Award-winning attraction returns to the grounds of Birmingham Cathedral.

The Heath Bookshop brings top talent to Birmingham to share their books.

Jessica Harris is enchanted by a family attraction at the Midland Arts Centre.

Autin Dance Theatre presents Light Up Fest.

Tom Towelling is the Birmingham Comedy Festival Breaking Talent Award 2024 winner.

Andy Street joins expert panel for COVID-19 vaccine webinar.

Dave Woodhall talks to Russell Watson, the people's tenor and boxing fan.

Ex Cathedra return with their magical Christmas Music by Candlelight concerts this December.

Chinese online retail giant, Temu, faces a European Union investigation for potential violations of the Digital Services Act, including consumer protection and data privacy concerns. The company risks significant fines if found in breach. Shein and Temu, Chinese e-commerce giants, have challenged Amazon in the US and Zara and H&M in Europe with low prices and fast turnover.

ASOS, the British online fashion retailer, is striving to regain growth by 2025 after facing challenges such as a decline in active customers and stiff competition.

Across the board, gifting companies recognize the impact of quick commerce on consumers’ habits, particularly for last-minute, spontaneous needs. However, they note that quick commerce platforms struggle to meet the demand for customized or personalized gifting.

The action is related to the financial transactions being done by some of the "preferred" vendors and sellers who do business through Amazon and Flipkart like e-commerce platforms.

Walmart is offering new incentives to its Spark Driver network for the holiday season to compete with Amazon in the e-commerce market. The company aims to attract more upper-income households to its Walmart Plus membership by offering faster deliveries and potentially increase advertising revenue.

"The government has come up with Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), an open network for digital commerce that is helping even the bigger e-commerce businesses," said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The company’s revenue growth during the year picked up after it reported only 3% growth in FY23. Earlier, ET had reported that Flipkart Internet, the marketplace unit of the Walmart-owned retailer posted revenue growth of 21% in FY24.

The planned action signals growing regulatory scrutiny of Walmart-owned Flipkart and Amazon when their sales are rapidly growing in India's $70 billion e-commerce market. An antitrust investigation also found the two companies breached laws by favouring select sellers, Reuters has reported.

Amazon's delivery glasses, the people warned, could be shelved or delayed indefinitely if they do not work as envisioned, or for financial or other reasons. The sources said they may take years to perfect. "We are continuously innovating to create an even safer and better delivery experience for drivers," an Amazon spokesperson said, when asked about the driver eyeglasses. "We otherwise don't comment on our product roadmap."

According to a report by Kearney and LUXASIA, India's luxury beauty market is projected to grow to USD 1.6 billion by 2028 and USD 4.0 billion by 2035. This growth is fueled by economic development and an expanding middle class. Brands need to tailor their strategies for region-specific preferences to succeed. Early market entry and expert support are crucial to navigate complexities, the report said.

Key sectors, including oil & gas (18 per cent), pharma/biotech (12 per cent), FMCG (8 per cent), and IT (6 per cent) emerged as primary drivers of this positive trend, with AI/ML roles showing exceptional growth at 39 per cent year-on-year, the report stated.

Returnless refunds are a tool that more retailers are using to keep online shoppers happy and to reduce shipping fees, processing time and other ballooning costs from returned products. Companies such as Amazon, Walmart and Target have decided some items are not worth the cost or hassle of getting back. Think a $20 T-shirt that might cost $30 in shipping and handling to recover.

SBI economists predict a dip in India's GDP growth to 6.5% for the September quarter, citing temporary pressures on the domestic economy. Despite this, they maintain an optimistic outlook, expecting a rebound in the following quarter fueled by rising rural demand and anticipate FY25 growth to approach 7%.

Indore's Siyaganj market is experiencing a surge in demand for groceries ahead of the wedding season, despite significant price increases in edible oils, pulses, and grains. Traders anticipate an 8-10% rise in business compared to the previous year, driven by bulk orders from caterers and increased individual purchases.

Retail leasing in India's top eight cities dipped slightly in the third quarter of 2024, driven by strong demand on main streets and limited mall supply. While overall leasing edged down 1%, main streets accounted for 68% of activity, pushing rental rates up in several cities.

Despite the persistent inflation and sluggish demand, several leading FMCG and retail brands are doubling down on their premiumization strategies, reshaping their approach to appeal to discerning customers.

The Bhartia family and Goldman Sachs are joining forces for a significant deal. They are planning to acquire a large stake in HCCB, the bottling arm of Coca-Cola in India. Goldman Sachs will provide substantial financial backing for this venture. The deal involves a planned future listing of HCCB, allowing Goldman Sachs to exit strategically. This move mirrors PepsiCo's successful strategy with Varun Beverages.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to meet with state counterparts on December 21-22 for pre-budget discussions and a GST Council meeting. Key agenda items include potential GST exemptions for certain insurance policies and rate reductions on various goods. The Council may also consider raising GST on luxury items like high-value shoes and watches.

India witnessed a surge in gig employment opportunities during the 2024 festive season, with over 1.2 million roles posted. This growth, a 23% increase from the previous year, was fueled by e-commerce expansion and a shift towards flexible work arrangements. Tier II cities are emerging as new gig hubs, while higher pay is attracting skilled professionals.

Magniflex, an Italian luxury mattress brand, is expanding its reach in India, especially in tier 2 and 3 cities. The company, which already has a network in major cities, aims to cater to the rising demand for wellness-oriented products.

Akzo Nobel India has informed that its Dutch parent Akzo Nobel NV is conducting a strategic review of its portfolio to redeploy capital towards growing its core coatings businesses. The initial focus will be on its decorative paints business in South Asia and various strategic options will be explored ranging from partnerships or joint ventures through to mergers or divestments.

Inter IKEA reported a 5.3% drop in annual sales, partly due to price cuts with lower raw material costs. As inflation impacts spending, more people are expected to host at home this holiday season. More price reductions are planned for 2025 by Inter IKEA starting from September 1st.

Commenting on Q2 performance, Stove Kraft's managing director Rajendra Gandhi said, “With positive market momentum supporting us, we remain committed to driving volume and value growth in revenue and margins in the upcoming quarters." He further said that ​​the company's expansion of Pigeon outlets through the COCO and COFO model has been promising. During this quarter, the firm added 22 new stores, bringing our total to 213.

Sheela Foam, maker of Sleepwell and Kurl-on mattresses, reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 9 crore on revenues of Rs 813 crore in Q2 FY25. The company saw a 32% year-on-year revenue increase, driven by a 19% rise in mattress volume.

Akzo Nobel India reported a 14% increase in net profit to Rs 108.7 crore in the fourth quarter, driven by higher demand from the automotive sector. Despite muted retail demand due to higher rainfall and price hikes, the company's revenue from operations rose 3% to Rs 9.82 billion.

Net profit after minority interest declined to ₹694.60 crore in July-September quarter from ₹1,205.40 crore during the corresponding period of last fiscal year. Consolidated net sales decreased 5.3% to ₹8,003.0 crore from ₹8,451.9 crore.

An investigation by India's antitrust body found food delivery giants Zomato and SoftBank-backed Swiggy breached competition laws, with their business practices favouring select restaurants listed on their platforms, documents showed.

Colgate-Palmolive India is experiencing growth in the expanding oral care market. The company reported a 10% rise in revenue. However, it recognizes market difficulties like fluctuating demand and rising costs. Colgate remains dedicated to improving oral health awareness in India. It aims to achieve this through education and product innovation. The company is focused on sustainability and social responsibility initiatives.

Pernod Ricard India Pvt Ltd (PRI) has reported an overall 6.9 per cent increase in its revenue from operations for FY24, and its profit rose 20.9 per cent to Rs 1,620.58 crore, according to the Registrar of Companies data accessed by business intelligence platform Tofler.

Going by the draft papers, the company plans to utilise proceeds from the fresh issue for investing in technology and cloud infrastructure; brand marketing and business promotion; and debt payment; and funds will also be allocated for inorganic growth and general corporate purposes.

Apple shipped 12.6 million tablets in the third quarter (Q3), with a modest growth of 1.4 per cent year-over-year in the quarter and garnering 31.7 per cent market share, as global tablet shipments grew 20.4 per cent to reach 39.6 million units.

Despite severe air pollution in Indian cities, particularly in Delhi-NCR, the market for air purifiers and anti-pollution personal care products remains small. Consumers perceive limited tangible benefits and sales spike only during peak pollution periods. While some growth occurs after Diwali, the overall market remains stagnant, with some companies exiting or scaling back operations.

US President Donald Trump's second term may benefit India's electronics industry. The US plans to impose tariffs on Chinese electronics, encouraging companies to seek alternative manufacturing hubs. India, with its growing manufacturing sector, stands to gain. Experts believe this shift could lead to increased electronics exports from India to the US. However, concerns remain about India's capacity to handle the potential surge in production.

Bajaj Electricals experienced a 59% drop in second-quarter profits, attributing the decline to weaker demand for cooling products due to monsoon rains. Despite a slight revenue increase, the company's profits were impacted by reduced demand and cost-of-living pressures. Analysts anticipate a demand resurgence in the December quarter, fueled by festive season promotions.

Infiniti Retail, that operates popular electronics retailer Croma, is preparing for a leadership transition. Shibashish Roy, the current Deputy CEO, will step into the role of CEO on November 18, 2024, succeeding Avijit Mitra. Mitra, who has been instrumental in Croma's growth.

Apple could double its iPhone production in India to over $30 billion annually if the US imposes tariffs on Chinese imports. This shift could create 200,000 jobs and increase India's share in iPhone production to over 26%. However, the move depends on US policy and India's ability to address cost and policy challenges.

Sony India, experiencing substantial growth in its gaming sector due to the PlayStation 5's success, is now eyeing India as a key market. Despite anticipating moderated growth this fiscal year, the company remains committed to expanding its gaming presence, including software and peripherals. Sony India last week filed its annual returns to report over 50.1 per cent growth from its 'other business' segment at Rs 1,363.54 crore, which houses its gaming and B2B business.

Industry executives said the latest generation chipsets, set to power high-end Android handsets, are already around 20% more expensive than their predecessors due to a more complex circuitry and advanced manufacturing process. High demand for premium handsets is also contributing to improving the product mix of chipset makers towards more high-end chipsets.

DAEWOO India has brought on C.M. Singh as its new Joint Managing Director. Singh brings over 30 years of experience to the role, having previously held leadership positions at LG, Videocon, TCL India, and Sukam. DAEWOO aims to leverage Singh's expertise to expand its presence in the consumer durables sector and reach new markets across India.

​​The Umbergaon, Valsad-based company said the issue comprises Rs 850 crore of offer for sale and Rs 350 crore of fresh issue, and will close on December 15. Its chief financial officer Rahul Shah told reporters here that the floor price is 75 times and the cap price is 79 times the face value of the equity shares.

“We have been able to grow a little from 15.4% to 16.7% in H1. But this is coming more from the operational efficiencies point of view. And also a very little from probably I can say, there is an advantage currently where the raw material prices are at most low. This is the advantage we have been able to get in H1. ”