The Russian authorities lifted temporary state management from the assets of French food giant Danone in Russia. The decision was made for reasons of expediency, Kremlin's official spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. On March 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to cancel the nationalisation of Danone's business and its transfer to Russia's Federal Property Management Agency. According to Peskov, all factors and conditions need to be weighed accordingly in every situation like this. Therefore, it does not mean that the Russian leadership will make similar decisions in relation to other foreign companies.

Gold prices rose to a record high on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) on April 1, RBC reports with reference to data from the trading platform. June contracts for the supply of gold rose in price by 2.14 percent, to $2,286 per ounce. The price neared the level of $2,300 and reached a new all-time high. Gold is rising in price amid expectations for the US Federal Reserve to cut the rate in June, Warren Patterson, head of commodity strategy at ING Groep NV said.

Belarus suddenly banned the sale of Russian-made tea. According to the Ministry of Health of Belarus, the reason for this decision was a violation of requirements for microbiological indicators of product safety. Sanitary services of Belarus found traces of fungus in several types of tea produced by Orimi LLC, a Russian legal entity. Belarus banned all brands of tea produced by this company, their import into Belarus was restricted as well. The list of prohibited products includes such tea brands as: Greenfield, TESS, Princess Nuri, Princess Java, as well as some types of Jardin and Jockey coffee. Orimi LLC is taking necessary measures to prove the stability of production processes and effectiveness of the safety control system, the Belarusian Ministry of Health added. Restrictions on the sale of products may be lifted as soon as the company meets all relevant requirements of the Health Ministry of Belarus.

The Italian Foreign Ministry summoned Russian Ambassador to Rome Alexei Paramonov after President Vladimir Putin transferred the Russian subsidiary of Italian equipment manufacturer Ariston to Gazprom. The decision was made in accordance with last year's decree, according to which the assets of foreign companies in Russia can be transferred to temporary administration. Italy called the transfer unexpected and demanded clarification from the Russian diplomat. On April 26, Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the transfer of Russian subsidiaries of Ariston and BSH Hausgerate (structures of Ariston Thermo Rus and BSH Household Appliances) to temporary administration of JSC Gazprom Household Systems. One hundred percent of shares in the authorised capital of both companies were transferred to  Gazprom temporarily.

Vladislav Bakalchuk, co-founder of one of Russia's largest marketplace platform Wildberries, announced an attempted gangster-style takeover of the company. The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov posted a video of his conversation with Bakalchuk on his Telegram channel. Bakalchuk said that in early July, Russ Outdoor company, headed by Levon and Robert Mirzoyan, tried to take over the assets of Wildberries by means of legal schemes. According to the co-founder, they deceived his wife, Tatyana Bakalchuk, after which she left home without an opportunity to see her husband to discuss what was happening. The marketplace merged with Russ Outdoor Company in June; the shares of both companies in the business were approximately equal.

Nornickel's plans to move copper plant production to China have raised questions both in the government and among experts. In April, Nornickel (Norilsk Nickel) announced plans to "create a joint venture with international partners and transfer part of the copper plant's capacities from Norilsk to China." The copper plant will continue to operate "modern copper concentrate preparation facilities and industrial 3D printers." "We are transferring our environmental problems, settlement problems, problems of market access and customization of our goods for the consumer market to where they can be solved most effectively — to China," Vladimir Potanin, co-owner of PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel said in an interview with Interfax.

Omni-ID, the developer of passive industrial radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, used by major global organisations for monitoring the location and identity of assets, has appointed Amir Mobayen as Chief Revenue Officer.

A new research report has revealed the innovative new ways retailers are using RFID technology in-store to improve profitability.

Offering insights into the most effective, tried and tested approaches to managing retail risk, supplier of loss prevention solutions and retail technology, Checkpoint Systems UK, has revealed the conference agenda for its upcoming appearance as title sponsor at Retail Risk London on 22 July 2021.

Omni-ID has been acquired by HID Global, worldwide leader in trusted identity solutions.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) provides new and profitable opportunities for increasing organisational, financial and operational performance. For instance, the retail and logistics industries can benefit from the superior RFID technology. DENSO explains why.

Despite increasing concerns surrounding food waste, more than 89 million tonnes of food are thrown away every year in Europe. The grocery retail sector contributes some 5% to the total amount, often due to expired fresh produce, equating to more than 4.45 million tonnes.

RFID technology does not just exist since yesterday, but especially now, it has a major impact on the profits and losses of companies, for example in retail and logistics. RFID tags that are attached to goods can be read with mobile computers in such a way that real-time results for transactions, stock levels or the order history of customers are displayed.

The use of RFID offers a whole range of advantages, two of which clearly stand out: precision and speed. DENSO explains what this means for the retail sector.

The premium quality barcode and RFID solutions provider inotec is currently producing 40 million RFID identification cards for a market-leading international discount supermarket chain. The exceptionally large RFID card order was placed after the discount supermarket’s strategic decision to install new crate track and trace systems. 

RAIN Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag integrated circuits’ (IC) worldwide sales volume for the second year in a row smashed industry forecasts increasing 36% over the last year helping to nudge lifetime sales past the 100 billion tag IC sold barrier. This is the seventh year in a row of sales growth for RAIN RFID tag IC sales according to the RAIN Alliance, an industry technology group.

Special Technology Report on Mobile Computing /Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC).

RetailTechnologyReview.com.com spoke with leading spokespeople within the vendor and analyst community about current trends and developments within the automatic identification & data capture (AIDC)/mobile computing solutions space, including those related to modern supply chain challenges and omnichannel.

Supply chain hardware, software and services company Renovotec is launching a ‘fast improvement manufacturing programme’ designed to deploy those technologies that have the greatest impact on supply chain manufacturing.

By David Burns, freelance writer.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is an identification system that works through radio frequencies that can track and identify authorised entry tools such as fobs and key cards. Not only is RFID a significant security measure, but it also provides your team with a reliable and efficient method of access.

SATO has launched its RAIN RFID1-based asset management solution ASETRA in Europe. The easy to deploy system comprising RFID tags, RFID printers and desktop reader/writers accurately and easily tracks and manages assets through the supply chain.

By Bryan Luna, freelance writer.

Read on to learn the different types and features present in various barcode scanners to make the right decision for your business and employee needs.

By Alastair Bright, freelance writer.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Near Field Communication (NFC) are two wireless communication technologies that enable data exchange through radio waves. While NFC is primarily used in contactless payments, RFID is widely utilized for asset and location tracking. Both technologies, however, also have versatile applications beyond their primary uses.

Riverside Greetings, the supplier of greeting card solutions, has developed RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology which is claimed to dramatically accelerate category growth in the convenience and forecourt sector.

PervasID, provider of passive Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader systems for automating inventory and asset tracking, has launched a new advanced version of TrackMaster, claimed to provide greatly enhanced return on investment performance.

Following a record year in 2022, real-time data capture, printing, mobility and voice-directed solutions specialist, Dakota Integrated Solutions, has again exceeded projected revenue and growth targets during 2023.

RAIN Alliance, the non-profit industry organisation supporting the development and adoption of Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), has announced that 44.8bn RAIN RFID tag chips were shipped globally in 2023.This figure represents year-on-year growth of 32%, and reflects increasing demand across a variety of industries....

RAIN Alliance, the non-profit industry organisation supporting the development and adoption of Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), has published its bi-annual research report ‘Global Markets & Applications for RAIN RFID Solutions’, produced by VDC Research.

According to Forbes, the global smart retail market size is expected to grow at a CAGR of 29.1% by 2030. DENSO accompanies retailers into the future with RFID.

2022 was the second highest year of activity in the global self-checkout market, according to a brand-new report from RBR Data Services, a division of Datos Insights. Global EPOS and Self-Checkout 2023 shows that with an ever-wider range of retailers embracing the technology, competition in the market remains fierce.

Manhattan Associates Inc has announced that PacSun, the specialty retailer of emerging youth brands and trending fashion, has selected Manhattan Active Point of Sale to enhance its omnichannel sales strategy and deliver a seamless, unified customer shopping experience.

Checkout finance provider, Divido, has launched two new product capabilities ‘Divido Analytics’ and ‘Split Capability’, allowing merchants to have greater understanding and flexibility over their checkout finance experience.

There were more than two million programmable EPOS units delivered worldwide last year, according to Global EPOS and Self-Checkout 2023, a brand-new study from strategic research and consulting firm RBR Data Services, a division of Datos Insights.

The number of POS software installations at major retail and hospitality operators worldwide surpassed 9 million as of June 2023, according to a new study from strategic research and consulting firm RBR Data Services, a division of Datos Insights.

Competition between vendors to provide POS software remains fierce, with more than 125 suppliers working with major retail and hospitality chains, according to Global POS Software 2023, the latest study from strategic research and consulting firm RBR Data Services, a division of Datos Insights.

By Brad Hyett, CEO at phos.

SoftPoS, also known as Software Point of Sale, is a software-based solution enabling merchants to convert their NFC-enabled smartphones or tablets into functional payment terminals.

Manhattan Associates Inc. has announced significant enhancements to its Manhattan Active Point of Sale (POS) application designed to meet the dynamic needs of modern store associates.

By Jeremy Landau, freelance writer.

Retail's dynamic environment is seeing a real shift, driven by the integration of advanced software solutions. This goes beyond a mere technological upgrade – it's about completely transforming the customer experience.

By James Morgan, freelance writer.

Are you tired of carrying cash and credit cards everywhere you go? It's time to embrace the next big leap in cashless transactions: IoT payments. With IoT (Internet of Things) technology, payment systems are becoming more convenient, efficient and secure than ever before.

By Jennifer Richards, freelance writer.

The retail landscape is rapidly evolving, and technology is the driving force behind this transformation. As an expert in retail technology, I've observed several groundbreaking trends set to redefine the shopping experience in 2024 and beyond. Here's a look at the most prominent ones:

By Jeremy Landau, freelance writer.

It’s no secret that when your business begins to grow, you will need to add staff to accommodate the increased sales and other demands on store operations. This tends to become more complex as your business gets larger, and staff roles and responsibilities may need to be diversified and identified, so everyone knows what they should be doing.

In the ever-evolving landscape of retail, businesses face an ongoing challenge: theft.Despite many retailers implementing additional security measures, the issue of stolen goods continues to plague the industry with beers and wine, health and beauty products, and baby formula being the most common stolen goods.

The retail industry is witnessing an unprecedented level of competition, and traditional marketing strategies are becoming obsolete.

Recognizing the need for enabling innovative digital customer experiences, Ergonomic Solutions will showcase a comprehensive lineup of engaging customer facing solutions to drive personal interaction in retail and hospitality environments at EuroCIS 2024 (Hall 9 A40) in Dusseldorf from 27th – 29th February.

By Ryan Edwards, freelance writer.

Omnichannel is one of the most effective retail strategies for engaging customers, driving sales, and building lasting relationships. A way to strengthen this game-changing approach is the revolutionary power of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Nexi, the European PayTech, now enables merchants in Italy to accept in-person contactless payments seamlessly and securely with Tap to Pay on iPhone, and will continue to expand the availability of Tap to Pay on iPhone to its customers in Europe where the service is available.

Cleveron, a click-and-collect automation solutions innovator, is proud to launch a modular outdoor parcel locker, Cleveron 355. The newest solution is specially engineered for DIY and home furnishing retailers, enabling the automated handover of extra-large items.

Aptos has announced that EE is introducing a new cloud-based POS solution from Aptos in its retail stores. The technology will enhance EE’s customer engagement capabilities and reduce the IT infrastructure footprint in each store. 

By Brad Hyett, CEO at phos.

With the news from UK Finance that 93% of all UK cards are now contactless, we cannot underestimate the importance of a reliable digital payment infrastructure. But what happens when traditional chip-and-pin machines fail? We all remember the recent tech outages across McDonald's, Tesco, and Sainsbury's, which forced the outlets to close down.

By Jack Pollard, freelance writer.

Retail is one of the most competitive landscapes out there today. Consumption is at an all-time high, but the cost of living crisis means that brands need to fight harder than ever to convince consumers that their products are what they need.

PayPoint and Teya have entered into a partnership that has led to the launch of a new service for Teya Business Account holders at PayPoint stores nationwide.

Cash handling solutions provider, Volumatic, has joined forces with EPoS solution providers MHouse Business Solutions to offer more efficient, accurate and streamlined cash processing to convenience retailers in Scotland and beyond.