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China implemented new tax regulations for cross-border e-commerce on Friday. The new regulations were issued by three essential government departments on March 24, including China’s Ministry of Finance, the General Administration of Customs and the State Administration of Taxation.
Insiders speculated that the new regulations are serving as China’s attempt to draw consumption back to the domestic market against a slowdown in economic growth. In the meantime, it’ll be a major disruption to the cross-border e-commerce market in China that has been heating up recently.
According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, the volume of cross-border e-commerce in China is predicted to exceed RMB 6.5 trillion in 2016, an annual growth close to 30%. This market segment is popular with everyone from big companies to entrepreneurs. Major e-commerce platforms joining the competition include China’s e-commerce leaders Alibaba and JD.com along with numerous more niche service providers.
So how will these newly implemented tax regulations change the game? AllChinaTech’s team has shed some light on the issue to give you a sense of who may be influenced the most in the near future in this market.
Some will see a challenge but not all
To begin with, let’s take a look at the new tax regulations.
Based on the announcement, essential changes will include the ones below:
1) The previous tax exemption for goods under RMB 50 will be eliminated;
2) Each single purchase will have a limit of RMB 2,000 and every single individual will have an annual purchase limit of RMB 20,000, exceeding this limit will see purchases taxed as general import goods;
3) Tariffs for goods within the limit will be exempted while VAT and consumption tax will be levied at 70% of normal.
Under these new regulations, several popular categories of cross-border e-commerce in China, including baby products, cosmetics and apparel, may see a huge increase in cost.
XIANLIFE.com, a Chinese cross-border e-commerce platform, offered AllChinaTech a table for a rough estimation of the change of costs after the new regulation is implemented.
The chart indicates the change in tax rate of the most popular items on cross-border e-commerce platforms right now. According to the chart, lower priced cosmetics, which was once one of the most popular categories, will see the biggest challenge after these new regulations, with a 47% tax increase. Other commodities such as milk powder, diapers and skin care products will also see minor changes.
Apart from these, items over RMB 2,000 will see a major boost in cost as well, such as luxury goods and electronics. Platforms for relatively high-end products with average product prices over RMB 2,000 may struggle more compared to others.
Bad news? They don’t agree
Though primary e-commerce portals may see a boost in costs, most of them have responded to the new regulations in a positive way.
“I don’t think the change in the tax regulations will bring up the cost of the entire industry, instead, it’s pushing us to make a major reconstruction of our product structures,” said Ren Xiaoyu, CEO of Fengqu.com, the cross-border e-commerce platform owned by China’s leading logistics company SF Express.
Ren thinks because of the previous RMB 50 tax exemption, mass imports of low-priced products, such as beauty masks from South Korea, have flooded the market. Retailers that depend heavily on these products will have to face soaring prices, but, at the same time, the increased costs will urge retailers to enrich their SKUs and product categories, which will reduce the product homogenization in the market.
“This will help cross-border e-commerce sites improve consumer segmentation. The number of relatively pricey but more customised products will increase on cross-border e-commerce platforms,” Ren said.
However, it’s inevitable that cross-border platforms will suffer for a while before they fully adjust to the new regulations.
“The time for us e-commerce portals to get prepared is too short,” Liu Nan, CEO of infant care e-commerce site Mia.com, said in a blog post. “For e-commerce platforms, we need some time to adjust our systems, user interface and product pricing [in accordance with the new tax regulations].”
Meanwhile, healthy cash flow will be essential to cross-border e-commerce platforms considering a potential drop of profit and consumer demand against the increase of costs.
Metao, an e-commerce platform that features tax-free Korean products, was reported to be bankrupt earlier this month. At the same time, Red, one of the biggest cross-border direct purchasing platforms, announced over RMB 100 million in financing. It’s rumored that Red’s new round of financing was led by Chinese tech giant Tencent. The sharp contrast between the two seems to imply the vitality of capital reserves for e-commerce sites in this new round of competition.
“In general, the entire cross-border e-commerce sector will suffer temporarily because costs of all importing channels will increase. But in the long term, it’s beneficial to law-abiding e-commerce platforms. Once the gap in taxes is closed, all enterprises will have to compete through their logistics chain and operational efficiency,” Xiao Xin, CEO of XIANLIFE.com told AllChinaTech.
What might be next?
The implementation of the new tax regulations marks the end of a honeymoon period of policy privileges for Chinese cross-border e-commerce platforms. So for all these cross-border e-commerce portals, what will be the next chance to boost their growth?
Some platforms have already begun seeking differentiation to secure their position in the market.
Buyer platform Ymatou.com launched a channel for live updates on its mobile application to engage consumers in buyers’ purchasing processes. Kaola, an e-commerce platform owned by Chinese portal news site NetEase, announced a media- and content-driven strategy for 2016 to elevate users’ shopping experience with high-quality selected content.
Seeking integration with offline channels can also be a way to differentiate. Xiao Xin, CEO of XIANLIFE.com, revealed that the company is researching the possibility of cooperating with local pharmacies to reach out to more consumers in second- and third-tier cities. Leading cosmetics e-commerce platform Jumei.com also opened its first offline experiential store in 2014 and its second last year in Beijing.
“Some companies may have to face adjustments on their administrative strategies. These sorts of adjustments, of course, won’t be about live or die, but about how to live stronger,” Zhang Zhendong, CEO of Polome.com, wrote in a public response.
The new tax regulation may also become a chance for the entire cross-border e-commerce sector to consider the question of how to grow into something stronger and be more beneficial for practitioners as well as Chinese consumers in the long term.
(Top image from Nicoescudero.com)


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- Meet 8 Members of Forbes Boston Business CouncilForbes
- MThe new trend in office wearmarketwatch.com
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- MIT-born menswear startup raises new funding to expand nationwidebizjournals.com
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- Boston-area startup founders make it to Forbes 30 Under 30 listbizjournals.com

domain: news


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CADY raises $3 million to develop automatic PCB inspections
The company uses AI for automatic PCB design inspections, helping detect errors at early stages
CADY, an Israeli company that uses AI to perform automatic inspections of PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards), has announced that it has raised $3 million. The round was led by Teramips Technologies and former CEO of Friendly Robotics, Udi Peless, who joins as Chairman of the Board. Additional participants in the round include TAU Ventures, Tel-Aviv University’s Venture Capital fund and previous CADY investor, Today Ventures, Aristagora VC, Tal Capital, Atooro, Amit Gilon, Rafi Gidron, and additional private investors.
PCB design has seen a global rise in demand following the shortage of chips felt across the world. CADY has developed an automotive PCB design inspection software that parses the datasheets of chips and electrical components in the electrical schematic and cross-checks them against connections in the design to detect errors at early stages. Early error detection can shorten the design process, reduce spending, and reduce the Time to Market, all while improving the quality and reliability of the products.
The CADY Team. Photo: Adi Eckstein
“Along with the chip market, the electrical circuit market also experiences an immense increase in recent decades in terms of the complexity of the design and the inspection of the schematics,” explained Gilad Shapira, CADY’s CEO. “Each circuit made for automotive, computers, cellphones, and other electronic devices is becoming much denser and more complex, embedded with more components, and thus harder to inspect. Now, more than ever, there is an imminent need for an automatic inspection tool, based on AI technology, to inspect electrical schematics. The system we developed is first of its kind, able to fuse both electrical board design theory and machine learning disciplines to read electrical components datasheets and inspect electrical schematics immediately and comprehensively.”
TAU Ventures Managing Partner Nimrod Cohen added: “We are glad to enlarge our investment in CADY, alongside leading, experienced, and successful investors in the technology realm. I met Gilad and the team at the beginning of their joint entrepreneurial road and I am stunned by their meteoric progress and happy for them that the vision they presented, which combined their unique academic knowledge, is becoming a reality.”
CADY was founded in 2020 by Shapira, Tal Ben Porath (CTO), and Or Shabtai (Head of Research). To date, it has raised a total of $4 million and conducted successful pilots with technology corporate business units and Israeli defense companies. CADY was admitted to Intel’s startup accelerator program, Intel Ignite, and conducted pilots with three different Intel business units.


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By Kristen Rogers for CNN
Kerby Jean-Raymond will become the first Black American designer to present at Paris Haute Couture Week, a significant moment in his ascent within the fashion industry.
His fashion label Pyer Moss, which has been invited to be a guest member of the official Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, will show its first couture collection in July.
The historic first comes amid ongoing conversations about how the fashion industry can combat racial prejudice and disparities within its own ranks and more broadly.
In an interview with CNN Style in 2019, Jean-Raymond described Pyer Moss as an “art project that operates in the fashion space.” The brand, which he founded in 2013, embraces the power of fashion as a storytelling device, often weaving theater, activism and social commentary into its collections and runway shows.
Jean-Raymond’s 2018 project “American, Also,” was a three-part retelling of the American story, which included the history of Black cowboys, as well as the daily experiences of Black families. For the latter, artist Derrick Adams created 11 artworks that reflected Black life, which Jean-Raymond turned into garments shown at New York Fashion Week. Continue reading
Bravo💐Kerby Jean-Raymond!🤴🏽My hope is that he represents a new era of inclusion, not a token to appease the blatant lack of color within the world of Parisian Haute Couture. I think it is worthy of historical note to share that Patrick LeRoy Kelly was the 1st American Designer, of any color, to present as a registered Designer with the Chambre Syndicale du Prêt a Porte.
Haitians as an ethnic group with its own culture, language, history, etc cannot be designated as Black American, no more can a Jamaican be designated as a Bahamian.
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The Japanese based automaker Honda has recently released the first teaser video with the Brio sedan, which should hit the market soon.
As you have probably already figured it out, the Honda Brio sedan is actually based on the hatchback version of the model. The Honda Brio sedan is being placed into the spotlights for the first time these days with the help of a commercial video which has been released by the Japanese based automaker. The Honda Brio sedan is expected to become a best-seller in India once it will hit the market considering the fact that cars under 4 meters long and equipped with diesel engines always find new owners quickly in the Asian country.
Rumor has it that the Honda Brio sedan will get a 1.5 liter four-cylinder diesel engine under its hood which should carry the “DNA” of the larger 1.8 liter Earth Dreams diesel unit, and it will be eventually implemented on other models such as the City and the Jazz. The smaller 1.2 liter diesel, with its 88 HP and 109 Nm of torque, might also make its way under the hood of the Brio sedan. Additional details on the model are limited for the moment.
Source: Indian Autos Blog and Honda


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Residents living in Japan have spotted new PokeStops appearing in Pokemon GO this week.
These PokeStops appeared close to where official Pokemon Center and Pokemon Store locations are in the real world. So far, there’s a new PokeStop for Pokemon Center Tokyo DX and Pokemon Store Tokyo Station.
Here is how they look like inside the game:
What do you think?


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Finnish store celebrates record annual turnover
Author: Benedicte Loft Mortensen, Communications Coordinator
Category: Sales Growth
The store in Oulu Limingantulli in Finland reached the highest annual turnover ever seen in the country.
Employees at the store in the city Oulu Limingantulli, in north-western Finland, could on Friday 25 August proudly show up for work to a different and joyful day where their team and their great fighting spirit were celebrated.
The store could celebrate setting a record for the highest annual turnover ever seen, since JYSK in 1995 opened its first store in Finland.
”For several years in a row, the store has delivered fantastic results which have exceeded the previous years. The new record is 12.4 percent higher than the previous one, so we can really talk about a marked improvement in turnover,” says Ville Velin, Country Manager in JYSK Finland.
Motivating start at work
Facts about JYSK Finland
JYSK opened its first store in Finland in 1995.
Today JYSK has 74 stores in Finland.
The impressive result was celebrated in the store with visits from Country Manager, Regional Manager and District Manager. All employees at the store were invited for coffee, cake and a small glass of champagne as a start to a different day at work.
Leading the store is Store Manager, Minna Järvinen, who together with District Manager, Jenni Mikkonen, is very proud of the store’s result.
“Breaking this milestone turnover means so much for the whole store staff who have been chasing the record through the whole financial year. Their incredible Customer First attitude and sales hunger has made the record possible. It was also important to be able to set this record now, since JYSK will open a third store in Oulu in October, which will make repeating this achievement very challenging during the financial year of 2018,” says Jenni Mikkonen, District Manager.
After an hour of celebration, the employees could open the store for another sales day with renewed motivation and energy.


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John Schnatter, the founder and CEO of pizza chain Papa John’s, is stepping down as CEO after making remarks that the peaceful protests of the National Anthem in the NFL hurt sales. Schnatter will remain chairman of the company as leadership is shifted to an executive within the organization.
Papa John’s says its founder John Schnatter will step down as CEO next month, about two months after he publicly criticized the NFL leadership over national anthem protests by football players.
The company said Thursday that Schnatter remains chairman but be replaced as chief executive by Chief Operating Officer Steve Ritchie on Jan. 1.
Schnatter had blamed slowing sales growth on the outcry surrounding NFL players kneeling during the national anthem. Papa John’s International Inc. is an NFL sponsor and advertiser.
White supremacists and others praised Schantter for his comments regarding the NFL made during a Nov. 1 conference call, which the company apologized for two weeks later. Pizza brand competitors, perhaps sensing blood in the water, took to social media to mock Papa John’s and the stance taken by Schnatter in the process.
The company has not confirmed if Schnatter’s comments were the reason for his stepping down.
Tekashi 6ix9ine Catches The Fade In Florida LA Fitness, Twitter Has No Sympathy
LA Fitness Staff Rushed Tekashi 6ix9ine To A Safe Room After He Caught The Hands & Feet
Famous Women Caught With Busted Up Feet [Photos]
Twitter Says Gunna Is On Fade Notice After Tekashi 6ix9ine Got The Brakes Beat Off Him
Twitter Reacts To Yung Miami's Acting & Lil Meech Earning His Big Nickname In Latest 'BMF' Episode
BET Uncut Is Not Coming Back; Here's Its 15 Wildest Videos Anyway
Baes & Baddies: Supremely Stacked Shadée Monique Is More Than Just Joe Budden's Boo
15 Music Stars Who Had Disturbing Relationships With Their Entourages [Photos]


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JP Morgan’s actions come amidst a broader effort to cancel the musician and fashion designer after he criticized left-wing orthodoxy and wore a “white lives matter” t-shirt.
Twitter, Instagram and Facebook have restricted Kanye’s account after he used his platforms to settle personal and professional disputes.
“We are sending this letter to confirm our recent discussion […] that JPMorgan Chase Bank […] has decided to end its banking relation with Yeezy, LLC and its affiliated entities”, a letter sent to West reads.
“To provide the Company with sufficient time to transition to another financial institution, we will continue to maintain the accounts […] until November 21, 2022”.
“We ask that you act promptly transfer [sic] your business to another financial institution before November 21, 2022”.
Users online heavily criticized the bank’s decision, saying business banking should not be subject to the political whims of media personalities.


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Apple is going to spend an unknown portion of its $110+ billion cash hoard toward improving labor conditions in manufacturing facilities run by its contract manufacturer Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry.
This has been confirmed by Terry Gou, the CEO who runs Taipei, Taiwan-based Foxconn which assembles Apple products alongside Pegatron Technology, another Asian contract manufacturer…
According to Reuters, both Apple and Foxconn will spare no expense to improve labor conditions for the more than one million workers employed by Foxconn, the world’s biggest contract manufacturer which also assembles gadgets for Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard and other tech giants.
We’ve discovered that this (improving factory conditions) is not a cost. It is a competitive strength. I believe Apple sees this as a competitive strength along with us, and so we will split the initial costs.
He did not provide a breakdown of how the two partners will split the initial costs.
Gou made a comment during a press conference Thursday announcing Foxconn’s new China headquarters in Shanghai.
Foxconn also promised to increase workers’ salary next month.
In March, Foxconn reached an agreement with Apple to hire tens of thousands of new workers to reduce overtime work, prompting an outrage because workers fear that reduced hours will hurt their pay, which they claim isn’t enough to cover basic needs.
I think both companies are doing the right thing here.
It is also a fact that Foxconn’s high-tech plants are far ahead of the vast majority of other manufacturing facilities in China, especially those in rural areas.
That said, I’m glad Apple decided to tap its billions to do something about labor conditions in Chinese factories.
It was about time, right?


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Nokia 6, Nokia 5, Nokia 3 to launch in India Today confirms HMD Global. The company had sent out the media invites for the event. Nokia has already launched its feature phone Nokia 3310 last month in India. Just a day before its launch, expected pricing on the three Nokia smartphones has been leaked online. HMD Global’s invite says: “Let’s join hands and welcome a new era of Nokia smartphones.” Since the invite has the word ‘smartphones’, one can expect that all the three Nokia devices will be unveiled tomorrow.
All three phones will run Android 7 Nougat out of the box and promise to provide the purest form of Android. HMD Global has already confirmed an update to Android O for the devices.
Check out the musical invite by HMD Global featuring the “Nokia Tune”
Nokia 6, Nokia 5, Nokia 3 Price
It has been speculated that the Nokia 6 price in India is Rs 14,999 while the Nokia 5 likely to cost you Rs. 12,899. The Nokia 3, cheapest of the three, is expected to cost Rs. 9,499.
Nokia 6, Nokia 5, Nokia 3 all are mid-range smartphones with Nokia 6 leading the lineup. There might be a premium phone later this year as per the leaks.
The Nokia 6 features a 5.5-inch fullHD display with Gorilla Glass 3 on top, Snapdragon 430 processor, 3GB of RAM, a 3,000mAh battery, a fingerprint sensor and 32GB of internal storage which can be expanded via a microSD card (of up to 256GB). The smartphone comes with a 16MP rear camera with phase detection autofocus alongside an 8MP camera at the front. The company had also announced the Nokia 6 Arte Black special edition model with a glossy black body with 64GB built-in storage and 4GB RAM.
Nokia 5 is targeted to those who want a compact smartphone and features a fingerprint sensor. For specifications, it comes with a 5.2-inch HD display(720p), and Android 7 Nougat. The Nokia 5 is powered by the Snapdragon 430 processor coupled with 2GB of RAM and comes with 16GB inbuilt storage. It also supports expandable storage via microSD card (up to 128GB). Nokia 5 packs a 13-megapixel sensor on the back and an 8-megapixel sensor at the front. Other features of the smartphone include Micro-USB 2.0, NFC, 3000mAh battery, and 4G LTE support.
The last of the lot, Nokia 3 is a budget smartphone that comes with a 5.0-inch 720p display, the MediaTek MT6737 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 3,650mAh battery and 16GB of internal storage which can be expanded via a microSD card (of up to 256GB). On the imaging front, the device sports an 8MP primary camera alongside an 8MP front shooter.
Nokia 6, Nokia 5, Nokia 3 launch in India will be a new beginning for the most trusted smartphones in India. I am really looking forward to trying out Nokia Android smartphones. Tell us what you think in the comments below!!


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Life Planning Partners Inc bought a new position in NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE – Get Rating) during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor bought 1,942 shares of the footwear maker’s stock, valued at approximately $324,000.
A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Renaissance Technologies LLC raised its position in shares of NIKE by 344.7% during the 3rd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 3,583,700 shares of the footwear maker’s stock valued at $520,461,000 after buying an additional 2,777,900 shares in the last quarter. Jennison Associates LLC raised its position in shares of NIKE by 14.6% during the 4th quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 15,307,214 shares of the footwear maker’s stock valued at $2,551,253,000 after buying an additional 1,944,401 shares in the last quarter. KBC Group NV raised its position in shares of NIKE by 96.5% during the 4th quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 1,995,566 shares of the footwear maker’s stock valued at $332,601,000 after buying an additional 979,930 shares in the last quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC raised its position in shares of NIKE by 26.6% during the 3rd quarter. Voya Investment Management LLC now owns 3,795,435 shares of the footwear maker’s stock valued at $551,212,000 after buying an additional 796,706 shares in the last quarter. Finally, TD Asset Management Inc. raised its position in shares of NIKE by 27.0% during the 4th quarter. TD Asset Management Inc. now owns 3,576,146 shares of the footwear maker’s stock valued at $596,036,000 after buying an additional 760,022 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.35% of the company’s stock.
Several research firms have recently weighed in on NKE. Truist Financial raised their price objective on shares of NIKE from $164.00 to $176.00 in a research report on Tuesday, March 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price objective on shares of NIKE from $200.00 to $185.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, March 16th. Credit Suisse Group set a $165.00 target price on shares of NIKE in a report on Friday, April 29th. Wedbush reduced their target price on shares of NIKE from $163.00 to $139.00 in a report on Friday, May 13th. Finally, UBS Group set a $173.00 target price on shares of NIKE in a report on Tuesday, March 22nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and twenty-five have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $171.52.
NIKE (NYSE:NKE – Get Rating) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, March 21st. The footwear maker reported $0.87 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.73 by $0.14. NIKE had a net margin of 13.06% and a return on equity of 43.04%. The company had revenue of $10.90 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $10.61 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.90 EPS. NIKE’s revenue was up 4.8% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts anticipate that NIKE, Inc. will post 3.71 EPS for the current year.
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 1st. Investors of record on Monday, June 6th will be given a dividend of $0.305 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, June 3rd. This represents a $1.22 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.13%. NIKE’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 32.19%.
About NIKE (Get Rating)
NIKE, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, markets, and sells athletic footwear, apparel, equipment, and accessories worldwide. The company offers NIKE brand products in six categories, including running, NIKE basketball, the Jordan brand, football, training, and sportswear. It also markets products designed for kids, as well as for other athletic and recreational uses, such as American football, baseball, cricket, golf, lacrosse, skateboarding, tennis, volleyball, walking, wrestling, and other outdoor activities; and apparel with licensed college and professional team, and league logos, as well as sells sports apparel.
- Get a free copy of the StockNews.com research report on NIKE (NKE)
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A COMO mum created a 21st-century house helper for busy parents and workers with her app that allows households to book cleaners in the area on demand.
FlashMop enables users to see the cleaners’ reviews, book instantly and pay them with cashless payment.
FlashMop creator Megan Harrison said the app weighed up all the factors when booking a cleaner and cut out phone calls for multiple quotes.
“The app allows you to enter the date that you’re available so you see which cleaners are also available on that day,” she said.
“Our cleaners all have police checks, they’ve come through a database, we’ve screened them and most importantly they are reviewed by the households that have used them.”
FlashMop’s database now has about 100 cleaners and 300 households all around Perth and down to Mandurah since its launch in October.
Ms Harrison said she was inspired to create the app while she journeyed through motherhood.
“I guess it came from my lack of time to do housecleaning and hearing that there’s so many people that are in the same position,” she said.
“All of us want to go back to work rather quickly after having kids and we thought of what can we offload and the first thing that comes up is cleaning the house.”
Ms Harrison said the app also offered job opportunities for those needing flexible working hours, including new parents.
“They have to have police clearance, a driver’s license and their own equipment but it would really be something great for university students or new mums that need to get out there,” she said.
“Every cleaner can nominate the time frames they’re available, they can also nominate the postcodes they’re willing to travel to.”
FlashMop is free to download from the appstore.


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Consumers are being put off using contactless payment methods because of concerns over their security, a new survey has found.
The poll of 100 consumers found that 38% avoid using contactless technology because they do not know enough about it, and are concerned about how secure it is.
A further 24% said that they didn't use the method because they weren't sure if their cards were enabled for it, or because no-one has ever shown them how to use contactless payment systems.
Three-quarters of those polled said they hadn't been encouraged to use the contactless method by staff, while just 18% said that they believed Britain would be cash-free in the next 10 years.
However, a significant majority (94%) said that speed would be the biggest benefit of paying contactless, while 13% said that they liked it as it meant they could avoid talking to a cashier.
Consumers do understand other technological systems used in retail, the poll showed, as 73% said they had used self-scan kiosks, and 61% had used click-and-collect shopping. Over half (57%) said that they had used in-store Wi-Fi, and 53% had used mobile apps.
Richard Cottrell, sales and marketing director for Vista Retail Support, which undertook the survey, said: "The results clearly demonstrate that there is a lack of confidence and understanding about contactless payment technology. There is still a barrier to overcome in the use of contactless cards, both in their provision and in how and when to use them."
He said that the contactless cards could help to reduce queues and hassle when buying smaller items, and suggested that retailers could do more to encourage customers to use the payment method.
Contactless technology is available in an increasingly wide array of fast-casual and high-street retailers and restaurants, including bar chain Slug and Lettuce, and outlets such as Starbucks and Pret A Manger.
Contactless-enabled credit or debit cards allow customers to simply "tap" their card against a reader rather than use a PIN or signature, for purchases of less than £20.


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Samsung’s Bot Handy robot is the company’s vision of a “better new normal”, because during the global pandemic, there are more people working at home, cooking, eating, and drowning than ever before. As seen in the video shown at the all-virtual 2021 CES Consumer Technology Show on Monday, Bot Handy is very convenient. If you sit for too long, you can not only pick up some unfinished chores, but also remind you of upcoming meetings and stretch your legs.
It is currently only in development-no price or release date has yet to be announced-but Samsung said it is part of increasing technological efforts to simplify family life. The company stated in the meeting description on the CES website: “The technology in your home needs to work harder to help you adapt to this new normal.”
The pandemic technology theme has also taken a step outside the home. Leveraging on the growth of online delivery, lock manufacturer Yale announced that it is now shipping its smart delivery boxes to prevent pirates from the porch when packages arrive. The delivery staff put the package in the storage box, the storage box will be automatically locked, and the homeowner will be notified.
At the same time, when many people don’t cut or dry their hair properly, the Panasonic hair dryer that you don’t need to move (the built-in oscillator does all the work for you) will also buzz. long.
People watch the CES event to understand the direction of technology development in the next few years, but this year’s event can be said to be about the way the industry is catching up with the pandemic and reshaping our lives in the past year.
With the advent of vaccines, it is not clear how long we will stay at home, but these technology companies seem to bet that even if the pandemic is over, our habits will not completely change.


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Apple CEO Tim Cook introduced the company’s newest products yesterday (March 21st), including a four-inch iPhone SE, which will sell for $399 and is meant to replace the iPhone 5s, and a 9.7-inch iPad Pro, which has a starting price of $600.
The iPhone SE has a faster processor and upgraded camera, while the new iPad Pro has many of the features offered on the 12-inch iPad Pro tablet introduced last year. These downsized versions are meant to appeal to first-time buyers and to those who find the bigger sizes too cumbersome.
Also revealed were new woven nylon bands for the Apple Watch, iOS 9.3 and new features for Apple TV. Apple Watches also got a price cut, and will now start at $299.


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moe. has announced that they’re coming to Brooklyn to play the famed Brooklyn Bowl next month!
A post just dropped on the band’s social saying “No sleep ’til @brooklynbowl! We’re coming for you on February 22nd. LIMITED Pre-sale begins TODAY at 1PM ET. Public on sale begins 1/4 at 10AM ET.” So don’t sleep (literally) on making plans because these tickets will go on sale quick and you’ll be left holding your “Buster”.
You can get the tickets here: http://bit.ly/moebbowl19


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Within the past six weeks, documents outlining New York City’s secret war against electronic tobacco were leaked to the public. The contents of the documents are hardly surprising given New York’s recent assault on items sold in convenience stores, fast-food restaurants and supermarkets.
The documents were leaked by the Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association (CASAA), an advocacy group aimed at raising awareness and protecting rights to access to reduced harm alternatives. What’s more, while tobacco and menthol flavored e-cigarettes would still be available in retail stores, all other flavored e-cigarettes could only be sold in age-restricted “tobacco bars.” Unfortunately, NYC prohibits the operation of “tobacco bars” unless they were already in operation prior to Dec. 31, 2001.
In May, an official from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene stood before the Council Health Committee and stated that it was not their intention to regulate e-cigarettes or ban the sale of flavored e-cigarettes. Greg Conley, legislative director for Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association (CASAA), told me that approximately 20 e-cigarette users spoke before the Health Committee and it was strongly implied by the Council members that ordinances would be amended to protect consumer access to low-risk alternative tobacco products.
“For three months, there was silence from the Mayor’s office, Department of Health, and the City Council on the e-cigarette issue,” Conley said. “Now, with local media attention focused on the mayoral race and other issues, a new draft of the ordinances has been leaked. The new drafts completely ignore the written and verbal comments made by e-cigarette users. Worse, the new drafts absurdly claim that e-cigarette marketing is designed to deter smokers from quitting, despite the fact that clinical trial and survey data show that e-cigarettes help smokers quit.”
Conley indicated that the Bloomberg administration is banking on the City Council to “rubber stamp” his new ordinances “which would constitute a backdoor, unannounced ban on the sale of flavored e-cigarettes and e-cigarette liquid in New York City. Banning flavored e-cigarettes will do absolutely nothing to protect public health. Indeed, considering the clear evidence that e-cigarettes are helping smokers quit or greatly reduce their cigarette consumption, restricting availability could lead less smokers to quit.”
Like Conley, convenience store industry veteran and tobacco consultant Lou Maiellano told me that New York City is simply failing to do its homework. “In light of recent research and its findings on electronic cigarettes, this proposal is simply absurd,” he said.
If New York is Gotham, retail stores must be its kryptonite because the city is earning a well-deserved reputation for systematically eradicating (or at least trying to) the sale of products it doesn’t like without a single regard to personal rights. It has destroyed tobacco profitability with exorbitant taxes, it has stuck its nose in the kitchens of restaurants and delis to monitor ingredients, such as sodium, and it continues to push for maximum cup sizes on dispensed beverages. It simply boggles the mind how one city can wield such a mighty sword when it comes to the eating habits of its residents. It’s not just disturbing, it’s downright outrageous. No one will ever be able to convince me that a grown person should be denied a Super Big Gulp simply because of some bureaucratic whim.
I understand a lot of things. I understand why sides are divided on difficult societal issues like legalizing marijuana, gun control, abortion, etc. Those are extraordinary subjects open for debate and interpretation. The right to puff on an electronic cigarette or sip on a Slurpee must not be mentioned in the same breath with these other serious issues. If Mayor Bloomberg has his way, it will be.


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With the filing of a new lawsuit Monday, California courts are once again examining the enforceability of credit card debts accrued through online gambling. Marin vs. American Express, filed in the Marino County California Superior Court, alleges that during the summer of 1998, California resident Fred Marino surfed his way to more than $25,000 in online gambling debts.
American Express and Discover have sought repayment. Marino and his attorney, Ira Rothken (the same attorney who represented Cynthia Haines in her successful battle against Visa and MasterCard), claim that debt is not legally enforceable. According to Rothken, American Express allegedly threatened to sue Marino and ruin his credit history if he didn't pay up more than $19,000 in gambling debts. The balance of debt (at least $6,000) was charged to Marino's Discover Card.
Marino ran up his debts playing at GrandCasino, CasinoOnNet, SuperCasino and Paradise Beach Club & Casino (which Rothken says is now defunct). Rothken says the case isn't against online gambling, but consumer protection--the same stance he took with the Haines case. "We're concerned that illegal loans not be given," he said.
"American Express and Discover are intimately involved in branding Internet gambling loans, making money off such loans, and harming your credit report if you do not pay them back--on loans which are illegal in California in the first place--we believe that this constitutes an unfair business practice and we are asking the court to stop it," Rothken explained.
Marino is requesting an injunction against American Express and Discover stopping the two companies from extending credit for Internet gambling to California residents.
American express, according to Vice President of Public Affairs Gail Wasserman, has not yet received the lawsuit, thus the company hasn't issued a formal response. Wasserman did, however, say that American Express no longer allows their credit card to be used for gambling debts. She believed that Marino's use of his Amex card predated this policy.
Discover Card declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Rothken is no stranger to this type of lawsuit. His client, Cynthia Haines, another California resident, ran up more than $70,000 in gambling debts with Visa and MasterCard. When the companies pressed her for payment, she responded with a lawsuit that was finally settled a few weeks ago. In the end, the credit card companies caved in and forgave her debts. As a result, the operators of the online gaming sites where she played had to eat her gambling debts and cover her legal fees.
Meanwhile, Rothken told IGN that First Union Visa, one of the defendants in Haines' original cross complaint, has recently introduced a policy banning the use of Visa for Internet. Providian National Bank, the entity that originally sued Haines, instituted a similar policy in October.
Click here to view a copy of "Marino vs. American Express" in PDF format.
Update (3/6/00): The credit card companies have had this case brought to federal court in the United States Northern District of New York. Marino's attorney, Ira Rothken, has filed a motion to have the case remanded to a state court. A hearing will be held March 28, 2000.
is the senior staff writer at IGamingNews. She lives in St. Louis, Mo.


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How avocados are steadily increasing, both in cost and the world.
With the trending rise of avocados, it should come to no surprise that the price of avocados has been steadily increasing. In one week, the price of an avocado went from $1.01 to $1.14 in California.
Ironically, on the same week, the average price of buying organic avocados decreased by one cent. That saying, the price of avocados are not as expensive as they were in 2017.
Ranging from around $1.25 per one avocado in the summer of last year, the price did decrease but is still at a price where it could increase as time goes on. The vice president of sales and marketing at Mission Produce, Brent L. Scattini, says, “Now that we have transitioned into the Mexican flor loca crop, the California crop winding down at a rapid pace…it is likely that we will see high prices for at least the next 9 to 12 weeks, and maybe longer.”
Climate changes, seasons, the trade, and the rise of supply and demand are all factors affecting the cost of avocados in California. The flora loca is part of the bloom where avocados grow in Mexico and is where California usually gets its avocados.
The bloom is hard to predict but the harvest is usually in August which is why avocados are usually in season for the summer and late fall. California mainly gets its produce from Mexico and its farms, so trade markets are a major influence.
With more demand for avocados and less supply of it, or supply and demand, this concept is why it might be hard for avocados to ship in the United States. Interferences in the negotiations between two countries can limit how much avocados are being shipped to the United States.
Not only that, but weather is another huge influencer in whether or not avocados will be expensive this year. Due to California’s droughts and heavy fires, there’s a likely chance that avocado prices will go up because of the decreasing surplus.
So far, the average consumption of avocados per week in the U.S. is around 47.63 million pounds. With that many people consuming avocados, the climate changes and weather could drastically reduce the supply of avocados.
With the increase in prices, avocados have been trending throughout the world. New Zealand is currently having an avocado shortage which is the reason for the rise in avocado related crime sprees.
In one case, two robbers stole $4,300 worth of avocados from an orchard. In another case, it was reported that 70% of a farmer’s avocados were stolen, ultimately causing him to $66k worth of produce. Besides the shortage of avocados, the average cost per avocado in New Zealand is $3.30.
California’s average price is exceptionally lower, but with the trend of avocados, nobody knows if the price may go up.
Avocado burger buns, toasts, fries, popsicles, and seeds are all of the different food trends that have been going around California since 2017. Luckily, there should be greater volumes of avocados coming into California this year with Mexico, Peru and Californian farms producing large crops.
The executive director of the Hass Avocado Board predicts, “There will definitely be more fruit than last year” and that the total volume will reach up to 2.4 billion pounds.” With the increase of avocados coming into California, if you haven’t tried any of the avocado trends, then you’re in luck.


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New York (CNN/Money) - More than 125 concept cars and trucks, with examples from all three U.S. automakers, were brought together on Sunday for the 16th annual Eyes on Design Automotive Exhibit at the General Motors Technical Center in Warren, Mich.
The cars featured included 1938 with the Buick Y-Job, often cited as the first real concept car. Also included were the 1959 Cadillac Cyclone and the 1963 Chrysler Turbine car.
The exhibition was part of an annual "Eyes on Design" weekend with events organized to raise money for the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology. Many of the cars on display were privately owned models that had not been seen in public for years.
An estimated 14,000 people attended the show, according to GM, which sponsored the events this year. Classic production cars were also on display.
Dreams and concepts
The term "concept car" didn't enter common usage until the mid-1960s, said Mitchel Frumkin, co-author with Phil Hall of the book "American Dream Cars." Before then, they were called "dream cars."
Car designer Harley Earl, head of the General Motors Design Center from 1927 to 1958, is generally credited with the notion making one-off cars to test public reaction to new styling and engineering ideas. Earl even used the Buick Y-Job and the later Le Sabre dream cars as his own everyday vehicles.
The 1950s became a sort of golden age of dream cars, Frumkin said. Car companies competed to catch the eyes of ever-more selective buyers. Shoppers wanted to know that the cars they were buying had the latest technological thinking behind them, even if many of the ideas would never find their way into dealer showrooms.
Often they did, though, according to Frumkin. The Chevrolet Corvette debuted as a concept car in 1953. Following an overwhelmingly positive public response the car was manufactured and on sale within a matter of months.
With the demands of government safety regulations and uncertainties in international oil markets, auto companies became more conservative in their concept vehicles during the 1970s and early 1980s. During that time, concept cars were often little more than slightly modified production vehicles, Frumkin said.
More recently, though, Detroit has been becoming creative again. "We're kind of seeing a new renaissance, I think," said Frumkin.
The cars shown in the accompany photo gallery were included in the show.


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An interview with Kenny Hemmer, director of financial operations for Emory University, Food Service Administration.
Sodexo Receives 100% Rating from HRC Corporate Equality Index
Click the links below to see articles highlighting our Annual Heritage Harvest Feast!
Sodexo listed as No. 5 in the DiveristyInc Top 10 Companies for Recruitment and Retention
American's Top Universities for Food Lovers
Tradition is huge at Emory, and that extends deep into the dining services philosophy. From the homecoming weekend barbecue to the Thanksgiving-inspired heritage harvest feast that highlights the seasons produce, Emory strives to offer convenience, flexibility, and variety.
Welcome to GREAT U: A Gluten-Free Guide to College Living
The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) is thrilled to present this interactive and informative resource for gluten-free college students (and college students to come!). We hope you find GREAT U to be uplifting, empowering and - most of all - fun to read.
Posted By: Deborah Geering · 2/22/2012 12:13:00 PM
At a time of year when many farmers markets are on hiatus, one is at its peak: Emory Farmers Market.
The market is tied to the academic schedule, so it’s closed during university breaks, including summer. But when class is in session—right now—the market is at full throttle. The arrangement gives vendors and consumers another way to connect during the lean winter months
Conversation grows about Georgia olives
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The climate of South Georgia can never pass for that of the Mediterranean. Humid and ferociously hot in the summer, prone to extended frost in the winter, it’s not exactly a beach vacation on a Greek isle.
Campus Cafés Grow Fair Trade Choices
September 28, 2011
by Will Canon
Emory University began a discussion about the sustainability in our food system in 2007 with the creation of the Sustainable Food Committee. From this group of faculty, staff, and students came the direction and implementation necessary to meet an ambitious goal set for the University—75 percent of all food served in Emory’s cafeterias and hospitals must be sustainably grown or from local sources by the year 2015. This is no easy task for an institution the size of Emory, and particularly difficult in the era of globalization when the average piece of food travels 1,500 miles before it reaches your plate.
Prepping for Service (The Emory Wheel Restaurant Guide)
November 12, 2011
Walk into the same DUC I’ve been stepping into for the last four years. This time, though, I have an important escort: Chef Michael Lyle.
Going for the Green with Cart, Cookies and Fair Trade Coffee
March 3, 2008
Going green is becoming a national ethos. Now, Emory students have easy access to reliably organic pick-me-ups.
August 9, 2011
Emory University has received a Gold rating in the Sustainability Tracking
What's Hot On Campus
Emory University Sets World Record for Longest Taco Line.
Around The Campus
Emory Sets World Record May 2011
Emory University in Atlanta, GA recently set the world record for the longest fish taco. In the Dobbs University Center on Feb. 16, students and staff from Emory Dining’s Green Team filled tortillas with sustainable cod.
College students at Emory University participated in a big taco promotion earlier this year. The university partnered with Alaska Seafood and got to work on a line of fish tacos that stretched to 121 feet long.
With the right venue opportunities, onsite operators can successfully tap offsite customer traffic.
The next time someone you know raves about “a great little bagel joint” they just visited, consider this: such word of mouth advertising can work just as well to build onsite transactions as it does for streetside businesses.
November 14, 2011
Heritage breed turkeys, once considered the most critically endangered domestic animals of all time, have made resurgence with the help of Emory's annual Thanksgiving feast.
November 22, 2010
It may seem counterintuitive to encourage eating an endangered breed to preserve it. But that is what Emory has been doing for the past two years with its purchasing power by creating a viable consumer market for Heritage turkey.
December 15, 2010


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The companies initially made prototype additive manufactured (AM) watches which they say pass the metallographic testing and surface quality requirements for the market.
Plans are to develop a watch case for a limited edition design to be launched 2023 and work on additional watch designs.
According to IperionX, the specifications and manufacturing techniques used in the luxury goods market are similar to the smart watch, wearable device and smartphone market. “IperionX sees significant potential to establish a low carbon, closed loop and circular supply of titanium, which is superior to existing aluminum and stainless steel applications in these markets,” a press release said.
IperionX produces titanium metal powders from titanium scrap at its operational pilot facility in the US, and reportedly plans to scale up production in 2022.


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The company earned $1.54 per share for the second quarter ended November 30th, compared to $1.64 per share a year ago.
Revenue was $9.45 billion, up 6 percent from the previous year. Operating income of $783 million was down 7 percent, net income of $479 million was down 6 percent, and operating margin of 8.3 percent was down from 9.4 percent.
Total combined average daily package volume in the FedEx Express and FedEx Ground segments grew 8 percent year over year for the quarter, due to growh in ground and international priority shipments.
For the third quarter, FedEx expects earning to be $1.15 to $1.30 per share, compared to $1.35 per share a year ago. The capital spending forecast has been reduced from $3.5 billion to $3.1 billion, "with additional reductions possible as management continues to review the timing of capital outlays," the company said in a press release.
Following the announcement of earnings, FedEx stock was lower on Thursday by just over $1 to $93 a share, which is near its 52-week low of $91.


text: LONDON (MarketWatch) -- French drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis SNY, +1.01% SAN, -0.09% said Wednesday that its first-quarter net income rose to 2.18 billion euros, from 1.88 billion euros a year ago. Analysts had been expecting net income of 1.9 billion euros, according to data compiled by Dow Jones Newswires. Revenue rose 2.5% to 7.1 billion euros, driven by a strong performance from the company's flagship drugs as well as vaccines. The firm said that, due to its good first-quarter performance, it's confirming 2009 full-year guidance. It's expecting growth in adjusted EPS of at least 7% at constant exchange rates. First-quarter net sales for the firm's pharmaceuticals business slipped 1% to 6.48 billion euros.


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The first annual W.O.W. (Women's Official Weekend) Expo will be held 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday, March 9, and 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday, March 10, at the Truman Hotel and Conference Center, Jefferson City. The two-day event is a women's show dedicated to educating, empowering and entertaining women of all ages, while providing a fun-filled weekend of endless retail therapy.
The Expo will include over 60 vendors showcasing products and services such as healthcare, retail therapy, food and beverage tastings, cooking demos, as well as a live hair show and fashion show, to name just a few.
The W.O.W. Expo is a platform for promoting and celebrating women, and promoting new products and services. The event also provides the perfect opportunity for women to spend a day, or two, with a girlfriend, sister, mother or grandmother, browsing through products, sampling treats, meeting community leaders and discovering a healthier way of living.
The cost to attend is $3 online (www.mowowexpo.com) or $5 at the door. A portion of the proceeds will benefit a local family in need.
There will also be door prizes, such as a "Family Night Out" valued at $100 from Steve's Family Restaurant, Lohman, and Unique Creations Studio, Jefferson City, and many more.
Currently, a few openings remain for booths at the event. The cost for an executive booth is $375, while a half-booth is $200. Vendors interested in booking a booth can contact W.O.W. Expo founder Alicia Arnett at www.mowowexpo.com.
For more information, go to www.mowowexpo.com.


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JAST USA Year of the Dragon Sale 2024 Has Begun
JAST USA has officially started their Year of the Dragon sale to celebrate the Lunar New Year, offering over 229 titles at reduced prices.
JAST USA is Holding Their Annual Winter Sale
Cozy up with some hot deals on eroge during JAST USA’s 2023 winter sale, discounting several titles on their store until January 6th.
JAST USA’s 2023 Halloween Sale Has Begun
JAST USA’s 2023 Halloween Sale is now underway, giving customers the chance to save up to 80% on select titles until the sale's end on November 1st.
Fairy Tale RPG Once Ever After Now Available on Steam Early Access
Worlds of different fairy tales blend together, leading to times of turmoil in Sierra Lee’s Once Ever After, a fantasy RPG now available on Steam.


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UK marketing budgets have continued to grow despite a recession looming and continued uncertainty as we enter 2023.
The latest figures from the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising’s (IPA) Bellwether report show marketing budgets saw “the longest uninterrupted sequence of growth for four years”. A fifth (20.2%) of marketers reported their budgets had swelled in the final three months of 2022, while 18% reported budget cuts.
The resulting net balance (the percentage of all companies reporting an upward revision to current budgets minus those reporting a downturn) means that marketing budgets closed out 2022 with a 2.2% growth in Q4.
The results mark a negligible upward trend on Q3, when growth was reported at 2.1%, meaning that despite a much more muted second half of the year, growth in budgets was sustained throughout 2022. IPA commented that the growth indicates that companies are continuing to support their brands through a period of downturn, with indications of stronger growth in 2023/2024.
Joe Hayes, Senior Economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said: "Another quarterly expansion in total marketing budgets at a time when business costs have hit multi-decade highs and consumer confidence has plunged suggests many businesses understand the importance of investing in resources that will help them get through the downturn as best as possible."
Main media bounceback as video claims top investment slot
Events remained the top performing Bellwether category for growth, at 5.7%, but main media marketing bounced back in the last three months of 2022, after its first downturn since the start of 2021 in Q3. Growth in the main media category was recorded at 4.4% in Q4, with video boosting that upturn. Spend on video marketing was up 13.7%, while ‘other online’ bolstered main media’s uptick with a growth of 6.3%, but this was three percentage points down on the growth registered in the previous quarter.
All other categories saw a fall in budgets, though this was muted in direct marketing (-0.6%) and PR (-1.9%) compared to sales promotions (-4%) and market research (-8.8%)
Publishing and out-of-home remained the largest downward pulls in main media, with declines in spend of 3.9% and 8.8% respectively, though both these falls were not as drastic as those reported in the previous quarter.
Nick Reid, SVP & Managing Director EMEA, DoubleVerify, said: “Brands who are focused on riding through this uncertainty will do so conscious of not only wanting to ensure return of investment and limiting media wastage, but also making sure their ads are delivered in the right contextual environments, with communications that reflect the day to day experience of their audiences.”
Budget prospects hopeful for the year ahead
Four in 10 (39.5%) of IPA’s panellists predicted increased marketing budgets within their companies in 2023/24, compared to just 13.5% anticipating cuts in spend. The net balance – 24.4% – represented a “robust outlook” from marketers, said the IPA, with the growing budgets said to be in response to competitor threats, bids to protect market share and “to counteract the drag from a broader weakening in economic conditions”.
Budget growth expectations were strongest in events (a net balance of 18%), but main media saw a buoyantly optimistic balance of 13.4% growth. Despite margin pressures, prospects for sales promotions were also strongly positive (7.9% growth on balance).
Adspend forecasts show marginal downturn this year
IPA asserted that the UK economy is likely to experience recession during the first half of 2023, but their “short and shallow” predictions back in October hold firm.
Despite this, the association’s forecast for adspend growth this year has U-turned. Adspend is now predicted to decline by a marginal 0.3% in 2023, downgraded from the forecast of the same marginal move – but in the other direction – in the previous report. 2024 will see a return to moderate growth for adspend, of 1.2%, slightly downgraded from the “slightly more bullish” 1.6% previously forecast.
Marketers remained pessimistic about business sentiment for the year ahead, with 41.8% judging the financial prospects within their sector to have worsened when compared to three months previously. The resulting net balance – -33.2% – reflected more optimism than the Q3 analysis, alongside the -17.2% balance of prospects for marketers’ own organisations. However, the proportion of downbeat respondents here was greater than three months ago, at 32.8%, more than double those that were optimistic about their organisation’s outlook.
Prospects for staffing more optimistic than Q3
Marketers expected employment to rise in the next three months, with slightly more optimism than when they were asked three months before. The net balance of 14.1% notes a reduced number of marketers expecting staffing levels to drop than in Q3.
Despite cost of living pressures, 27.7% of those questioned said they expected staff numbers to grow in the next three months - but this was markedly lower than the optimism recorded two years ago in Q4 2021, when 37.7% said they expected their workforce to grow.
The report noted that staff retention remains a challenge, with the quest for higher salaries meaning workers were more open to new roles, compounded by historically low unemployment levels in the UK reducing the pool of talent available to replace leavers. Staff budget cuts were also cited by a handful of companies, but the majority of marketers foresaw no change in employment levels at their firms.
The industry’s opportunities and threat – marketers’ views
When asked about the top opportunities and threats for the year ahead, green shoots included reduced supply chain issues, and optimism around commitment to sustainability within marketing. Panellists noted a shift in reliance on digital channels.
Reid continued: “This focus on suitability from an ad environment perspective, is equally as important as the way these campaigns are measured and optimised and with the increase of digital video spend, attention will be at the forefront of this in 2023.”
The cost of living crisis remained central in the list of threats for UK marketers, as many cited lower consumer demand forcing cuts on discretionary spend, and high inflation. There were also fears for limited ability to pass surging costs onto customers as cheaper alternatives make their way into the market, with those higher operating costs also impacting on marketing or staff hiring budgets and squeezing margins.
“That said, some companies plan to take a more proactive approach in the current uncertain economic environment, hoping that this will present an opportunity to obtain market share from more hesitant competitors,” the IPA said.
"Consumer spend switching from food service to retail as people eat out less due to cost of living increases." – FMCG
"Falling shipping costs." – Retail
"Ability to now deliver products from stock rather than having to continuously manage supply chain issues." – Consumer Durables
"Interest rate increases improve profitability." – Financial Services
"Developments in new products and a deeper look at sustainable products." – Industrial/Utilities
"Current exchange rate leading to increase in demand from North America." – Travel/Entertainment
"Business needs more robust intelligence when recessionary environments exist." – Media/Marketing
"New marketing around sustainability and commitment to net zero." – IT/Computers
"Continued reliance on digital tools and technology in the financial sector." – Financial Services
"[A] shift to more reliance on digital marketing and e-commerce." – Media/Marketing
"Inflation and cost-of-living squeeze on household budgets." – FMCG
"High interest rates may lead to decrease in mortgage product sales." – Financial Services
"Energy prices and operational cost increases." – Industrial/Utilities
"Lack of consumer demand will reduce available marketing budgets." – Media/Marketing
"Government funding cuts." – Public/Charities
"Cuts to events and staff training budgets due to recession." – Travel/Entertainment
"Continued caution from consumers over what discretionary purchases they will make due to cost of living increases." – Consumer Durables
"Component shortages, rising costs, the war in Ukraine, currency fluctuations – which are things outside our control." – IT/Computers
"Increased overheads leading to cuts in discretionary marketing spend." – Other Services
"Exchange rates, logistics and shipping problems (including strikes) and staff retention." – Industrial/Utilities


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Mexico's Grupo Bimbo SAB de CV, the world's No. 1 breadmaker, has agreed to buy the bakery division of Saputo Inc in its second Canadian purchase this year, according to Reuters.
Bimbo subsidiary Canada Bread Co. Ltd. will pay $120 million ($103.38 million) for Montreal-based Saputo's bakery, subject to conditions, including the approval of Canada's Competition Bureau, Saputo said.
The business includes one manufacturing facility in the Canadian province of Quebec, where it mostly makes snack cakes. Saputo's main business is dairy.
In February of 2014, Grupo Bimbo agreed to buy Canada Bread from Maple Leaf Foods for C$1.83 billion. The other dominant Canadian baker is George Weston Ltd., parent of the Loblaw Cos Ltd. grocery chain.
Bimbo said it expects its new acquisition to generate annual sales of more than C$130 million ($111.87 million) and that it expects to close the deal by the first quarter of 2015. The division earned C$139 million in revenue in fiscal 2014, representing less than 2 percent of Saputo's consolidated revenues.
To read more, click HERE.


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Audi counterfeiter faces higher damages for lack of cooperation
The lack of cooperation of an individual whose company was found to wilfully counterfeit and infringe Audi AG’s trademark and design patent rights has motivated a court to significantly increase damages against them.
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The new app Vine has already begun to take hold on New York Fashion Week. Designed as a Twitter for video content—it’s not surprising tech-savvy fashion brands and editors have already jumped aboard.
"Vine’s timing was perfect as far as fashion people are concerned. We’ll have had enough practice to get used to the platform, figure out the kinks and to build a small following before the shows begin,” explained fashion’s go-to social media expert John Jannuzzi, who mans his own Vine account in addition to that of Lucky Magazine. “A few seasons ago people were posting twitpics, then came Instagrams and I guess now we’ll be flooded with Vine clips as well.”
And now the platform is off to a rolling start. The scenic setting at last night’s Prabal Gurung for Target launch event was the perfect opportunity for Vine to show off its initial potential. The party’s stronghold of digital media influencers uploaded footage of the indoor carnival with silly, novel iterations. And when New York’s shows kicked off on Thursday morning, finale walks and backstage makeup checks were shared on Vine as well. “I would imagine they’ll be plenty of shaky finale walks, shoe shots from those lucky enough to be in the front row and god help us all—plenty of street style circus clips,” Jannuzzi offered of what to expect from Vine this week.
As New York Fashion Week continues to ramp up, see our list of the best Vine accounts to cover this week.
1. Lucky magazine (@LuckyMagazine)
2. Calvin Klein (@CalvinKlein)
3. Man Repeller (@manrepeller)
4. Kirna Zabete (@KirnaZabete)
5. Fashionista (@Fashionista_com)
6. Lauren Sherman (@Lapresmidi)
7. MTV Style (@MTVStyle)
8. Marc Jacobs Intl (@MarcJacobsIntl)
9. Oscar PR Girl (@OscarPRGirl)


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Like thousands of other Londoners, Jolyon Maugham took an Uber this morning (Mar. 20). For the service of being driven from his office to Uber’s UK headquarters, he paid £9.86 ($12). Had the driver known what the accomplished tax lawyer was about to do next, he would not have accepted the ride request. Maugham was there to hand deliver a letter that would become the first step of suing the $68-billion startup for tax avoidance.
That’s why, on what was otherwise a cold and rainy morning, Maugham was unusually upbeat. If his case succeeds, Uber would end up owing the UK government hundreds of millions of dollars. What’s more is that, given how similar tax laws exist in 160 other countries, his case could open the floodgates for similar litigation, and Uber could end up owing such large sums all across the world.
Maugham alleges that Uber is avoiding paying “value added tax” (VAT), a form of sales tax paid on goods and services in the UK and other countries. Barring some exceptions, such as food and children’s clothing, a UK consumer pays about 20% tax on the cost of any item or service.
The case, which will be filed in the London high court in April, hinges on a statutory entitlement that every UK citizen has to ask for a VAT receipt. The receipt is proof that the supplier of said goods or services is paying a certain amount to the UK government.
At the heart of the matter is how to define a “service.” Uber says that its drivers are “self-employed,” which means any VAT owed should be paid by the drivers. The earnings VAT threshold in the UK is £83,000 ($100,000), which is far more than a typical taxi driver would make and thus very few, if any, are likely to pay VAT.
“Drivers who use the Uber app are subject to the same VAT laws as any other transportation provider in the UK,” a spokesperson for Uber said.
However, a 2016 case in the UK ruled that drivers using Uber’s apps are defined as workers, and thus have workers’ rights, such as a guaranteed minimum wage, holiday pay, and the right to take breaks. “Because the drivers are working for Uber,” Maugham says, “the consequences of the tribunal’s decision is that it must be Uber supplying the transportation services not the workers.”
Uber is contesting the ruling. Even if it is overturned, Maugham isn’t worried because he has other reasons to claim that Uber is providing a service.
“There is an added value to what Uber is doing when it connects drivers to passengers,” said Rita de la Feria, professor of tax law at the University of Leeds and a leading expert on VAT. “So Uber is indeed providing a service, otherwise it wouldn’t exist.”
If Maugham’s challenge stands, Uber wouldn’t just owe money but it could also lose its cost advantage. The VAT it will need to pay will be about 20%. (Though Uber’s price advantage varies across the world, if other countries also succeed to add VAT on Uber, it will make a big dent.)
If Maugham wins, Uber could be liable for retrospective taxes, too. The ride-hailing company has been operating in the UK since 2012. Maugham’s back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest that the sum owed could be in the hundreds of millions of pounds.
But de la Feria is not so confident. Uber could use the “principle of legitimate expectation” and claim that it didn’t know its service was liable for paying the VAT.
There is, however, a principle that could work against Uber: “influence of foreign decisions on national courts.” As the world globalized, national courts, which previously tended only to look for precedence in courts within national borders, started looking beyond. When laws are similar, such as in the case of VAT, countries will look at the UK to consider whether suing Uber for avoiding VAT in their own country would be worthwhile.
Just last month, an Australian federal court ruled that Uber drivers (not Uber itself) must pay goods and services tax (GST), which is just like VAT in the UK. The case’s outcome could influence the decision of the London court in Maugham’s case.
Maugham’s case against Uber is strong, tax experts say. That raises a fair question: why did nobody think of attacking Uber like this before? The answer is likely because of the cost of litigation to take on a corporate giant.
Most tax avoidance cases are brought on by governments against corporations. However, in recent decades, according to de la Feria, globalization has created multinationals that have a financial might that’s even greater than that of governments. This puts tax departments under pressure to make sure a case is worth the risk of losing vast sums of taxpayer money in litigation.
Maugham, too, faces that difficulty. Uber would be ready to spend millions to save such a huge tax burden, and if it wins then Maugham would be liable to pay those fees. That’s not something he can afford. In fact, he is crowdfunding the money needed to fight the case to start with.
But as a private individual, if Uber tries to muscle him out, he says he will request the court to cap such liabilities. It’s something that the court has done in the past, for example in the court case that forced the UK government to seek a parliamentary vote to trigger Brexit.
Maugham has all but given up his day job, which used to be helping rich clients and companies fight legal disputes with the government. Just last month, he filed a case in the Irish court that he thinks can give the UK parliament a way to reverse Brexit if they so wish.
“I’ve wanted for some time to respond to the changed political environment that we live in,” he said. In the UK, Maugham believes that the Conservative government has no real opposition. So he started the Good Law Project to use court cases as a way to hold the government and its agencies accountable.
With the Uber case, Maugham has a larger point to make. He believes that the UK (and perhaps other governments around the world) are striking deals with multinational companies that in the short term bring new jobs, but in the long term create an uneven playing field for other companies.
In 2016, for instance, the UK government struck a deal with Google to pay some £130 million ($185 million at the time) in what were likely taxes it avoided. But other countries in the EU saw it as a “sweetheart” deal, Maugham says. France’s finance minister said deal “seems more the product of a negotiation than the application of the law.”
Such deals can’t be scrutinized by journalists or the public, because of tax privacy laws. But Maugham’s antic to seek a VAT receipt from Uber allows him to get in between the multi-national and the tax authority.
The case could become a big deal for other reasons, said de la Feria. It will be the first she knows where a private individual is able to probe the tax liabilities of a corporation. “This could open the floodgates,” she said. Any person would be able to investigate whether a corporation is paying the taxes that it should.
Uber will try all it can to fight Maugham, but muscling him out won’t be easy. “Uber has two fights,” said Alex Cobham, CEO of Tax Justice Network, an advocacy group, “one in the court of justice and another in the court of public opinion.” On the latter it hasn’t been doing well.
Once a Silicon Valley darling, Uber is now a troubled giant. Yesterday (Mar. 19), its president, Jeff Jones, quit merely six months into the job. Recode reports that Jones’s resignation is likely linked to sexism and sexual-harassment allegations made by past employees against Uber.
The news came on top of a series of other resignations in the past few months amid strong public backlash. Last month, CEO Travis Kalanick was caught blowing up at a driver. And Uber has also received a flurry of one-star ratings on the iOS App Store. Before that, in January, an airport kerfuffle caused #deleteUber to trend on Twitter, and led Kalanick to step down from US president Donald Trump’s economic council. Its misdoings, such as breaking local laws, attacking politicians, and offending cities, are finally catching up.
“In 20 years, the idea of Uberization will either be a footnote of a period when people tried beating regulations,” Cobham said, “or it will be the basis of re-interpretation of a great deal of economic activity.”


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Openbet supplying software to betting shops
Thursday, January 31, 2013 : OPENBET TO SUPPLY SOFTWARE TO BETTING SHOPS
Multi-year deal signed with William Hill plc
Openbet Technologies, the UK-based online gambling and sportsbook content provider, has inked a significant multi-year deal with William Hill plc that will see it supplying high street betting shops with its Promote retail betting content display software.
David Loveday, chief executive of Openbet, says the license includes the provision of a dedicated support programme and will enable William Hill to offer betting promotions tailored specifically to each retail shop in order to appeal to customer type and preferred events throughout the sporting calendar.
“We have been cognisant for some time that the retail punter’s demands and habits have been changing,” said Loveday. “We have designed Promote to give our customers a platform from which they can greatly improve the range of products and the level of service they provide.
"The high street bookmaker is no longer seen as just a betting shop but a destination that offers a wider range of entertainment. Operators need the tools available to them to deliver that experience and that is what Promote does.”
OpenBet claims that Promote is entirely compatible with most hardware presently in UK betting shops, supports up to 255 separate displays and can be flexibly mapped across 40 physical high definition screens without restrictions on screen location, layout or style.
The system supports all of William Hill’s current Albos and Epos systems across its entire estate.
James Henderson, UK and International retail director for William Hill, said: “We have to keep adapting and innovating to meet changing customer demands. Promote gives us the opportunity to keep making the offer more interesting for customers by targeting promotions and content more effectively and tailoring offers at a local level.”
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Gambling News :
Phil Ivey Loses Borgata Casino -
Phil Ivey has lost in his four-year legal tussle with the Borgata over baccarat winnings; on Friday a US federal judge ruled that he and a companion violated New Jersey state gambling regulations in the manner in which they won nearly $10 million playing at the Atlantic City casino.
NYX Gaming in deal with Endemol -
"Endemol Shine’s IP will be a strong addition to the NYX portfolio of content and we look forward to working together to bring additional instantly recognizable brands to market.”
NEW CAMBODIAN GAMBLING LAWS -
After more than two years of debate and drafting, Cambodia may be closing in on final agreement regarding its proposed gambling law changes.
Playtech Acquires ECM Systems -
Online gambling soiftware provider Playtech plc has announced the acquisition of a ninety percent stake in UK bingo software developer ECM Systems for a consideration of GBP 14.9 million.
Marks and Spencer store Manager steals to Gamblie Online -
The Cambridge News reports that a 28-year-old manager of a Marks and Spencer store, Martin Trenor, has been jailed for three years for stealing GBP 254,538.11 in shop takings over the course of a year and spending it almost immediately at online gambling websites.
Chinese Gambling crackdown could damage high roller revenue -
Fast-moving events this week have seen Australian media reports quoting hundreds of millions of dollars wagered by Chinese high rollers in Aussie land casinos, offset to some extent by Crown claims that this whale gambler" demographic generates only 12 percent of turnover.
EvenBet Open Face Chinese Poker -
Open Face Chinese Poker online games provider EvenBet has reported that its Open Face Chinese Poker product is gaining traction with games recently integrated for desktop action at the Malta-licensed operational site Poker Grant.
2016 EPT Malta -
The European Poker Tour is off to a good start in Malta, with German pro Dietrich Fast claiming a well-earned Euro 174,000 main prize in the Euro 10,000 buy-in Single-Entry Rebuy event.
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A few days after Air India announced that it had started carrying food from India for use during the journey back to the country, it clarified on Saturday that any misgiving about the in-flight food on Europe sectors is "unfounded" as it stayed fresh in chillers onboard.
In a statement issued on Twitter, Air India said it "ensures strict compliance with quality checks at every step of its in-flight catering right from its flight kitchen".
"Any misgiving about served food is unfounded as food stays fresh in chillers onboard and served piping hot to ensure authentic taste all over our network," it said to disperse passengers' concerns regarding food quality in return flights.
The airline, that has been facing a crisis, already started using food items stocked from India during its onward journey to Stockholm, Copenhagen, Birmingham and Madrid, and use them when returning.
"We are following this practice on our flights up to Europe and not on our longer duration flights to the USA," the airline clarified.
"Return Catering, done by leading flight kitchens adheres to laid down standards and protocols regarding the quality of food. Food uplifted at the country of origin is industry practice favoured by pax (passengers) for its taste, quality and reliability," it said.
On Wednesday, Air India's Chairman and Managing Director Pradeep Singh Kharola had announced in the capital that the airline has started carrying food from India for use during the journey back to the country, in an attempt to rationalise catering costs on international flights.
"The food is taken from here in India in chillers and then it is heated whenever it has to be used...Catering costs for us are around Rs 600 crore to Rs 800 crore a year. Catering in India is 3-4 times cheaper as compared to catering in the West," he said.
Within the next few months, Air India will start serving food from India on its flights returning from the Gulf region, he added.
As a cost-cutting measure, Air India decided in July 2017 to not serve non-vegetarian food to economy class passengers on its domestic flights.
"There are some flights, like the ones going to Gulf, Singapore and even some parts of Europe, where it is possible to upload the food here (in India) only. Some work is going on in that direction," Kharola had said.


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The S&P 500 Index, the most widely followed benchmark for US stocks, has welcomed two new members: Airbnb Inc. and Blackstone Inc. The online lodging platform and the private equity giant will replace Lincoln National Corp. and Newell Brands Inc. in the index, effective from Sept. 18.
Airbnb and Blackstone Shares Rally on the News
The announcement of the index changes by S&P Dow Jones Indices on Friday night boosted the shares of both Airbnb and Blackstone in extended trading. Airbnb jumped 5%, while Blackstone rose 4.1%, signaling a move back above their 50-day moving averages. Both stocks have been consolidating in recent weeks after hitting record highs in July.
Being added to the S&P 500 is a significant milestone for any company, as it reflects its growth, profitability, and liquidity. It also increases its visibility and attractiveness to investors, especially those who track the index through passive funds. According to S&P Dow Jones Indices, about $11.2 trillion of assets are benchmarked to the S&P 500, with about $4.6 trillion of them indexed.
Blackstone Becomes the First Alternative Asset Manager in the S&P 500
Blackstone, founded in 1985 by Stephen Schwarzman and Peter Peterson, is the world’s largest alternative asset manager, with $684 billion of assets under management as of June 30. It operates in four segments: private equity, real estate, hedge fund solutions, and credit.
Blackstone’s inclusion in the S&P 500 is notable because it is the first alternative asset manager to join the index, and because it has a dual-class share structure that gives Schwarzman and other insiders more voting power than other shareholders. Such structures were previously barred from the index under a rule adopted in 2017, but that rule was dropped in April this year, paving the way for Blackstone’s entry.
Blackstone has been benefiting from strong demand for alternative investments amid low interest rates and high valuations in public markets. It has also been expanding its retail business, offering its products to individual investors through partnerships with brokerages and wealth managers. In the second quarter, Blackstone reported a 21% increase in fee-related earnings and a 30% increase in distributable earnings year-over-year.
Airbnb Joins the S&P 500 Less Than a Year After Its IPO
Airbnb, founded in 2008 by Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia, and Nathan Blecharczyk, is the leading online platform for booking and offering short-term rentals and experiences around the world. It has over 4 million hosts and more than 800 million guest arrivals across 220 countries and regions.
Airbnb’s addition to the S&P 500 comes less than a year after its initial public offering in December 2020, which was one of the biggest and most successful IPOs of last year. The company raised $3.5 billion at a valuation of $47 billion, and saw its shares more than double on their first day of trading.
Airbnb has been recovering from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which severely disrupted the travel industry last year. It has been adapting to changing consumer preferences, such as increased demand for domestic, rural, and longer-term stays. In the second quarter, Airbnb reported a 299% surge in revenue and a 197% increase in nights and experiences booked year-over-year.
Lincoln National and Newell Brands Move Down to the S&P SmallCap 600
The two companies that Airbnb and Blackstone are replacing in the S&P 500 are Lincoln National Corp., a provider of life insurance and retirement services, and Newell Brands Inc., a consumer goods company that owns brands such as Rubbermaid, Sharpie, and Yankee Candle.
Both companies have been struggling with sluggish growth and declining profitability in recent years, lagging behind their peers and the broader market. Lincoln National’s revenue fell 14% in 2020, while Newell Brands’ revenue dropped 9%. Both companies also reported net losses for the year.
Lincoln National and Newell Brands will move down to the S&P SmallCap 600 Index, where they will replace Uniqure NV and Universal Insurance Holdings Inc., respectively. Uniqure is a biotechnology company that focuses on gene therapies for rare diseases, while Universal Insurance is a property and casualty insurance company.


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To the Editor:
As U.S. Senator from Montana, and as a rancher from Miles City serving as the president of the Montana Stockgrowers Association, we took a major step forward last week for Montana agriculture. Together, we worked to accomplish a historic trade deal between the U.S. and Japan ó one that will benefit Montanaís farmers and ranchers for generations to come.
Farming and ranching is tough enough as it is. This industry isnít for the faint of heart and making a profit only gets harder if access to critical export markets is restricted and our foreign competitors are given an advantage.
This trade deal is a victory for the folks who get up every morning and put in a hard, honest day of work, with no complaints or vacation days, so they can put food on our tables. These are the folks who have done this for generations in Montana, and to them itís more than just a job, itís a way of life.
For farmers and ranchers across Montana, the folks essential to our economy, being on a level playing field with other Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) nations is critical to competing on the global stage.
The signing of the U.S.-Japan Trade Deal Agreement is the product of tough negotiations and hard work. We made sure that the voice of Montanaís farmers and ranchers were center stage.
In Montana, we boast the highest quality agricultural products and livestock in the world. The Japanese understand the value of our goods, and because of that, our exports are always in high demand. In fact, Montana beef, wheat, barley and other commodities are the gold standard across Asia. Countries like Japan want our high-quality products. And we want to sell it to them.
Japan is the No. 1 export market for U.S. beef, and it accounts for one quarter of the United Statesí total exports. With more than 1.5 million cattle in our state, this deal is a tremendous opportunity for our ranchers to meet Japanís demand while expanding our production.
Japan buys close to 30 percent of the roughly 200 million bushels of hard red winter, hard red spring and durum wheat produced annually across Big Sky Country. This makes Japan our primary wheat export market. If this trade deal had not been finalized, our wheat farmers expected their market share of wheat sales to plummet $150 million annually.
This deal creates opportunity for business growth that weíve never seen before.
It reduces tariffs on products such as fresh and frozen beef and pork, provides a country-specific quota for wheat and wheat products, and lessens the mark-up on imported U.S. wheat and barley.
The deal also ensures that, over time, Japanese tariffs on beef and pork products will drop from 38.5 to 9 percent.
Itís refreshing, and long overdue, to see an administration stick up for the workingmen and women of our rural, farming communities.
This is an industry where we pray to break even at the end of the year. With new opportunities and markets, weíre hoping that humble prayer will change. We need an industry that can grow and provide enough work so younger Montanans can continue the rich farming and ranching legacy in this great state.
The presidentís trade deal with Japan is what a fair agreement should look like. It is a monumental step forward in strengthening Montana agriculture for years to come. We are on track for a new era.
For two guys from Montana to stand next to the president as he signed this critical trade deal, it was something we will never forget. Itís been an honor to fight for Montanaís farmers and ranchers, and we are thrilled about the opportunities that this will create across Montana for generations to come.
Mr. President, thank you for keeping your promises to our rural communities.
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines and Fred Wacker, president of the Montana Stockgrowers Association


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It picked the game up on its Geiger counter
Just days after Nintendo took down a fan remake of Metroid II and an archive of Nintendo Power, the developers behind the fan-made Pokémon Uranium announced that Nintendo lawyers have requested that it be taken down. The not-for-profit fan project had just released on PC forfreeand was met with 1.5 million downloads. It was in development for over nine years and included 150 new custom-made Pokémon and a new type called Nuclear.
Nintendo continues to show it means business when it comes to using its highly-popular and highly-valuable intellectual property, though it’s not alone. It wasn’t too long ago that EA and Lucasfilm forced Frontwire to terminate Star Wars: Galaxy in Turmoil. Whatever happened to loving your fans?
Statement Regarding Downloads [Pokémon Uranium]


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New Zealand is setting up a new food safety law. This means some businesses need to register themselves under the new Food Act. But when do they have to apply by?
The food businesses that need to apply for this new act include restaurants and cafes with an alcohol licence. They need to do so by the 31st of March 2017. Over 5,000 food businesses across the country are already registered under the new law, which came into effect last year.
What makes this Food Safety Law different?
The new law set will improve food safety by moving to a risk-based approach. New businesses have to comply to the new act straightaway, while old businesses have a transition time. There are also other businesses that need to conform to the new food safety act. Businesses like ther Early Childhood Education centres that serve food; processors of nuts, seeds or coffee beans; and manufacturers of food for vulnerable people (like babies or the elderly), ready-to-eat salads, and sauces, spreads, dips or soups that need to be kept cold.
Under the new rules, businesses need to use a written plan for food safety. This is known as a food control plan. Medium and lower risk businesses will follow a set of food safety rules known as a national programme. Also, registered businesses get checked by a food safety verifier. By doing this, it will check whether businesses are making safe food.
Do you own a food business in New Zealand or know of mates in New Zealand who own a food business, have you or they registered their restaurant? If not, have you planned when to do so?
If you would like more information on this topic or get the source URL for this article, then email us at [email protected]


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By a calendar presented in August last year, AFIP have reported all this monotributistas they must begin issuing bills through electronic system.
Those who started to do it (since October) were those in the "E" category. now, starting December 1, 2018, it will be the turn of all category "D".
Electronic manufacture will be required in all categories.
AFIP, on his site, a a guide that explains step by step How to issue an electronic invoice.
Since electronic invoices have to be issued by the other categories
Monotangies of category C: starting February 1, 2019.
Category B bids: from 1 March 2019.
Category A: from April 1, 2019.
For operations with end consumers the obligation will be applicable on April 1, 2019. regardless of the category that the subject joined Monotributo.
At this point, there are businesses that have to choose to bill through a tax controller or electronic invoice.


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- March 2019
- President’s Notes
- Perrin Edges Shearing Field
- Guest Opinion Shearer Teaches Tips, Tricks
- Convention: Annual Convention Carries Industry Into New Year
- Convention: Award Winners Accept Well-Deserved Honors
- Convention: AWC Wants Consumers to Experience American Wool
- Convention: YE’s Prove Competitive & Determined
- Convention: Lamb Council Examines Technology
- Convention: Monitoring Fake Meat
- Convention: Stakeholders Look to Harness Data
- Convention: Managing Parasites in an Age of Drug Resistance
- Convention: Resource Mgt. Take Aim at 2019 Goals
- Convention: Fungus is Coming
- Convention: Producers, Fishermen Share Common Problems
- Convention: Make It With Wool Fashion Show
- Market Report
- Around the States
- The Last Word
Young Entrepreneurs Prove Competitive & Determined
Competitive, innovative, bright and determined: The future of the American sheep industry is sure to share characteristics of its young leaders, as evidenced by participants at the ASI Annual Convention in New Orleans.
Montana producer Evan Helle talked about his family’s success with the Duckworth clothing brand, and asked the audience for a show of hands for those wearing wool. A lot of hands rose, but when he asked for a showing of those wearing something more than wool socks, the number declined substantially. Helle challenged the group to not just wear wool basics, but to showcase and help tell the full story of wool and wool blends.
“Tell people it’s high-performing,” he said. “Have them try a blend product, which is lower cost, that they can’t mess up in the washing machine.”
Helle said once a newcomer to wool tries a first wool product, that person learns about its great properties – such as its moisture-wicking ability – paving the way to becoming a wool consumer and supporter.
“You’ve got to be wearing wool to set the example for everyone else,” Helle said.
Regina Frahm of Iowa agreed, pointing out that people are interested in quality products, despite the higher costs when compared to lesser-quality products. She said that spending more money on a better product is also better for the environment.
“It’s not about how many things you have – it’s about the quality of the few things you do have,” she said.
Karissa Maneotis of Colorado said that both American lamb and wool offer sustainability and tradition.
“What a great story to tell,” she said of marketing these premium products. “Keep pushing ahead – don’t ever get discouraged. Don’t ever be embarrassed to be a sheepherder.”
Other young producers told stories of how they market their products to fit local markets. Anthony Theos of Colorado noted that his family’s range outfit is able to sell nearly half their lambs to Whole Foods, while also providing whole carcasses to customers in a small ski town.
Cameron Lauwers of Michigan has gone to year-round lambing in confinement, selling whole animals to a butcher shop that sells to restaurants in Detroit.
These young producers spoke with pride in their products and industry, prompting moderator Jake Benson of Utah to ask about their proudest moments as sheep producers. Ryan Boner of Wyoming said it was when a red meat study measured carcass traits on 300 lambs, and the lambs he was able to evaluate were from his own ranch.
Theos said he’s proud when he learns that local consumers ask their grocers when Theos lambs will be restocked in the markets.
Ryan Mahoney of California noted that the American sheep industry seems full of people who are strong, stubborn and smart.
“Every ideal you want your children to be is evident in the people in this industry,” Mahoney said. “I’m more proud of that than anything.”