced by Kantar, do not include independent shops.
These wounds are not being healed by the success of out-of-town retail parks. Yes, some, such as Elliott’s Field in Rugby, are thriving – but many others are not. Research has actually shown an increase in hair salons and cafes on high streets, especially in London. Nonetheless, many landowners are now either subsidising retailers to stay open – for example, subsidising big brands to remain in large ground floor units – or replacing them with ‘experiential’ uses.
Music, arts and culture have faced similar crisis. We are still reeling from a decade of closures of music venues, artist workspaces and rehearsal studios across the country. In London, it is widely noted that 35 per cent of grassroots music venues have closed since 2007, although this number has stabilised since 2015. For nightclubs and artist workspaces, the number is closer to 50 per cent.
This is being replicated across the country, with similar percentages noted in Manchester, Edinburgh and Leeds. Just this week another storied venue, the Milton Keynes Stables, was threatened by a residential development.
So at the same time as a crisis is hitting shopping streets and retail parks, our venues are suffering, each victims of so-called regeneration and development.
I believe these trends are not a crisis, but present an opportunity for landowners and developers across the country. To make use of it, though, we must change the way we view and subsequently, value real estate. Without sacrificing a return, I believe this is possible. And it comes through focusing on people, not assets. We’re seeing a change to experiential and people focused working environments, like the much lauded 22 Bishopsgate project. It’s time to look at this as the solution to improving our high streets, too. And the best way to change this narrative, enliven our town centres and ensure that land retains an investor-friendly yield is through using, incorporating and leading with music and culture.
First, equip all ground floor units – those that are empty – to convert themselves into venues and community centres. This requires some investment – cleaning, repurposing, security, health and safety – but done inexpensively, can be bolted into covenant or through a service charge.
Once available, use local networks to advertise that they are available to be used. Advertise the rates, prioritising longer leases on more favourable terms for longstanding organisations or businesses, or offer peppercorn rent in exchange for the operator investing in outfitting. Or, like at Tileyard, go into business with the creators, where the developer and in that case, music community, developed the site in partnership. Put the onus on creators – and their products, services and offerings – to animate the space. Look at Peckham Levels as an example: a car-park turned youth and community hub, full of art, music and F&B.
And to back up this assertion, what if we developed more social and economic impact monitors to measure the viability and success of such a venue? What if global valuations and market flows looked more into the social impact models being led by organisations like Real Worth, or Triodos Bank?
And what if an asset, like this ground floor unit, was backed up by a 15 year viability plan, rather than one lasting just three or five? What if business rates were linked to community benefit, and calculated to incorporate culture and enlivenment in a more nuanced manner? If we were able to value culture through our business rates system, and provide some sort of discount linked to community benefit, it would encourage entrepreneurialism and ensure councils received rates.
How much money would the NHS save if an empty ground floor unit created social opportunities for older community members? And with all the empty spaces available, if each has programs aimed at improving health and wellbeing and combating loneliness, would this, over time, loosen the strain on our hospitals and social care providers? In Pinner, West London, a cafe is trialling a scheme where customers choose to sit at a particular table and, by doing so, open themselves up to conversations from strangers. This is just one table in one café in one unit.
I know this isn’t possible in some scenarios – but changing how we view our ground floor units will improve our towns and cities. Not only could we fill empty units with culture: that culture would earn income for those creating it, and raise the value of the land it sits own. If successful, it will capture value across its community.
Regardless of what we do, we are stuck with thousands of empty shops. Let’s use these spaces to fill all our towns with artists. Watch them improve.This article is from the CityMetric archive: some formatting and images may not be present.


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A REWARD of £20,000 has been offered to help catch armed raiders who held up staff ata Merseyside jewellers.
The gang of masked thieves escaped with hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of diamond and gold jewellery, including a clutch of sought-after Rolex watches, after battering their way into the shop.
Although many of the items are easily identifiable or contain tell-tale ID numbers, none of the valuables have yet turned up.
The insurers are putting up the reward.
Staff at W M Pyke & Sons jewellers were closing up the shop in Grange Road, Birkenhead, at 5.30pm on April 26 when the thieves smashed down the front door using sledgehammers.
The crooks held knives to the throats of workers and ordered them to point out the most valuable items before smashing display cases and escaping with rings, watches, bracelets, earrings and pendants.
They escaped in a stolen BT Landrover Defender, which was found ablaze shortly afterwards in nearby Lowwood Road.
Eleanor Pyke, the firm's general manager, said: "We think the Rolexes were the main attraction for them.
"We're very concerned they are still out there after such a particularly violent attack."
Detective Inspector Bernie McAdams said: "This was a terrifying ordeal for the staff in the shop and we are determined to catch those responsible.
"I would warn anyone who is offered the jewellery for sale that it is all identifiable and it would be a waste of time buying it.
"Instead, I would ask anyone with information to come forward and help us solve this crime and bring the offenders before the courts."
The three raiders who entered the shop were all around 6ft and were wearing dark clothing and black balaclavas. A fourth man is believed to have been waiting in the getaway vehicle.
Anyone with information should contact the police incident room on 0151-777 2264 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.


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American EDM-pop duo The Chainsmokers are backing a brand new blockchain-based ticketing platform.
Platform permits artists to manage the secondary ticketing market
Alongside their superordinate program Adam Alpert, the 2019 Grammy Award winners endowed in YellowHeart, a localized ticketing platform designed to facilitate clear ticketing gross sales by artists, music trade publication Music Business Worldwide reviews on Oct. 21.
Founded by music govt Josh Katz, the YellowHeart platform makes use of a public blockchain to allow artists and venues to straight direction the ticketing course of, together with gross sales on secondary markets.
YellowHeart goals to get eliminate scalpers
Specifically, the platform intends to chop out the music trade middlemen referred to as scalpers, who purchase massive quantities of tickets to resell them at the next value. Scheduled for launch in 2020, YellowHeart will reportedly enable artists to set most resale costs, guarantee tickets are shared to actual clients or els of scalpers, in addition to earn a share of tickets resold on YellowHeart’s secondary market.
Alpert, who can also be CEO at American file label Disruptor Records, burdened that the issue of scalpers has been well-known inside the trade for years.
In September, South Korean conglomerate CJ Corp’s IT arm, CJ OliveNetworks, introduced the launch of a brand new blockchain-based digital copyright system for transcription and monitoring music in broadcast content material. Previously, international media big Warner Music Group endowed in blockchain inauguration Dapper Labs to collaborate on its blockchain community Flow, on which Warner is reportedly provision to create a brand new digital asset.


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When is the next big Netflix hit coming out?
It’s almost inevitable.
Netflix is currently a popular destination for people looking for content.
It has been the number one source of entertainment content for people over the past three years, with more than 1 billion hours of programming being streamed each month.
Netflix has become a very popular destination among young adults, with about a quarter of them subscribing to the service, according to a report from CB Insights.
Netflix will probably be a big draw for Netflix subscribers and the media industry.
Netflix’s original programming has also been seen to attract viewers to pay-per-view and other subscription options.
Netflix also makes a big profit by being able to offer content to consumers for a fee, which means it can make money from streaming services.
This could be a major boon for Netflix in the years to come.


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No one can deny that raising a family is an expensive undertaking. You have to spend a lot of money on your children, normally from the time they are infants up until they graduate college. Not only do you have to figure in diapers and baby food when they are very young, you also have to calculate the costs for athletics, education and housing. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been keeping track of these kinds of statistics since 1960. Its current data was published in 2013.
Less Money is Spent on Basic Items
According to USDA figures, the cost of caring for a child, in and of itself, has climbed almost twice as fast as prices, overall, since the economic recession ended in 2009. The figures represent what a middle income family spends on each child in the household.
Expenses for Housing Remain about The Same
According to research, how much people in the US spend on raising kids has altered a fair amount over the last several years. While the amount of income spent on shelter (about 33%) has remained steady, spending on just about everything else has changed.
For example, parents spend much less on basic items for their children nowadays. Items or substances such as personal care products, food, clothes, toys or sports gear and accessories are all now lower in cost. That is because many goods are produced overseas, and technological advancements have been made in agriculture and manufacturing.
The Costs for Health Care Have Risen
However, that being said, parents do spend more money on services for their children. Fixed costs, for example, like health care. have increased. More money is also spent on education and child care. The average middle-income family in a two-parent household spent about 18% of its budget on child care and education in 2013, which is 2% more than it was in 1960.
The Amount of Money Spent on Each Child Per Year
Overall, studies show that a child who is born in 2013, whose expenses are covered until he or she is 18 years old, will cost parents approximately $245,340 over that period. In other words, a standard-sized family with two parents and two children will spend almost one-half million dollars for the kids in the household until the younger family members are ready to pay their own costs or reach the age of majority.


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“Mighty represents a new way to enjoy streaming music offline, and delivers an experience that our users have been asking for,” says Spotify Head of Global Hardware Partnerships, Ian Geller.
Venice, CA (PRWEB) July 12, 2017
Mighty Audio is reimagining the music player for the streaming generation, powered by Spotify's vast library of content.
“Mighty represents a new way to enjoy streaming music offline, and delivers an experience that our users have been asking for,” says Spotify Head of Global Hardware Partnerships, Ian Geller. “We're proud to partner with an innovative company like Mighty to deliver a new experience for our joint users.”
Mighty works by storing your Spotify playlists offline so that you can enjoy them without an internet connection. Mighty is screenless and comes with a companion mobile app that acts as a remote control for music selection and syncing. “The sync process is wireless, no cords or computer required,” says CTO Anand Pandurangan. Mighty is compatible with Bluetooth headphones for a fully cord-free experience; wired headphones are also supported.
“From Sony’s Walkman to Apple’s iPod, music lovers have embraced the portable music player for the past four decades,” says Founder and CEO Anthony Mendelson. “With the evolution of music from downloads to streaming, MP3 players of the past are no longer a viable option for taking your music on-the-go. Mighty is the first portable player that allows you to experience streaming music offline without a phone. And Mighty is WiFi-enabled, so it’s super simple to update your playlists and listen to fresh tunes.”
Mighty Audio launched a Kickstarter campaign in 2016 and has raised more than $800K in pre-orders. The $85.99 player is currently for sale on the company’s website, http://www.bemighty.com, and started shipping in early June. Mighty will be available on Amazon and in other select retail locations in the coming months.
- 1.5” x 1.5” x 0.7”
- 0.6 ounces
- 1,000+ song storage
- Up to 5 hours of continuous playback
- Works with Bluetooth and wired headsets and speakers
- Water & drop resistant
- Requires a Spotify Premium account
About the Company
Mighty Audio builds products that enhance the streaming music experience. Their on-the-go streaming music player integrates with multiple streaming providers, like Spotify, and stores content offline for playback without a phone or internet connection. The Mighty mobile app is powered by a rich personalization engine, which studies user preferences and suggests fresh and relevant content to fuel your life on-the-go.
Mighty was founded in late 2015 by a group of entrepreneurs and designers who think that life is simply better when the phone is off. The Venice Beach-based company publicly launched their first music player in June 2017.


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May 15, 2010 By S Kalyana Ramanathan
2WD version will go on sale from next year & be cheaper than 4WD versions
Apr 10, 2010 By Press Trust of India
Tata reports best-ever sales for Land Rover in Britain at a time when other majors are struggling
Mar 15, 2010 By Swaraj Baggonkar
Tata Motors plans aggressive cost reduction strategy for Jaguar Land Rover
Feb 19, 2010 By Swaraj Baggonkar
Restructuring Jaguar Land Rover will be only one of the new CEO’s many formidable challenges.
Jan 19, 2010 By Bijoy Kumar Y
Those who run Jaguar and Land Rover and their top designers talk about leaping cats, concept Landies and Ratan Tata.
Dec 05, 2009 By Rohin Nagrani
It has the right genes, but is there more to the Land Rover Freelander2?
Sep 22, 2009 By BSM Desk
The baby Rover is here; prices start at Rs 33.9 lakh
Jul 27, 2009 By Rohin Nagrani
Jaguar-Land Rover cars are now officially here. We drive the Range Rover Sport to celebrate it
Jul 27, 2009 By Swaraj Baggonkar
Outperforms many competitors, surprises analysts.
Jul 20, 2009 By Press Trust Of India
UK government and Tatas in spat over Jaguar-Land Rover loan deal
Jul 18, 2009 By S Kalyana Ramanathan
Jaguar X-TYPE, an 8-yr-old range, constituted nearly a fourth of annual production till now
Jun 28, 2009 By BS Reporter
Both brands will launch three models each from an exclusive company-owned showroom


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British company Volac International is forming a joint venture
company with Dutch group D.O.C Kaas. The new business will use
cutting edge technology to process whey for the health food and
animal feed ingredients markets.
Robertet, the French flavours and fragrances group, has seen a
sharp rise in its share price this year helped by renewed interest
in the sector due to a number of high profile transactions. The
company's chairman Philippe Maubert...
Japanese dairy product maker Snow Brand Milk Products, which has
been at the centre of a number of scandals in recent months, said
it is negotiating with its main lenders on steps to strengthen its
Japanese Industrial gas producer Air Water Inc. has agreed to buy a
Hokkaido-based ham and sausage factory, currently part of the Snow
Brand Foods Co. The factory was embroiled in a beef-labelling
scandal that concerned one of its...
An attempt by a food ingredients billionaire to take over New
Zealand's second biggest dairy company could head into difficulties
if a farmers' collective wins the day, reports local New Zealand
paper The Evening Post.


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Four of the top five private brands in the US are found in retail giant Walmart’s portfolio, but when it comes to leading private-label share in volume and growth, nobody beats small-format discount grocer Aldi. Those are two of the takeaways from new research on private-label trends from Chicago-based consumer data specialist Numerator, published by Supermarket News magazine. Moreover, as inflation continues to squeeze grocery budgets, more consumers are willing to trade down from national brands to private labels.
Aldi dominates in private-label share for grocery, household, and health and beauty products, which account for more than three-quarters (77.5%) of its total sales, Numerator’s private-label trend tracker shows. Roughly 90 percent of the items in Aldi’s stores are their own brands.
Another private-brand-focused grocer, Trader Joe’s, comes in a distant second in terms of private-label share of spending at 59.4%, followed by Wegmans Food Markets (49.4%), Costco Wholesale (33.5%), Sam’s Club (30%), H-E-B (26.9%), Walmart (23.3%), Kroger (22.1%), Meijer (15.8%), Hy-Vee (15.2%), Target (15.1%), Whole Foods (14.7%), and Publix (13.6%).
Aldi’s brands are also the fastest-growing, rising 2.3 points in private-label household penetration from Q2 2021 to Q2 2022. The next fastest-growing store brands in that time frame were Target’s Favorite Day (+2.2 points), Amazon Basics (+1.7), Sam’s Club’s Member’s Mark (+1.3), Kwik Trip (+1.3), Wawa (+1.1), and Kwik Trip/Nature’s Touch (+0.9). Sheetz, Trader Joe’s, and Kirkland Signature (Costco) all grew 0.8 points in household penetration over that span, while Great Value (Walmart), Good & Gather (Target), 7-Select (7-Eleven), Publix, and RaceTrace were up 0.7 points.
Meanwhile, Walmart owns the four top private-label brands over that time period, ranked by household penetration, with its Great Value (purchased by 72.7% of US consumers), Equate (51%), Marketside (44.2%), and Freshness Guaranteed (40%). Dollar Tree ranks fifth at 32.5%, followed by Kroger (30.9%), Aldi (30.5%), Walmart’s store brand (29.8%), Costco’s Kirkland Signature (28.4%), and Sam’s Club’s Member’s Mark (26.5%).
“The days of treating private-label products as untrackable are over,” according to Eric Belcher, CEO of Numerator. “With market share now approaching 50% in some major categories, CPG manufacturers need visibility into the brand-level performance of private labels today more than ever before.”
In today’s inflationary environment, price is becoming more important than a brand name for consumers across all income levels, and they’re turning to private labels to save money. The study shows that nearly two in five high-income (39.5%) and middle-income (38.8%) consumers are purchasing private brands as a cost-saving measure. More than half of high-income consumers (56.9%) rate their value as excellent or above average, compared with 55.2% of middle-income and 52.5% of low-income shoppers.
Despite the perception of private label as a brand for cash-strapped households, the share of private-label grocery products was similar across income levels, at 17.1% for low-income, 17.9% for middle-income, and 17.2% for high-income households.
Other key findings on private brands in the report included the following:
- Private labels account for 17.4% of sales in the grocery sector, while branded products account for 82.6%.
- Grocery share in the club channel for own brands is 32.1%, followed by mass (22.6%), online (20.2%), food (18.6%), dollar (9.9%), and drug (4.7%).
- Amazon captures only a 3% private-label share in the combined grocery, household, and HBC sectors.
Within the household products sector, store brands represent nearly $1 in $5 spent (19.5% of sales), compared to 80.5% for branded items. In the club channel, private label accounts for 35.5% of all household product sales, followed by mass (19.4%), dollar (19.2%), food (18.7%), online (13.1%), and drug (8.9%). E-commerce was the only channel to see consistent growth over the past two years (+3.1 points vs. a year ago, +0.6 points vs. two years ago).


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Obama Signs JOBS Act Into Law
President Obama signed the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act today, calling it a "game-changer" that would remove barriers that prevent small businesses from growing and hiring.
"Because of this bill, start-ups and small business will now have access to a big, new pool of potential investors - namely, the American people. For the first time, ordinary Americans will be able to go online and invest in entrepreneurs that they believe in," the president said in a Rose Garden signing ceremony.
The president said the JOBS Act would make it easier for business owners to take their companies public, noting "that's a big deal because going public is a major step toward expanding and hiring more workers."
Going forward, the president said it was important to make sure the Securities and Exchange Commission is properly funded "so that they can do the job and make sure that our investors get adequate protections."
The president, surrounded for the second day in a row by lawmakers from both parties, said the bill "represents exactly the kind of bipartisan action we should be taking in Washington to help our economy."


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We’re happy to introduce a brand new show from the people behind the label Breakbeat Paradise Recordings. For the first time on Saturday at 3 pm GMT label owner BadboE will be hosted the first 2 hour show of theirs called Deep Fried Funk. Various Djs and Artists representing the label will be coming back every 2nd Saturday of each month to drop another round of Deep Fired Funk.
First episode will feature 1 hour of BadboE followed by guest mixes by Calagad13 and ghetto funk’s very own Dj B-Side.
Be sure to tune in on NSB Radio – Dec 12th – 3 PM


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Battlefield 4 players who don’t have enough patience to earn Battlepacks have something to cheer for. DICE has announced on the Battlefield Blog that now the players who are tired of earning the battlepacks can now buy them instead.
Battlepacks are earned by players on crossing different levels and if you can’t wait that much, then just buy one. A new extra feature of buying the battlepacks has been added on to the game.
The Battlepacks have also been priced at an affordable rate, the Bronze at $1, the Silver at $2 and the Gold one at $3 through Battlelog, Origin, PSN and XBL.


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Cyber Monday Deals
Cyber Monday provides a chance to support Black-owned companies offering online discounts and sales for their goods during the holiday season.
Sales in brick and mortar stores fell from $11.6 billion in 2014 to $10.4 billion in 2015. That's an overall 10 percent decrease in sales, a consequence of both stores offering sales days earlier and online sales that allowed consumers to shop from the comfort of their homes.
Maryland — For one day at least, you could almost imagine the recession never happened. Millions of the nation’s shoppers braved rain and cold to crowd stores while others grabbed online bargains on what could be the busiest Black Friday ever.
op-edTaking A Stand Against Forced Motherhood
Black Women’s Equal Pay DayThe Wage Gap And Where Black Women Rank
women's history monthErika Alexander Narrates New Audible Series 'Finding Tamika'
#theblackballotKeturah Herron Wins Kentucky Special Election
#theblackballotImportant Primary Elections Happening This Week
black history monthRemembering Rosa Parks' Resistance Against Racism