Consumer Packaged Goods

U.K. Supermarkets Are ‘Trapping Suppliers in Poverty,’ Report Says

June 22, 2018

Price squeezes by some of the U.K.’s biggest supermarkets, including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda, are hurting workers and small-scale farmers in some of the poorest parts of the world, Oxfam has said.

It Looks Like Amazon Accidentally Leaked When Prime Day 2018 Is

June 22, 2018

Fortune

Amazon Prime Day, the online retailer’s big summer sale, will start on July 16, according to a banner that appeared briefly on the Amazon U.K. website.

China Just Handed the World a 111-Million-Ton Trash Problem

June 22, 2018

Bloomberg

Few people consider used plastic to be a valuable global commodity. Yet China has imported 106 million tons of old bags, bottles, wrappers and containers worth $57.6bn since 1992, the first year it disclosed data. So when the country announced last year that it finally had enough of everybody else's junk, governments the world over knew they had a problem. They just didn’t know exactly how large it was.

Summer Barbecue Threat: U.K. Meat Packers and Beer Makers Are Facing a Carbon Dioxide Shortage

June 21, 2018

The Guardian

World Cup barbecues may be under threat as beers, fizzy drinks and meat producers warn of potential shortages caused by a lack of CO2.

Amazon's No Enemy. In Fact, It Needs Us, U.S. Xpress CEO Says.

June 20, 2018

Material Handling & Logistics

A vague mention of Amazon.com Inc’s interest in any sector might be enough to send investors into a tizzy, but the top executive of U.S. Xpress Enterprises Inc. is unperturbed.

McDonald’s to Switch to Paper Straws in Britain as Country Turns Against Plastic

June 19, 2018

The New York Times

The queen has backed efforts to curb the use of plastics. The Church of England has encouraged a similar push. The British government plans to legislate to require it.

As Shipping Costs Soar, Supply Chains Get a Makeover

June 19, 2018

The Wall Street Journal

Retailers and manufacturers are taking stock of their transportation costs and exploring alternatives as a capacity crunch in freight is driving up prices and causing shipping delays.

Why Retailers Are Struggling With Ship-From-Store Fulfillment

June 18, 2018

Robert J. Bowman, SupplyChainBrain

The age of the omnichannel is all about options. Customers buying online should be able to receive their purchases in any way they choose — at home, work, a designated retrieval point, or direct from the store. Or so goes the theory.

Delivery: The Last Face-to-Face Touch Point for Brands in a Digital World?

June 15, 2018

Jeff Hughes and Charles Schreiner

Consumer preferences are shifting. More and more, shoppers are favoring the convenience of online shopping over the in-store experience. As retail tilts more toward online sales, delivery becomes one of the few remaining face-to-face touch points with end customers.

Oscar, Marcus, Casper, Cora: Companies Are Using Human Names to Seem More Friendly

June 13, 2018

Los Angeles Times

“A person’s name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” Though Dale Carnegie was talking about nurturing relationships, a lot of startups these days are incorporating his observation into branding strategy.

Consumer Packaged Goods

The latest supply-chain news, analysis, trends and tools for executives in the consumer packaged goods industry. Learn how consumer packaged goods companies and their suppliers around the world are managing the flow of products across all channels of the enterprise. Experts sound off on forecasting and demand planning, supply-chain visibility, logistics outsourcing, inventory optimization, transportation management, warehouse management, supply-chain security, corporate social responsibility and more.