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Category: General

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest General Retail news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Vietnam to reduce thermal power production

    Vietnam to reduce thermal power production

    Vietnam targets reducing coal-fired power production by 6 percent this year to prioritize solar and wind energy even as it grapples with limited transmission capacity.

    This means a cut of 8 billion kilowatt-hours from a projected 126 billion kilowatt-hours of coal-fired power this year. National utility Vietnam Electricity (EVN) estimates total production from all sources at 260 billion kilowatt-hours.

    EVN has also suspended around 8,000 megawatts of hydropower plant capacity from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. every day in the first four months of this year to prioritize solar power intake, which peaks at noon.

    However, reducing the intake from coal-fired and hydropower plants comes with consequences, with the rising frequency of turbine restarts increasing the risk of system failures.

    The number of restarts due to oversupply last year surged 2.6 times over 2019 to 192. In the first four months this year alone, there were 334 restarts.

    With these cuts, EVN seeks to prioritize solar and wind power intake and also wants to double their production from last year to 32 kilowatt-hours this year.

    Solar and wind power capacity is set to hit 20,000 megawatts this year, accounting for 30 percent of the total supply.

    But due to the limited capacity of the transmission lines, renewable energy only accounts for 12 percent of total production. The figure is set to rise to 17 percent in the next five years.

    The rest of the production comes from traditional sources like thermal power and hydropower.

    EVN has earlier said it will also cut 15-20 percent of solar and wind power capacity to reduce pressure on the national grid.

    “Cutting down renewable energy is something EVN does not desire because it hurts developers,” Nguyen Duc Ninh, director of the National Load Dispatch Center under EVN, said at a meeting Tuesday.

    The dilemma that Vietnam faces now, having an oversupply of renewable energy but limited transmission capacity, has happened because of poor management and planning, experts say.

    Tran Dinh Long, deputy chairman of the Vietnam Electrical Engineering Association (VEEA), said that the boom in solar power in recent years shows a lack of anticipation of the burden they would place on the national grid.

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  • Singapore retail sales growth eased up in March

    Singapore retail sales growth eased up in March

    Retail sales continued to recover in March as the Singapore economy rebounded, though the figures were boosted by the comparison with the situation a year ago when Covid-19 safe distancing measures began and border restrictions were in place.

    Takings at the till grew by 6.2 percent in March on a year-on-year basis, compared with the revised 5.3 percent increase recorded in February, according to data out on Wednesday (May 5).

    This made for a second consecutive month of retail sales growth after a 24-month-long year-on-year slide. Excluding motor vehicles, sales increased 4.4 percent in March. Almost all segments registered jumps in turnover, with the sales of watches and jewelry jumping the most, by 60.2 percent. This was followed by the sales of apparel and footwear, which increased by 35.6 percent. This was due to the lower base in March 2020 when there were low tourism receipts arising from tightened border restrictions, said the Department of Statistics (SingStat).

    Sales of recreational goods grew by 28.3 percent, while takings by retailers of computer and telecommunications equipment increased by 19.9 percent.

    Petrol service stations registered an increase of 18.6 percent, while vehicle sales went up by 15.6 percent.

    But sales at supermarkets and hypermarkets reversed their growth streak from last year and dropped by 14 percent.

    This was in comparison with March 2020 when there were higher sales as more people stayed home after safe distancing measures were introduced, SingStat noted.

    Sales of cosmetics, toiletries, and medical goods also fell, by 13.2 percent.

    On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, SingStat observed that most retail industries recorded growths in sales.

    “Discretionary industries such as motor vehicles, watches, and jewelry, wearing apparel and footwear and department stores recorded growths in sales of between 5.2 percent and 7.8 percent, attributed to higher domestic spending given overseas travel restrictions,” it said.

    But sales of furniture and household equipment declined during this period, as demand for furniture slowed down, with more people returning to the workplace, it added.

    Meanwhile, sales of food and beverage services grew by 8 percent year on year in March, a reversal from the 3.4 percent decline in February.

    This growth was mainly attributed to the lower sales in March 2020 when safe distancing measures were first introduced to contain the Covid-19 outbreak, SingStat said.

    Restaurant sales grew by 17.9 percent, while cafes, food courts, and other eating places saw takings rise by 5.6 percent. But food caterers continued to suffer a slide in sales, of 25 percent. The total sales value of food and beverage services in March was estimated at $730 million, with online sales making up an estimated 23.5 percent. The estimated total retail sales value in March was about $3.5 billion. Of this, online retail sales made up an estimated 11.8 percent.

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  • Twitter users will no longer see cropped images on Android and iOS

    Twitter users will no longer see cropped images on Android and iOS

    After adding support for 4K quality images, Twitter announced earlier today that Android and iOS users will no longer see cropped images posted on its social network. Starting today, Twitter features support for full-sized images, an important upgrade that many users asked for a long time.

    Up until now, Twitter users had to crop pictures they wished to tweet to a 16:9 format, otherwise, the system would do it for them so it could preserve the timeline uniformity. Last month, Twitter confirmed that it has started to test a new feature that would no longer require users to crop their images before tweeting them online.

    It looks like the testing process was fruitful, as Twitter revealed today that it’s now introducing “bigger and better images on iOS and Android,” a feature that’s now available to every one according to the company.

    Long story short, images with 2:1 and 3:4 aspect ratios will now show in full on Twitter, so you won’t need to crop them yourself before posting them. Here is hoping the quality of the videos posted on Twitter will be improved too, although we doubt that will happen any time soon.

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  • Instagram gains new captions sticker for Stories in latest update

    Instagram gains new captions sticker for Stories in latest update

    Instagram users will be happy to know that the captions feature has been expanded to Stories. Previously only available in IGTV and the Threads app, captions have now been added to Stories and Reels to provide users with a better experience.

    You may not always be somewhere where you want your sound on, yet you still want to see what your friends and creators are posting. With captions, people can now express themselves in a more effortless yet still meaningful way, and their audience can watch and still engage.

    A new captions sticker is now rolling out to Instagram users on both Android and iOS users. The captions sticker automatically transcribes speech in videos, but it’s only available in “English and English-speaking countries” for the time being. However, the plan is to make captions available to other languages and countries, Instagram confirmed, although the social network didn’t offer an ETA.

    The text displayed in Stories can be customized by adjusting various aspects, such as the style and color. Users can even edit words if they find any spelling or punctuation mistakes. Unfortunately, the size of the captions can’t be adjusted at this time, but you switch to a different background sticker to make the text easier to see.

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  • Tech Roles Dominate Singapore Job Outlook in Finance

    Tech Roles Dominate Singapore Job Outlook in Finance

    Technology continues to play a dominant role in the development of financial services in Singapore with related functions accounting for more than a quarter of job opportunities in the sector. Technology will continue to lead hiring demand in 2021, according to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), with 1,700 hiring opportunities such opportunities within the financial sector.

    This accounts for more than a quarter of the total 6,500 newly created positions for the year by financial institutions.

    Technology has become central to how financial services are produced, distributed, and consumed, said MAS managing director Ravi Menon in a published statement. The Singapore financial sector has harnessed technology across a wide range of functions – from risk management, business analytics to customer service.

    Within the fintech job market, software engineers were the highly demanded role by employers. Net job growth for software engineers in 2019 was 200, 10 times more than UI or UX designers. These jobs require strong programming skills and in-depth business domain and system knowledge, Menon said, noting that local citizens landed less than one-fifth of such jobs. There are not enough Singaporeans applying for these jobs in the first place, let alone qualifying for them.

    Despite the tech focus, non-tech roles remained in demand especially in areas like relationship management, product sales, compliance, and risk management.

    Relationship managers are will account for 1,300 jobs or 28 percent of hiring

    Menon noted that demand will be underpinned by wealth management growth, highlighting expansion plans by major banks like Citi and DBS.

    Overall, the financial sector posted net job growth of 2,200 in 2020 compared to a 180,000 net loss in the broader economy.

    MAS expects momentum to continue with the sector expected to add 2,500 to 3,500 tech jobs each year over the medium term.

    The size of the tech workforce within the sector is estimated to be 25,000, a 30 percent increase compared to 2014.

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  • Singapore-Hong Kong Travel Bubble Hits Snag

    Singapore-Hong Kong Travel Bubble Hits Snag

    The arrangement for quarantine-free travel between the two cities was due to begin on May 26, following two previous postponements. Singapore is reassessing plans for a travel bubble with Hong Kong after the city-state moved to reintroduce tighter social distancing measures amid a growing cluster of Covid-19 cases tied to a large public hospital. The number of cases in the cluster stands at 40 and is linked to the India variant.

    We will monitor the situation and we will review and assess whether or not there will be any changes,» Lawrence Wong, the minister who co-chairs the Singapore government’s virus taskforce, said.

    The travel bubble has already been delayed several times from its scheduled start in November 2020, as a result of infection outbreaks.

    According to the terms of the agreement, the travel bubble will be closed for two weeks if the seven-day moving average of the daily number of unlinked local cases is more than five in either Singapore or Hong Kong.

    On Tuesday, Singapore authorities announced stricter rules on social gatherings, to last till May 30, to stem the spread of Covid-19 in the community. Gatherings are now limited to groups of five, down from eight previously.

    Offices are also to implement a flexible working and more people are to work from home – only 50 percent of staff are allowed at the workplace at any one time, down from 75 percent at present.

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  • Vietnam largest gold market in Southeast Asia

    Vietnam largest gold market in Southeast Asia

    Vietnam is the largest gold market in Southeast Asia and among the top 10 markets in the world, a recent study has found.

    Last year consumer demand in Vietnam was 39.8 tons, higher than Indonesia’s 37.6 tons and Singapore’s 9.4 tons, according to the World Gold Council (WGC).

    Gold is the top asset class for 68 percent of Vietnamese investors, it said citing a study of 2,000 investors in March last year.

    The outlook for the precious metal is positive with 81 percent of people who bought gold in the past considering buying more, nearly twice the global average of 45 percent.

    Seventy-six percent supported opening a gold investment account at banks to formalize the gold market. Currently, most buy gold at shops.

    “Research shows demand for gold in Vietnam is strong and there is support to develop new investment products such as buying gold through digital platforms or opening a gold investment account,” Andrew Naylor, director in charge of ASEAN at the World Gold Council, said.

  • Accenture acquires Australia Electro 80 to expand digital OT footprint

    Accenture acquires Australia Electro 80 to expand digital OT footprint

    Accenture has acquired Electro 80, a leading provider of operational technology (OT) for resource clients in Australia, including mining, energy, engineering, construction, and utility companies. The acquisition expands Accenture’s local digital OT capabilities, which help asset-intensive companies make manufacturing and production operations safer and more efficient. The acquisition also strengthens Accenture’s local capabilities for Industry X, which helps clients digitize their manufacturing, operations, and engineering.

    The acquisition comes at a time when Australia’s resources industries are looking to undertake significant transformation following the operational disruption caused by the pandemic.

    Founded in 1987, and headquartered in Perth, with offices in Brisbane and Melbourne, Electro 80 provides automation, electrical, instrumentation, safety, networking, and industrial IT services, as well as turnkey solutions encompassing the design and support of equipment, installation, and commissioning, through to operations support and client training. Electro 80 brings more than 100 employees with longstanding OT experience to Accenture.

    “Resources and asset-intensive companies are increasingly looking for ways to deliver more with less and, at the same time, in a more sustainable way,” said Tara Brady, market unit lead for Accenture in Australia and New Zealand. “Digital and automation technologies will be fundamental in delivering these outcomes and we are delighted to have Electro 80 on board.”

    Sergej Divkovi, Electro 80’s managing director said, “Combining our team’s deep digital and OT expertise with Accenture’s end-to-end capabilities presents immense opportunities for our employees and clients. As part of Accenture, we will bring integrated solutions at scale that transform the way capital projects are planned, managed and executed. These can help new and existing clients drive new revenue and growth.”

    “We are thrilled to welcome the Electro 80 team into our resources practice, which helps clients digitize and optimize their operations at scale,” said Glenn Heppell, Accenture’s resources lead for Australia and New Zealand. “Electro 80 brings to Accenture a strong industry footprint with clients in priority industries. By working together with Electro 80, we can ensure our resource clients can better detect and address quality issues, more accurately prevent machine failure in their operations, and most importantly, innovate for the future.”

    Accenture’s acquisition of Electro 80 follows other investments across Australia and New Zealand in the past 18 months, including supply chain and logistics consulting firm GRA, cloud-native solutions provider Olikka, SAP and cloud solutions technology firm Zag, data analytics and supply chain management company Icon Integration, business strategy and econometrics firm AlphaBeta and specialist government consultancy Apis Group.

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  • Airport ground service firm reports $1.4 mln loss

    Airport ground service firm reports $1.4 mln loss

    Taseco Air Service JSC, owner of restaurants, duty-free shops, and advertising contractor at several airports across Vietnam, has posted a VND31.8 billion ($1.4 million) loss in Q1.

    This is the fourth consecutive quarter that the firm has reported a loss as it goes through one of the most challenging times for the aviation industry. International flights remain restricted after more than a year and the Covid-19 outbreak triggered late January hampered domestic travel recovery.

    The firm’s revenue fell 70 percent year on year to VND58.3 billion.

    It currently operates over 100 restaurants and souvenir shops at seven international airports nationwide.

    The firm has targeted VND317 billion in revenues this year, down 12 percent from last year. It expects to suffer a VND83.87 billion loss this year.

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  • Share issuance value surges as businesses expand

    Share issuance value surges as businesses expand

    The share issuance value of listed companies as of mid-April this year was more than 1.6 times that of 2020 as businesses seek to expand operations.

    As of April 13, 54 listed companies have announced plans to issue more shares this year to raise nearly VND44.7 trillion ($1.94 billion), according to financial data provider FiinGroup.

    In the first quarter, 43 companies raised nearly VND19.8 trillion, accounting for nearly 70 percent of the total amount raised last year.

    With Vietnam being able to contain its Covid-19 outbreaks relatively efficiently, businesses are seeking to recover and expand production. Therefore, there is high demand for raising capital, a FiinGroup report says.

    The biggest issues this year are set to be that of national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and agriculture giant HAGL Agrico, together accounting for one-third of the projected total.

    Vietnam Airlines is set to raise VND8 trillion through share issuance this year, seeking to reduce its debt-over-equity ratio from 6.2 to 5.2.

    HAGL Agrico is set to raise VND 7.4 trillion.

    Several brokerages are also planning to issue more shares amid rising demand for margin debt as new investors pour cash into the stock market.

    VNDirect plans to raise VND2.2 trillion, while Ho Chi Minh City Securities wants to raise VND2.1 trillion.

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  • Hongkongers return to stores – but sales still well down over two years

    Hongkongers return to stores – but sales still well down over two years

    The local consumer retail demand is projected to get worse in the new year, most especially those that are riding on the tourism sector, which is also expected to be sourer at the same time. In a survey by the Hong Kong Retail Management Association (HKRMA), 97% of the respondents have posted losses starting mid-2019. About 30% of this figure said that they will resort to laying off 10% of their staff, whilst 43% stated that they will have to close down in the next six months.

    The respondents of the survey involves 176 companies, which have more than 4,000 stores and 89,700 employees.

    However, a Bloomberg report stated that this equated to around 5,600 employees that are set to lose their jobs and the retail sector will not be saved by usual holiday rush. David Ji, describes this as the worst-case scenario for the sector.

    “Retailers who used to have stores concentrated in major shopping areas may consider dispersing their stores to the neighborhood areas. As people have avoided going to crowded areas, sales in community malls, neighborhood malls and suburban malls, which offer daily necessities to locals, were relatively more resilient and saw solid sales even amid Hong Kong’s social unrest,” Ji added.

    In a study by PwC in 2017, the total retail sales in Hong Kong was likely to relive its 2013 peak of $494.4b (US$63.3b) in 2020, whilst jewellery and watch sales may also return to a high of $118.3b recorded in the same year.

    Its healthy growth pace continued throughout 2018 and started off positively in 2019, according to a report by Cushman & Wakefield. It was well-supported by the new transportation links to mainland China as it fueled an increase in visitor arrivals to Hong Kong. Over the first two months of the year, mainland arrivals saw the largest growth in five years, growing by 19% YoY and by 21% YoY for same-day visitors.

    It went on through June and provided a boost to foot traffic and retail sales in some sectors such as cosmetics and non-discretionary retail.

    Then by July, Hong Kong’s retail market has struggled amidst the growing social unrest and resulting disruption to retailers’ businesses throughout the city. Mainland tourist arrivals plummeted as the unrest escalated and in October, the number of visitors from the Mainland dropped by 45.9% YoY, the steepest decline ever in a single month. Retail sales naturally followed, dropping by 24.3% YoY in the same month, after a drop of 18.2% YoY in September.

    The decline was led by jewelry and watches which recorded a fall in sales of 42.9% YoY, followed by medicines & cosmetics (down 33.5%). These two used to lead Hong Kong’s retail sector two years ago.

    It wasn’t just the social unrest that kept the retail market at bay. “The continuation of social unrest is obviously the key challenge followed but the further deterioration of the Chinese economy, which is key for HK’s growth,” said Alicia Garcia-Herrero, chief economist at Natixis.

    A note by DBS Group Research also noted that exports of travel services (down 32.2%) was dampened by a weaker Chinese yuan. Tourist’s hot picks such as clothing, jewelry, and cosmetics/medicines fell by 20%-40% and will be a big slap for retail sales where tourist spending accounts for 40% of the sector’s performance.

    In addition, the unemployment rate of consumption and tourism-related sectors (16.5% of labor force) already leapfrogged from 3.9% in June to 5.0% in October, lifting the headline 3 months moving the average jobless rate from its 20-year low of 2.8% to 3.1%.

    “Looking ahead, the retail sector will stay weak due to subdued local demand. Hopefully, the temporary rental adjustments for tenants could contain the risks of large-scale closure of businesses and laid-off,” DBS said in the report.

    Across the retail property scene, rents continue to go down which will endanger Hong Kong’s status as the most expensive retail street. Cushman & Wakefield stated that in Q4 2019, the decline in rentals across all submarkets has become even steeper, falling to its lowest level in more than five years.

    Landlords are struggling to retain their tenants, Lawrence Wan, senior director for advisory & transaction services– retail at CBRE Hong Kong added that local pharmacies and larger F&B outlets have abandoned leases over the past few months.

    “Landlords and high street shop owners are considering to provide short-term lease discounts to retain tenants, to alleviate the impact of the social unrest on retailers’ performance. Retailers are consolidating their operations and looking to upgrade their products and service offerings with enhanced customer experience to encourage spending,” Wan said.

    He also added that the rent levels will continue to drop in the short run. But in the long run, this might as well be the “new normal” that retailers have to adjust to. Such will be largely dependent on any government policies and measures that will help the market recover.

    “[W]e can expect a rental adjustment which will allow the retail market to  become more sustainable than what we had experienced in the past few years whereby rents were at very high levels. It will be difficult to predict the timeframe but retailers should get prepared and review their business strategies to cater to the “new normal,” Wan noted.

    Even though there are a number of retailers looking to leave Hong Kong, the region still saw some new openings during the events of the social unrest. Charles Chan, senior Asia retail analyst at IGD, cited the re-launch of beauty retailer Sephora, who have left the market ten years ago. It promised to bring 40 brands in their stores.

    “The re-launch of Sephora provides an indication of how Hong Kong’s retail landscape has shifted. Shoppers expect exciting digital store engagements and touch points rather than just a range of products presented to them. We have also seen Lush, for example, launch its first Asia Naked concept store in Hong Kong, whilst Don Don Donki opened its first store in Hong Kong in July earlier this year,” Chan shared.

    On the digital front, ecommerce platforms may not be as affected as they are still grabbing a larger market share, according to Ji. “In view of this, more physical retailers have already set up online sales channel to catch up the trend. On the other hand, some have leveraged the latest technology such as AR to enhance in-store shopping experience for customers,” Ji added.

    However, Chan still warned that brands and retailers need to be articularly careful on inadvertently choosing a political side in their marketing and messaging.

    A survey by YouGov showed which brands have been the most negatively affected in terms of consumer spending, where most cases are correlated to controversies around the protests. Chinese electronics firm Xiaomi’s brand metric score dropped 40.5 points to -4.1 from a score of 36.4 last August. Its decline started when it released a new smart TV carrying a slogan that is said to mimic chants in the gathering.

    “Despite the uncertain economic and political circumstances, we have seen businesses continue to innovate to stay relevant. The re-launch of Sephora provides an indication of how Hong Kong’s retail landscape has shifted. Shoppers expect exciting digital store engagements and touch points rather than just a range of products presented to them. We have also seen Lush, for example, launch its first Asia Naked concept store in Hong Kong, whilst Don Don Donki opened its first store in Hong Kong in July earlier this year.”

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  • Both Epic and Apple land solid blows as the court battle begins

    Both Epic and Apple land solid blows as the court battle begins

    Today was the first day of the court battle between Apple and game developer Epic. The latter sued Apple after the tech giant tossed its red hot Fortnite game out of the App Store. Apple did this after Epic violated Apple’s rules and gave its customers access to the developer’s own in-app payment platform.

    Seeking Alpha reports that during Epic’s opening statement, the developer explained that Apple has made iOS “a walled garden” which not only blocks competition but also makes it harder for iPhone users to switch to Android. And speaking of anti-competitive behavior, Epic says that Apple’s demand that apps offering in-app purchases use its payment platform violates federal anti-trust laws. Apple collects 30% of in-app purchases and at the same time, it is forcing developers to run in-app payments through its platform.

    Other companies who have complained about the so-called Apple Tax include Netflix and Spotify. The latter brought its argument to the European Union a couple of years ago saying that thanks to the 30% Apple Tax, Apple Music has an advantage over Spotify and other streaming music apps that have to cough up the additional 30% that Apple Music doesn’t have to pay.

    Epic says that requiring third-party apps to sell their wares through the App Store and forcing them to tack on 30% for processing in-app payments is actually a violation of federal antitrust law that prohibits companies from tying a product or service to the sale of another. Epic attorney Katherine Forrest’s highlight phrase of the day: “When they pick up the iPhone, users enter a different world. They are locked into a closed platform where they can only download apps from Apple, and each and every time they purchase in the app, a 30% tax is imposed.”

    Epic also refuted Apple’s claims that the rules Apple created for the App Store help it maintain the quality and security of iOS apps. This is a claim that Apple has made before.

    In its opening arguments, Apple stated that its 30% fee is in line with industry standards and that allowing apps like Fortnite to side-load its own in-app platforms could lead to security issues. Where Apple might have scored points with the judge is when it noted that Epic never informed Apple about its in-app payment system until the day it launched while Microsoft was given advanced notice.

    Apple Attorney Karen Dunn said during Monday’s court session that “A $20 billion company has decided that it doesn’t want to pay for Apple’s innovations anymore. So Epic is here, demanding that this court force Apple to get into its App Store untested and untrusted apps — something that Apple has never done.”

    In giving the court reasons why Epic can’t win the case, Apple claims that the game developer is using the incorrect version in its antitrust claim. Apple states that Epic is unable to show anti-competitive behavior on the part of Apple and the latter says that it can show pro-competitive justifications.

    Apple also mentioned that the appeals court that sided with Qualcomm in its case against the FTC, a case that the FTC decided not to take back to the Supreme Court, ruled that “while anti-competitive behavior is illegal, hypercompetitive behavior is not.” Apple obviously believes its actions are in the latter category.

    Epic’s CEO Tim Sweeney took the stand today and said that Epic isn’t asking for Apple to eliminate the compensation it receives from in-app purchases. But he pointed out that the Apple Tax can result in Apple making more money from an app than the app’s own developers.

    While Apple has been trying to show that there are plenty of other app stores that Fortnite can be listed in, Epic’s top executive said that Fortnite is more than a game. He called Fortnite a “phenomenon that transcends gaming” and a “social and entertainment experience that includes a variety of gaming experiences and non-gaming experiences within it.” This means that such a title needs a top app storefront like Apple’s App Store to help promote it.

    While Apple’s App Store takes as much as a 30% cut of in-app purchases, Epic’s own app store grabs a 12% cut and is “hundreds of millions of dollars short of being profitable.” Sweeney says that Epic’s app store could turn profitable some time over the next two to three years.

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  • Sun Group lures Vietnamese talents by investing in working environment

    Sun Group lures Vietnamese talents by investing in working environment

    With a dynamic and far-reaching recruitment strategy, Sun Group offers employees a work-life balance and opportunities through sustainable and community-oriented projects.

    Over 14 years, Sun Group has developed iconic landmarks in Vietnam, including unique resorts, world-class entertainment complexes, and real estate ecosystems.

    Sun Group has created its own organizational culture, continually attracting and retaining young, dynamic, and highly sought-after talent in Vietnam. It seeks to hire and train highly qualified and principled individuals.

    The group has sought out talents in Vietnam since the beginning. To attract and retain top talent, it offers not only competitive salaries but also a forward-thinking and positive working environment, where employees can develop their careers and benefit from international labor standards.

    “We invest in the well-being of employees, making sure they always feel valued and happy to be part of such a dynamic team. A positive, high-energy and friendly workplace would inspire personnel to do their best,” a Sun Group representative said.

    To handle work pressure, Sun Group creates a work-life balance at the office. It offers wellness programs, sports events, on-site gym facilities, even smoking cessation programs to promote healthy lifestyles.z

    Sun Group strives to take care of its employees in the same way a family would. For employees working far from home, the company provides accommodation, on-site childcare facilities, and transit services.

    Charity programs like Sunflower Fund and Warm Spring support the poor and disadvantaged. “We empower them to be the best version of themselves, boosting creativity as a work culture while retaining a sense of homeliness and togetherness,” the representative said.

    “Sun Group contributes to the sustainable recovery of Vietnam’s tourism industry amid Covid-19, and minimizes the impact of the crisis on its employees by implementing flexible policy solutions toward ‘the new normal’.”

    By launching campaigns like Go Green, No Plastic Waste, Stop Smoking, Live Happily – Live Healthily, Sun Talents and Change for Future, it aims to spread the message of sustainable and healthier living.

    Despite operations being severely affected by Covid-19, Sun Group still strives to contribute to the sustainable recovery of Vietnam’s tourism industry, and its actions continue to minimize the impact of the crisis on its employees.

    During a challenging time, the company swiftly acted, implementing plans and offering flexible policies to help employees adjust to the ‘new normal’. Sun Group also rolled out various cultural and social media activities to encourage a positive spirit across communities and maintain employee morale.

    Responding to the Covid-19 impact on global tourism, the group introduced exciting products and services to boost the industry while supporting the government to eliminate this disease.

    Developed by Sun Group, Van Don International Airport has welcomed thousands of flights over the past year, welcoming Vietnamese returning home from countries affected by the pandemic.

    In central Vietnam, Sun Group set up Tien Son field hospital in just three and a half days to treat Covid-19 patients. A team of Sun Group professionals was dispatched to Chi Linh Town, Hai Duong, hotspot of a recent outbreak, to support field hospital construction.

    “The outbreak came just two weeks before Tet (Lunar New Year), an occasion for family reunions, so I feel a little bittersweet about this outstanding effort. At Sun Group, we all wished to make a contribution in the hope of controlling infections in Hai Duong, so people could welcome the new year safely and happily. It was nothing compared to the ceaseless efforts being made by the doctors, nurses and soldiers on the frontline, who have been battling to contain and eliminate the virus,” said Pham Hoang Tuan, Project Manager in Capital Region of Sun Group.

    A Sun Group representative said: “Creating positive working environment, caring for employees as family and inspired them to make a difference… all of these are the reason to explain why Sun Group has consistently been identified as one of the best companies and one of the leading employers in Vietnam.”

    In 2020, the group received the “Top 5 Real Esate Companies”, “Top 100 Vietnam Best Places to Work 2020” and “Top 50 for Vietnam’s Most Attractive Employers 2020” awards.

    Sun Group was named on the “Top 10 Excellent Companies with Responsive Human Capital Initiative” list, a prestigious award in the field of human resources.

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  • Colgate unveils recyclable toothpaste tubes

    Colgate unveils recyclable toothpaste tubes

    Colgate-Palmolive has revealed the nation’s first recyclable toothpaste tube – the result of five years of research – and immediately offered the technology to rival companies to help reduce landfill waste.

    Colgate Smile for Good plastic tubes use high-density polyethylene (HDPE), classified as recyclable by the Australasian Recycling Label Program of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO). It can be disposed of at kerbside plastic recycling bins.

    “Making toothpaste tubes part of the circular economy will help keep plastic productive and eliminate waste,” said Simon Petersen, GM at Colgate-Palmolive South Pacific.

    “Colgate-Palmolive wants all toothpaste tubes to meet the same third-party recycling standards that we’ve achieved, so we are openly sharing our technology with toothpaste competitors as well as manufacturers of all kinds of tubes.”

    Colgate Smile for Good tube’s HDPE material is based on the same plastic that companies used to make 2L milk bottles and other plastic containers that are recyclable. Its engineers developed a solution using different grades and thicknesses of HDPE laminated into a tube to make it squeezable since the type of plastic used on milk bottles is too rigid.

    Most toothpaste tubes are usually made from sheets of plastic laminate with a thin layer of aluminum. These are difficult to recycle through conventional methods leading to 50 million tubes ending up in landfills annually in Australia.

    The new toothpaste adds to the company’s global target to create 100-per-cent recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging by 2025 and to reach Australia’s 2025 National Packaging Targets as well.

    “It’s fantastic to see companies striving to phase out difficult to recycle materials, innovating to find recyclable alternatives and sharing those learnings and technology to help transform the wider market,” said Brooke Donnelly, CEO at APCO.

    “This collective, ambitious approach by organizations across the supply chain will be critical for Australia to meet its upcoming waste and recycling deadlines, including the 2025 National Packaging Targets.”

    Colgate Smile for Good has two variants such as Smile for Good Protection and Smile for Good Natural White. The range also has Smile for Good Protection mouthwash, Colgate Bamboo Charcoal toothbrush and Smile for Good dental floss. It is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate-free, vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free.

    The toothpaste brand is also supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Global Commitment.

    Colgate Smile for Good toothpaste is sold for RRP $8 at Woolworths, Coles, Amazon, Chemist Warehouse and Priceline.

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  • Facebook uses scare tactic to get iOS users to opt-in for tracking

    Facebook uses scare tactic to get iOS users to opt-in for tracking

    Researcher Ashkan Soltani disseminated a tweet on Friday about Facebook’s plan to take on Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature. ATT sends out a prompt from third-party apps asking whether users want to opt-in to being tracked through their travels on other apps and online. This information is collected and used to send out personal advertisements and also to collect personal data.

    The prompts just started rolling out last Monday with the release of iOS 14.5 and while the data might be too early to be considered significant, 47% of those responding to a survey by app figures said that they chose to allow themselves to be tracked by third-party apps. Before the update dropped, estimates called for 32% of users to allow tracking while 68% were forecast to opt-out.

    When Apple first announced that it was going to launch App Tracking Transparency, one company, in particular, went totally bonkers. Facebook published two newspaper ads complaining that ATT would kill small businesses since it would reduce the reach that these firms get from online advertising. Of course, let us not forget that Facebook took in $84 billion last year from online ads.

    Do you really believe that Facebook was concerned about the future of small businesses with ATT enabled? The social media firm and its beleaguered Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg were probably more concerned about the future of Facebook; the latter is an advertising company more than it is a social media app.

    Some companies have been trying to find ways to gently guide iOS users to allow themselves to be tracked even though Apple has a number of rules and guidelines that companies must follow when creating their ATT pre-prompt and prompt, or face getting booted out of the App Store. One amazingly blatant prompt gives users just one choice-to allow themselves to be tracked.

    What Facebook is doing, according to Soltani, is using “scare tactics” to get Facebook and Instagram users to choose to be tracked. Images of pre-prompt notifications that are reportedly being considered make it sound that by withholding permission to be tracked, both social media apps might have to charge users for access.

    The text on Facebook’s and Instagram’s pre-prompt pages say, “This version of iOS requires us to ask for permission to track some data from this device to improve your ads. Facebook and Instagram go on to say that thanks to the information it receives from tracking users, it shows ads that are more personalized while keeping Facebook (and Instagram) free of charge.” The insinuation is crystal clear: if you decide to disable tracking, you eventually might have to pay to use Facebook or Instagram.

    Last week we told you about the guidelines that Apple had developed for ATT prompts, such as banning those that bribed users to allow tracking. While it is not yet known whether Facebook/Instagram will use these exact screens, if they do, both would seem to be permissible under Apple’s rules.

    We can see where Facebook might simply be explaining a business decision that it could have to make. On the other hand, Black’s Law Dictionary says that a Bribe is “the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official, or another person, in charge of a public or legal duty.” Facebook has not made a definitive offering, but as we said, the insinuation is clear.

    Back in March, Facebook CEO Zuckerberg reversed his stance, saying that Facebook might actually benefit from ATT and stated that “It’s possible that we may even be in a stronger position if Apple’s changes encourage more businesses to conduct more commerce on our platforms.” In other words, ATT could end up delivering more traffic to Facebook’s platforms.

    However, it appears that Facebook has reverted back to its adversarial position in a note to advertisers written last week. The note says, “As more people upgrade to iOS 14.5, opted-out users will automatically be excluded from certain targetable audiences, which may result in decrease of audience sizes.”

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