Category: General

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Philippine Cash on Delivery Share to Stay Above 20 Percent Through 2027

Cash on delivery will account for more than 20 percent of Philippine e-commerce transactions through 2027. That keeps the country as Southeast Asia’s most cash-reliant online shopping market, according to payments gateway Xendit.

Physical cash currently represents 23 percent of online transaction value on Xendit’s Philippine platform. That figure outstrips all five other Southeast Asian markets surveyed in its joint report with market research firm Cube.

Across Southeast Asia, cash on delivery is projected to fall below 25 percent of total e-commerce gross merchandise value next year. The Philippines will remain the only major regional market where paper currency holds over a fifth of checkouts.

Cash Holds 23 Percent Share

A persistent unbanked population, limited formal credit, and fear of delivery fraud slow the shift away from cash. In a survey of 6,000 online shoppers across six regional markets, including 1,000 in the Philippines, 12 percent of Filipino buyers said nothing would convince them to stop using cash on delivery. That group is double the size seen in neighboring countries.

Shopper habits are shifting at the margin. About 33 percent of surveyed Philippine consumers reported using cash on delivery less frequently than a year ago. Discounts and cashback offers prompt them to try digital alternatives. Long-term retention still requires fast refunds and fraud protections.

“Looking ahead, across the whole Southeast Asia, COD payments will actually fall below 25 percent of all e-commerce payments, but the Philippines will still probably be one of the fewer markets that are going to be above 20 percent,” said Ina Gatan, head of go-to-market at Xendit Philippines.

QR Ph and Bank Transfers Surge 198 Percent

Account-to-account payments are capturing what physical cash loses. Transaction volume settled via QR codes and direct bank transfers increased 198 percent between January 2025 and April 2026 across Xendit’s merchant network.

National payment rails QR Ph and InstaPay drove the surge. QR Ph alone processed roughly 13 percent of total Philippine e-commerce value on the platform during the period. The standard lets merchant QR codes take payments across competing banking apps and digital wallets without custom point-of-sale setups.

Digital wallets grew by 3 percent over the same 16-month timeframe. E-wallets already dominate Philippine digital checkouts. That leaves little room for rapid percentage gains compared to account-linked instant clearing schemes.

Cross-Border Retail Lags Regional Neighbors

Reliance on cash creates an operational barrier for international merchants selling into the country. Cross-border purchases represented only 9 percent of total Philippine online retail volume in 2026. Only Indonesia recorded a lower share at 6 percent.

Higher digital adoption elsewhere fuels international orders. Cross-border sales accounted for 19 percent of online retail in Singapore, 15 percent in Thailand, 14 percent in Vietnam, and 12 percent in Malaysia. Foreign sellers rarely accept cash on delivery because of return logistics risks. That shuts uncarded Philippine consumers out of international storefronts.

Southeast Asian cross-border e-commerce is projected to expand between 11 and 19 percent annually through 2030, assuming regional instant payment linkages and customs procedures improve. Merchants relying purely on upfront card or wallet payments will miss a fifth of Philippine demand until alternative rails provide instant buyer protection.

Roadblocks to Digital Settlement

Handling cash on delivery imposes heavy costs on logistics providers and retailers. Couriers face higher failed-delivery rates, delayed settlement cycles of up to seven days, and cash-handling risks that drive up freight rates across the archipelago.

Couriers and platforms have introduced OTP verification at delivery and partial advance deposits to curb return rates. Even so, Valerie Cai, head of marketing at Xendit, estimated that bringing the Philippine cash-on-delivery ratio below 20 percent will require several years of sustained infrastructure rollouts.

Total Southeast Asian e-commerce merchandise value reached $197 billion in 2025, up from $3 billion in 2012, with Cube forecasting the market to pass $400 billion by 2031. The pace of payment digitization across the Philippine archipelago will determine how much of that regional growth turns into merchant profit rather than delivery losses.

October 19, 2026

Accidentally Shift-Deleted a Sales Report? How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files on Windows

Retail teams rely on Windows PCs to manage sales reports, POS exports, inventory spreadsheets, supplier invoices, product photos, and promotional creatives. Accidentally deleting one of these files using Shift+Delete can disrupt daily operations and delay important business tasks.

Shift+Delete skips the Recycle Bin, so Windows no longer shows the file, but the data may remain on the drive until it is overwritten or otherwise becomes unrecoverable. Recovery may be possible through backups, cloud storage, Windows recovery utilities, or data recovery software. The chances of success depend on the storage device, its configuration, and whether the deleted data remains recoverable.

In this guide, we’ll explore different options to recover lost files in Windows with ease. Let’s get started!

What Happens When You Delete Files Using Shift + Del Keys?

Normally, when your POS exports, inventory spreadsheets, supplier invoices, or other files are deleted on Windows using Delete, Windows temporarily moves them to the Recycle Bin. This allows you to restore it using basic recovery workarounds. However, deleting files using the Shift+Delete keys bypasses the Recycle Bin and leads to permanent deletion. In the latter case, Windows displays a confirmation message asking whether you want to permanently delete the selected item.

If confirmed, the file is removed from its normal directory. Importantly, “permanently deleted” does not necessarily mean that every piece of the file’s data has immediately disappeared from the storage device. The chances of successful file recovery are better if:

The file was deleted recently.
You stopped using the affected drive after deletion.
New files have not overwritten the deleted data.
The storage device is functioning normally.
You have a backup or another copy of the file.
You are recovering data from a traditional HDD rather than an SSD with active TRIM.

Continued usage of your device for storing new files can overwrite the occupied storage space and make recovery complex.

Shift+Delete vs. Delete: What’s the Difference?

The main difference is that a normal deletion usually gives you an easy recovery option through the Recycle Bin, while Shift+Delete bypasses that safety mechanism.

Comparison Point	Delete	Shift+Delete
Deletion Method	Moves selected files to the Recycle Bin by default.	Deletes selected files directly, bypassing the Recycle Bin.
Recovery Option	Deleted files can usually be restored from the Recycle Bin.	Recovery may require specialized software if no backup exists.
Storage Space	Files generally remain stored until the Recycle Bin is emptied.	Storage space may become available for reuse immediately.
Recovery Difficulty	Recovery is usually straightforward through the Recycle Bin interface.	Recovery is more difficult and depends on data overwriting.
Best Use Case	Suitable for removing files you might need again.	Useful when you intentionally want to bypass the Recycle Bin.

Immediate Steps to Take After Shift + Delete

Before you proceed with any data recovery process, there are certain precautionary measures that you should consider in order to increase the chances of successful recovery.

1. Avoid Using the Affected Drive

Avoid saving new files, downloading reports, installing applications, or copying large folders to the drive containing the deleted data. If you need to install third-party free data recovery software, install it on a different drive.

2. Do Not Format the Drive

If Windows unexpectedly asks you to format a drive, do not proceed if it contains files you need. Formatting can complicate recovery, especially if new data is subsequently written to the drive.

3. Check if Another Copy Exists

Prior to using any free data recovery software, it is good to check for other places where a copy of the file may reside, for example:

Cloud backups such as OneDrive or Google Drive
External hard disk drive
USB drives
Network drives
Attachments in emails
Previously used folders
Another computer or online storage services

SSDs and TRIM Can Affect Recovery

Many modern retail and office PCs use solid-state drives (SSDs). When TRIM is enabled, Windows can notify the SSD that certain storage blocks are no longer needed. The SSD may then clear those blocks, making recovery of Shift+Delete files difficult or impossible.

This means recovery software cannot guarantee that a deleted file will be restored, even if the deletion happened only moments earlier. Traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) may offer better recovery opportunities when the deleted data has not been overwritten, although success is never assured.

Quick Methods to Recover Your Shift-Deleted Files on Windows

Go through the below methods one by one to recover files deleted using the Shift + Del keys on your Windows PC:

Restore the File Using File History or Previous Versions

Windows offers an in-built File History backup utility that can save copies of files in selected folders to an external drive or network location. If this backup feature is synced on your PC before the deletion, it may be the most straightforward way to recover a sales report, inventory workbook, or other business document. All you have to do is:

Open File History and go to the folder containing your deleted files.
Right-click the folder and select Restore previous versions or tap the “Show more options” first (depending on your Windows version).
Browse through available backups and choose the one that contains your deleted files.
Once found, select Restore to return the folder to its original location, or use Restore to if available to save the recovered copy elsewhere.

Recover Files Using OneDrive Recycle Bin

Retail teams often sync their shared document in OneDrive or SharePoint, which makes sales reports, inventory records, invoices, and product assets accessible across authorised devices. If the deleted file was stored in OneDrive, check its online Recycle Bin.

Here’s how to recover files from OneDrive:

Visit the OneDrive official website and log in to the same Microsoft account that you’ve synced on Windows PC.
Go to Recycle Bin from the left-navigation pane.
Browse through deleted files and select the item that you want to recover.
Click Restore and wait till OneDrive returns the file to its original location.

Once done, open your synced OneDrive folder in File Explorer and confirm that the restored file appears again on your PC.

Note: Microsoft states that deleted items are generally retained for up to 30 days in personal OneDrive accounts and 93 days in work or school accounts, unless an administrator changes the retention settings. Items permanently deleted from the online Recycle Bin may no longer be recoverable through this method.

Use Windows File Recovery

Microsoft offers the Windows File Recovery tool, which is a command-line application that enables recovery of deleted files from local storage drives. This can help you especially if the files are no longer available through the Recycle Bin or normal data recovery options.

You can execute the following command in the Windows File Recovery command-line interface, mentioning the source drive along with a different destination drive:

winfr C: E: /regular /n \Users\<username>\Documents\

This command will save the recovered data from the source drive, i.e., C:, to the E: destination drive. Windows File Recovery utility offers different recovery modes – varying as per different file systems and deletion scenarios.

Important trade-off: Windows File Recovery must be installed, typically through the Microsoft Store. Also, installing it on the same drive that contains the deleted data can write new data to that drive.

Recover Files Using Free Data Recovery Software

If backups, cloud storage, and Windows File Recovery do not help, free data recovery software tools like Stellar Data Recovery Free, Recuva, and PhotoRec can assist you. These tools typically search the drive for information associated with deleted files and attempt to reconstruct recoverable data. You can use this software to recover deleted files of various types, including photos, videos, documents, emails, and many more.

If you want to recover your deleted POS exports, inventory spreadsheets, supplier invoices, and other files using third-party software, don’t install it on the affected drive. Install it on another drive or use a separate computer, connect the affected drive as a secondary device, and save recovered files to a different storage device. If the deleted data is on C:, installing recovery software on C: creates a risk of overwriting data that might otherwise be recoverable.

Wrapping Up

Recovering files deleted using the Shift + Del keys may seem complex, but that’s not the case. Fortunately, several free data recovery methods are available online that can help you recover your permanently deleted files with ease. Start by checking backups like built-in File History, cloud storage, and other copies. However, if you don’t have any backup, Windows File Recovery or dedicated free data recovery software like Stellar Data Recovery Free may help locate and restore deleted files.

The most important step after accidental deletion is to stop using the affected drive and avoid unnecessary writes. While no recovery method can guarantee success, acting quickly and maintaining regular backups can significantly improve your options for recovering important files.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can IT recover a file deleted from a shared store PC?

Possibly. IT can check cloud Recycle Bins, network backups, File History, and previous versions. If no backup exists, free data recovery software may help if the deleted data remains recoverable.

Does deleting a file from a OneDrive-synced folder delete it for the whole team?

It can. Deleting a shared file may remove it from the shared cloud location and other synced devices. Check the online Recycle Bin and ask the site’s administrator for help if needed.

Can I recover a deleted sales report without a backup?

You can try Windows File Recovery or compatible recovery software, but success depends on whether the underlying data remains recoverable. Save recovered files to a separate drive.

How can retail teams prevent inventory file loss?

Use managed OneDrive or SharePoint folders, configure appropriate backups, limit unnecessary administrator rights, and test restoration procedures regularly.

October 18, 2026

Nearly 59% of Indonesian Consumers Blend Online and Store Shopping

Nearly six in 10 Indonesian consumers now mix digital and physical sales channels when shopping, placing growing pressure on retailers to connect physical stores with online platforms.

A 2024 survey by MarkPlus, Inc. Found that 58.74% of consumers combine online and physical shopping, with 31.50% researching products online before buying in stores and 27.24% examining products in stores before purchasing online.

“This phenomenon does not show that consumers are conflicted, but rather reflects a shopping pattern that is increasingly flexible and adaptive,” said Iqbal Shoffan Shofwan, director general of domestic trade at Indonesia’s Ministry of Trade.

Regulatory Overhaul Lowers Digital Entry Barriers

To keep pace with changing shopping routines, the Ministry of Trade updated national business classification rules to permit trading enterprises to run brick-and-mortar and digital outlets without securing separate e-commerce licences. Clarifications introduced earlier this year established direct operating guidelines for social commerce, open marketplaces, and direct-to-consumer websites, while rescinding old statutory clauses that confined conventional merchants strictly to physical shopfronts.

For national supermarket operators, department stores, and mall operators across Java and Bali, this legal shift removes administrative friction. Retailers can now convert physical stores into collection points and stockrooms for digital orders without facing regulatory penalties or holding multiple operational permits.

Independent operators and small vendors outside tier-one cities face a tougher operational reality. Higher shipping rates, erratic internet coverage, and mismatched stock registers across fragmented supply chains make channel integration costly for regional distributors.

Software Integration Over Built-From-Scratch Systems

Merchant technology adoption is splitting along capital lines. Big retail groups deploy transaction data to build bespoke automation systems, while neighbourhood vendors and independent outlets struggle with basic electronic inventory logs.

Rather than pushing small businesses to build private artificial intelligence infrastructure, trade officials recommend using built-in algorithmic forecasting tools already packaged inside commercial point-of-sale systems and established e-commerce seller dashboards. These tools allow merchants to predict stock depletion, trim dead inventory, and prevent out-of-stock items without software engineering overhead.

Supply chain integration between large conglomerates and informal traders is expanding the domestic wholesale reach. A government partnership in Jakarta and Manado linked 314 traditional kiosks into broader procurement systems, while an initiative with modern supermarket chains placed 96 regional goods from 20 provinces onto national retail shelves.

SME Revenue Gains Through National Chains

Data recorded in October 2025 by the Indonesian Retailers Association shows more than 694,000 small merchants supply national retail networks, generating roughly $1.5 billion (IDR27 trillion) in combined annual turnover. Ministry trade programmes are also preparing local suppliers for cross-border export standards, connecting vetted suppliers directly with international commercial buyers.

For retail investors and regional brands, Indonesia’s hybrid retail path confirms that physical floor space remains essential, provided stores function as experiential showrooms and order collection hubs rather than stand-alone points of sale. The immediate focus for merchant groups shifts to the next phase of the Ministry of Trade’s logistics integration plan, which tracks whether lower transport costs can extend hybrid retail networks into outer island markets before the close of 2026.

October 17, 2026
Taobao Overhauls Cross-Border Platform Covering Three Billion Products

Taobao Tmall World revamped its cross-border shopping platform across international markets on October 15, introducing artificial intelligence curation across a catalog exceeding three billion products.

The overhaul follows a 10 percent year-on-year increase in cross-border shoppers spending more than RMB 500 per order during the 2025 Double 11 shopping festival.

Under the restructuring, Taobao established the Curated Supply System, a framework combining machine-learning models with human review. The system filters merchants and inventory using four benchmarks: product quality, distinctiveness, price competitiveness, and post-sale service. Taobao paired this mechanism with upgraded logistics routing, refreshed international user interfaces, and automated recommendation engines designed to steer overseas buyers toward higher-value Chinese merchandise.

Fifteen Curated Channels in New Discover Hub

Central to the interface redesign is a dedicated channel called Discover. The section organizes products into 15 themed categories, covering women’s fashion, footwear, menswear, furniture, toys, stationery, pet supplies, fitness equipment, and automotive accessories. When shoppers enter the hub, algorithmic feeds surface specific storefronts and brand narratives rather than raw search results, encouraging visual browsing over keyword queries.

Taobao is rolling out specialized generative software to resolve common pain points in cross-border commerce, particularly size uncertainty and spatial planning. The tools include virtual clothing try-on, virtual makeup simulation, 3D room placement for furniture items, voice-activated search, and interactive pet care manuals. The company also plans to deploy more than 30 conversational AI Lifestyle Experts to assist shoppers with styling and home baking inquiries.

Ye Tian, general manager of Taobao Tmall World, outlined the operational rationale behind the shift to curated inventory.

“The core value of Taobao is anchored in a cross-border catalog of over three billion products offering quality at competitive prices, reinforced by trusted cross-border logistics and localized services we have been building in individual markets over time,”

Shifting Away From Pure Discount Battles

For cross-border e-commerce operators across Southeast Asia and East Asia, the initiative shows Alibaba steering its primary export engine away from uncurated low-cost volume. Regional competitors like Shopee, Lazada, and Temu have spent two years engaged in aggressive price discounting across small-ticket general merchandise. By pushing branded design, niche toys, and larger home furnishings through dedicated algorithmic curation, Taobao is attempting to defend merchant profit margins and capture higher basket values from middle-class consumers.

Suppliers in China face tighter operational standards under the new four-metric evaluation. Factories that previously competed solely on price must now maintain baseline ratings for delivery speeds and return handling to qualify for international placement. The operational risk sits with international logistics execution: shipping furniture, delicate designer goods, and higher-ticket items cross-border increases damage liability and reverse-logistics costs if virtual sizing and room-fitting tools fail to prevent consumer returns.

Broader Global Strategy

The push builds on regional content tests that Taobao rolled out across overseas territories earlier this year, including market-specific fashion roundups under its NowWear and Trend banners. Cross-border platforms previously relied on simple language translations and search indexing, which created high friction for non-Chinese speakers attempting to navigate millions of unverified third-party storefronts.

To support the rollout ahead of the peak year-end retail season, Taobao partnered with actor Zhang Linghe to promote its six core shopping categories across key export destinations. The platform will roll out the remaining conversational AI Lifestyle Expert agents across its regional applications as peak Double 11 fulfillment volumes ramp up in November.

October 17, 2026
Le Méridien Putrajaya Launches Deepavali Buffet Priced from RM168

Le Méridien Putrajaya has rolled out its Deepavali dining promotion from 30 October to 15 November 2026. Adult buffet passes cost between RM168 and RM198 nett.

Hosted at Latest Recipe, the program targets holiday foot traffic across Greater Kuala Lumpur. It offers dedicated brunch and dinner seatings for the Festival of Lights.

Festive Pricing and Dining Schedule

Buffet service runs from 1 November through 15 November 2026, following an opening ceremony on 30 October. Brunch is served from 12.00pm to 3.30pm. That costs RM168 nett for adults and RM84 nett for children. Evening seatings run from 6.30pm to 10.30pm, priced at RM198 nett per adult and RM99 nett per child.

Chefs prepare regional Indian recipes across live and self-serve stations. Key dishes include Biryani Golkonda, South Indian Benne Dosa, and Bengali-style Chingdi Macher prawn curry. The spread also features Keema Kofta meatballs and Murgh Makhani butter chicken. For dessert, the kitchen serves warm Carrot Halwa, Rasmalai cheese dumplings in sweetened milk, and Channa Dal Payasam lentil pudding.

On-Site Activation and Cultural Setup

Hospitality operators rely on lobby activations to capture leisure diners during public holidays. The property starts the event with an associate-led lighting ceremony on 30 October. Staff will illuminate traditional diya oil lamps around a central kolam installation.

Visiting children get access to an activity area featuring kolam-themed colouring sessions. Dining guests also receive traditional ladoo confections as an exit giveaway.

Market Positioning in Greater Kuala Lumpur

Hotels across Selangor and Putrajaya face intense competition for corporate and family bookings during fourth-quarter holidays. Premium venues must justify meal tickets nearing RM200 nett. They do this by offering regional specialties that diners rarely cook at home.

Running the campaign for more than two weeks lets the hotel maximize banquet kitchen use. It also targets weekday dining revenues before year-end corporate demand peaks.

Prior Culinary Campaigns in 2026

This promotion follows other hospitality campaigns by the property earlier this year. Le Méridien Putrajaya rolled out its annual Mid-Autumn mooncake collection in July 2026. In August, it marked a 10-year operational milestone with stay and dining promotions.

Guests can book seatings in advance through the hotel’s SevenRooms reservation channel. Operations continue through 15 November 2026.

October 17, 2026
Semirara Slashes Coal Target to 12 Million Tons as Pit Floods

Semirara Mining and Power Corp. Slashed its 2026 coal output target to 12 million metric tons after uncontrollable seawater flooded its core Acacia pit in the Philippines. Stripping operations are halted indefinitely. The revised target is a drop of nearly 40 percent from the record 19.9 million tons produced in 2025.

Seawater is surging into the active pit at roughly 30,000 cubic meters an hour. That far exceeds on-site pumping capacity. The structural failure accelerated on September 20 when material from North Block 1 Dam 2 collapsed, sending surface runoff straight into the mining area.

Crews are attempting to erect another cut-off wall. Meanwhile, the operational breakdown forced SMPC to lay off 1,458 mine-site workers. The company cut an initial tranche of 462 staff before letting go an additional 996 personnel.

Contract Expiry and Asset Disputes

Timing could not be worse for the operator or the power grid. Coal Operating Contract No. 5 expires on July 14, 2027. That leaves the Department of Energy scrambling to auction operating rights to the highest financial bidder.

Energy officials terminated a previous bidding round in September following legal disputes, engineering problems, and operator objections. They now plan to restart the auction between November and December. That gives the winning contractor barely seven months to take over before the current license lapses.

A legal fight is also playing out in court over more than 55 billion pesos in infrastructure and machinery on Semirara Island. SMPC filed a petition for declaratory relief after the energy department demanded a full inventory of the operator’s property and plant to share with rival bidders.

State Revenue Versus Engineering Capacity

Regulators argue that equipment with costs recovered under the operating contract can vest in state hands and pass to the next operator. SMPC counters that cost recovery serves only as reimbursement under Presidential Decree 972. Title and removal rights remain strictly with the company.

Higher revenue shares and consumer concessions remain the government’s priority, grounded in the state’s ultimate ownership of mineral resources. SMPC notes it contributed 43.4 billion pesos in government share alongside 3.7 billion pesos in taxes between 2021 and the middle of 2026.

Commercial power users and industrial operators face the threat of electricity cost inflation. Acacia was projected to deliver the bulk of domestic coal supply in 2027. Any prolonged disruption will force power producers to import expensive replacement thermal coal from Indonesia and Australia.

Spillover to the Local Island Economy

Fallout has already spread across Semirara Island as payroll cuts hit retail and service trade. Small island businesses report falling daily revenue and customer defaults as families lose their primary income.

Island social programs face immediate risk as well. SMPC has historically funded about 90 million pesos annually for free tuition at the Divine Word School of Semirara Island. More than 1,500 students depend on that mine-supported schooling.

The Department of Energy has not issued bid bulletins, prequalification screens, or a model contract clarifying minimum technical requirements for the flooded pit. Restarting the bidding process in late 2026 will test whether the state can secure an operator capable of draining the Acacia pit before the July 2027 handover deadline.

October 17, 2026
Shell Sued for $108 Million in Brazil over Deadly Floods

British energy giant Shell is facing legal action in Brazil and the United Kingdom seeking compensation for devastating extreme weather disasters.

On Friday, Brazilian federal prosecutors and the non-governmental organization Instituto Preservar jointly filed a lawsuit against Shell’s subsidiary demanding $108 million over catastrophic 2024 floods.

Attribution Science Drives $108 Million Claim

The disaster in southern Brazil killed nearly 200 people, displaced half a million, and caused widespread destruction, marking the first time attribution science has been used in the country against a major carbon producer.

Plaintiffs based their legal claim on research published in a Nature group journal, which calculated that climate change increased the intensity of the 2024 rainfall by 12 percent. Drawing on data from think tank Carbon Majors attributing 2.02 percent of historic global emissions to Shell, the lawsuit demands the company pay for two percent of that 12 percent intensification.

Philippine Typhoon Survivors File in London

The Brazilian case follows a 2025 lawsuit brought in London by roughly 100 survivors of Typhoon Rai, known locally in the Philippines as Odette. The December 2021 storm killed more than 400 people across several Philippine islands and wiped out entire coastal communities.

Lawyers at Hausfeld filed the London action against Shell on behalf of the Philippine survivors, arguing that historic emissions and alleged misinformation on climate risks constitute actionable negligence under Philippine law. The legal team cited historical evidence indicating Shell understood fossil fuel impacts as early as the 1960s, alongside an internal 1986 company report detailing greenhouse gas risks.

Corporate Exposure Shifts Across Asia

Legal liabilities of this nature create direct financial exposure for multinational energy operators, industrial manufacturers, and their commercial insurers across Asia-Pacific. If courts accept proportional emissions modeling, corporate balance sheets will face recurring claims following major typhoons, floods, and coastal erosion events throughout Southeast Asia.

Supply chain infrastructure and regional asset valuations face repricing as climate litigation expands beyond state authorities to private corporate targets. Commercial lenders and institutional investors in Asian energy assets must account for potential cross-jurisdictional tort liability in their long-term risk underwriting.

Precedents Spread Across Emerging Markets

Shell has rejected claims of covert liability, stating in December that the suggestion the company possessed unique knowledge about climate change was not true.

Similar cross-border actions are underway across the region, including Indonesian islanders suing Swiss cement group Holcim over rising sea levels and Pakistani farmers pursuing litigation against industrial operators in German courts.

London courts are scheduled to review procedural filings on the Philippine claims as plaintiffs prepare evidentiary submissions on corporate knowledge from past decades.

October 16, 2026
THE LIVE Barcelona 2026 Brings Family Offices and Private Investors Together to Discuss Capital, AI and Longevity

THE LIVE, an international gathering for family offices, private investors, wealth managers and entrepreneurs, will take place at the Hotel Miramar Barcelona from 26 to 28 October 2026. Built around four pillars (wealth, private capital, artificial intelligence and longevity), the programme combines keynotes, six thematic panels and curated networking designed to connect those who allocate capital with those who seek it.

Chaired by Luca Russignan of the Capgemini Research Institute

THE LIVE Barcelona 2026 will be chaired by Luca Russignan, Global Head of the Capgemini Research Institute for Financial Services. Luca leads the research behind Capgemini’s World Wealth Report, which has tracked the global high-net-worth population and the firms that serve it for three decades. His work focuses on where AI changes decision-making and what wealthy clients value most in the advisors they trust.

A curated, capital-first audience

Attendance is limited to 200 participants, with at least 75% of places reserved for owners, managers and advisers of capital rather than service providers. This includes single family office principals, family members and CIOs representing wealth from USD 50 million to multi-billion fortunes, alongside multi-family offices, private banks, wealth and asset managers, and legal, tax and fiduciary specialists in structuring and succession. The remaining places go to the ecosystem serving high-net-worth individuals, including private aviation, yachting, luxury real estate, art and security. A further 100 complimentary places are reserved for family offices. Participants are expected from the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Day two: wealth, private capital and innovation

Following arrivals and a welcome cocktail on Monday 26 October, Tuesday opens with a keynote from Amin Ramadan, Managing Partner of Auzua Holding Group and former Saudi Aramco professional, on where private capital will flow in a fragmented world over the next decade. Tony Ihander, founder of Action Ventures, follows with the case for why family offices hold a structural advantage in today’s environment.

The real assets panel features Dereck Hoogenkamp (Yalla Group and Amoria Stars) and Safeer Bashir, head of the Sharia-compliant Sadaqah Garden Property Fund. A second panel on AI, privacy and leadership brings together Andreas Pankow, co-founder of KnowSilo and a two-decade veteran of UBS and Stonehage Fleming, who will make the case for sovereign, isolated AI models for privacy-conscious families; Octavius Mihaies of Torch Partners on the physical infrastructure behind the AI economy; and Jordi Ortiz, Foreign Direct Investment Director at ACCIÓ – Catalonia Trade & Investment, formerly of Google and Secartys.

The afternoon turns to the multi-family office perspective, with Colleen Ferrary (Peak Fractional) presenting data on succession, leadership readiness and adviser accountability, in a session moderated by Alexander Belov. Rosser Goodman will close with “From Wealth to Meaning: How Is Legacy Defined Today?”, exploring how families are redefining legacy around values, identity and mission.

New speakers: “The Real Costs of Passion Assets” and Carlos Blanco

As family offices look beyond traditional portfolios, alternative investments and passion assets are taking a growing share of their attention heading into 2026–2027. THE LIVE welcomes Sven, co-founder of Naora, who will speak on The Real Costs of Passion Assets, a candid look at what owning art, collectibles, yachts, aircraft and other lifestyle assets truly costs beyond the purchase price, and how families can approach them with the same discipline as any other allocation.

Sven is a visionary entrepreneur driven by the pursuit of what’s next. Having spent half his life outside his home country, he has developed a truly global mindset and a natural ability to bridge cultures, connect people and turn diverse perspectives into shared opportunities.

Also joining the line-up is Carlos Blanco of Encomenda Capital.

Day three: co-investment and longevity

Wednesday opens with Dubai-based investor Erik L. Van Dijk, followed by Ian Sosso, founder of Monte Carlo Capital and EBAN’s Best European Business Angel 2019, with a practical guide to building seed portfolios, managing the J-curve and accessing top-tier deals.

A dedicated session on longevity as an asset class brings together Max Kholin (Gero), Ryan Castle (TrueYOU) and healthcare strategist Dareen Douchi, covering ageing as an investment opportunity, AI in the sector and regulated treatments. In the afternoon, Shu Joshi (LSV Capital Partners) will discuss life sciences exposure in Asia, and David Moscato of Luxembourg MFO Quarantia Capital Advisory will present a model combining hospitality, longevity technology and community. The event concludes with a gala dinner by Michelin-starred chef Nandu Jubany.

Institutional support and partners

THE LIVE Barcelona 2026 is held with the support of ACCIÓ (Catalonia Trade & Investment), the Government of Catalonia’s agency for business competitiveness and foreign investment. Partners include Hotel Miramar (official venue), Delta Air Lines (official airline partner), Masters of Longevity (media partner), the World Luxury Chamber of Commerce and the Barcelona Bitcoin Hub. The speaker line-up continues to grow ahead of the event.

About THE LIVE
THE LIVE is an international summit series bringing together family offices, private investors and the advisers who serve them around the themes shaping private wealth: capital, artificial intelligence and longevity. Following Barcelona, the next edition will take place in Miami in autumn 2027. THE LIVE is a brand of Global Capital Summit Group Inc.

Media contact
Anastasia Lit, | anastasia@wwthelive.com | +971 56 896 0164 | wwthelive.com

October 15, 2026
Thailand’s Sponsor Enters Sports Nutrition with Energy Gel Launch

TCP Group expanded its flagship Sponsor beverage brand into specialised sports nutrition in Thailand. It rolled out Sponsor Pro Energy Gel Plus for endurance athletes.

The product release targets a domestic running sector that logged more than 1,500 organised race events across Thailand in 2025.

Formulation and athlete targeting

Each packet contains 120 calories alongside five electrolytes designed to maintain hydration under heavy exertion. TCP Group formulated the product with what it calls a Triple-Phase Energy system, blending multiple carbohydrate sources to regulate energy release during prolonged exercise. The recipe also incorporates ViNitrox, a proprietary grape and apple extract aimed at supporting physical endurance. Retail distribution begins with two options: Original and Watermelon Berry.

Product development involved consultations with Thai athletes and sports nutritionists. Rather than relying solely on race sponsorships, the brand designed portable sachets for runners to consume before and during competition without carrying bulky bottles.

Shifting from hydration to sports nutrition

Entering the gel category shifts Sponsor from general sports hydration into high-margin functional sports nutrition. Energy gels command higher retail price points per gram than standard isotonic bottled drinks. That gives beverage makers better revenue density on convenience store shelves. For retailers like 7-Eleven and CJ Express in Thailand, stocking single-serve nutrition pouches near checkout counters creates incremental basket value from fitness consumers.

This shift puts TCP Group in direct competition with imported endurance brands that historically controlled specialty running shops and cycling outlets across Southeast Asia. By using its vast domestic distribution network, Sponsor can place technical sports fuel in ordinary neighborhood outlets where international specialty labels rarely maintain shelf presence.

Portfolio roadmap across regional markets

Recent portfolio updates aim to widen Sponsor’s consumer base beyond heavy manual workers and casual sports players. In May 2023, TCP Group introduced Sponsor Go 0% Sugar to capture health-conscious shoppers who avoid sweetened functional drinks. The parent group expanded in May 2024 by pushing Sponsor, Ready and Warrior into overseas territories across India, Africa and the Middle East, before rolling out a Watermelon Berry beverage variant in April 2025.

Retail buyers in Bangkok now await sell-through figures from early marathon activations this quarter to see whether endurance runners adopt the local gel over established Western sports nutrition imports.

October 15, 2026
Calbee Launches POP LAYERS Snack Brand in Thailand Starting at 7-Eleven

Calbee launched POP LAYERS in Thailand in October 2026 as a new Asia-Oceania snack brand. It targets younger consumers with three multilayer corn chip flavours. Convenience store chain 7-Eleven secured exclusive initial rights to sell the lineup nationwide.

Three varieties lead the rollout: Salt, Cheese, and BBQ. The BBQ flavour remains exclusive to 7-Eleven branches. Salt and Cheese will expand to other retail channels roughly four weeks after the debut.

Production base in Indonesia powers regional export

To develop POP LAYERS, Calbee adapted the production processes and recipe behind GuriBee, a four-layer corn snack made in Indonesia. PT. Calbee-Wings Food, a joint venture established in 2021 between Calbee and Indonesia’s Wings Group, expanded manufacturing capacity to supply overseas markets beyond its domestic Indonesian network.

This approach alters Calbee’s traditional practice of exporting Japanese formulations into Southeast Asia. Local manufacturing in Indonesia allows the company to test textures and flavours against regional consumer taste profiles before distributing across neighbouring ASEAN territories.

“POP LAYERS is a new brand originating in Indonesia developed to reach more consumers around the world. Beginning with Thailand, we aim to drive further growth overseas and strengthen our global business foundation.”

Shifting competition in Thailand’s savoury snack market

Thailand serves as the testbed because fabricated and extruded snacks continue to gain share in the country’s savoury snack segment. Urban shoppers show high trial rates for novel textures. That appetite creates shelf space for layered corn chips against standard potato crisps.

Exclusive items like the 7-Eleven BBQ variant drive store foot traffic for retail partners. For Calbee, Indonesian manufacturing delivers a lower unit cost than shipping finished goods from domestic Japanese plants. That setup protects operating margins against currency swings.

Overseas targets under 2035 corporate strategy

The regional push fits into Calbee’s long-term business plan, titled Accelerate the Future. That strategy positions international business units as the central growth engine through 2035. The expansion aims to offset aging demographics and slower volume growth inside Japan.

Earlier regional efforts brought several market-specific lines to Southeast Asia. These included localized Ebisen variations and healthier Frugra lines in Thailand, alongside recipe trials in Singapore. The Indonesian venture gives the group a dedicated regional manufacturing hub to run parallel product development.

Next distribution steps across Asia-Oceania

Supermarkets and hypermarkets in Thailand will receive the Salt and Cheese flavours in November 2026. Calbee then plans to roll out POP LAYERS into additional Asia-Oceania markets. Factory output at the Indonesian joint venture will determine the launch schedule across the region.

October 14, 2026
BuyBuyCart Launches BuyBuyWholesale to Digitise Franchise Ordering

New Delhi supermarket chain BuyBuyCart launched BuyBuyWholesale.com this week to streamline wholesale distribution and franchise operations across its retail network.

The dedicated B2B portal operates as 1 centralised system for franchise partners to place regular and replenishment orders directly, while tracking SKU-level sales data.

Centralising store inventory orders

Led by Director and Co-founder Ashish Pandey, BuyBuyCart uses the platform to monitor wholesale demand, value- and quantity-based analysis, and ground sales performance alongside its physical store and Amazon channels.

Analytical tracking built into the software breaks down orders by quantity, total transaction value, and specific franchise location. Sales teams continue to handle account support in local territories. Meanwhile, the backend system logs transactional flow.

Tracking field sales and store demand

Digital franchise procurement allows supermarket networks in India to cut order turnaround times and reduce inventory stockouts across regional clusters. Centralised visibility on SKU movement helps retail operators identify fast-moving daily essentials early. Teams then route stock to franchise shelves before local inventory runs dry.

“The launch of BuyBuyWholesale.com is an important step in building a more connected and data-driven B2B ecosystem for BuyBuyCart. We are already seeing orders come through the platform, while our sales team continues to support partners on the ground. Our next focus is to make the platform increasingly useful for our franchise partners by enabling them to manage their regular and refill orders directly. Over time, we see BuyBuyWholesale.com becoming a central platform connecting our wholesale, sales, and franchise operations.”

Shifting franchise logistics online

For independent franchise owners, automated replenishment removes friction from weekly distributor negotiations and standardises pricing across territories. Field adoption presents the main operational risk. Regional store managers accustomed to manual phone orders and informal credit terms must adapt to disciplined digital checkout cycles.

Rival supermarket chains across South Asia increasingly deploy proprietary wholesale portals to bind franchise partners to exclusive supply chains. Locking store procurement into an in-house platform protects private-label volume from third-party wholesale cash-and-carry distributors.

Expanding private-label distribution

BuyBuyCart built its core retail operation around a multi-region franchise supermarket footprint, selling packaged groceries, household essentials, and proprietary private-label lines. Alongside physical brick-and-mortar stores, the company distributes goods directly to consumers through its official website and third-party marketplaces including Amazon.

Next, the rollout will focus on opening direct recurring refill features for all active franchise stores and integrating additional wholesale tracking tools into the live portal.

October 14, 2026
Foreign Staff Exceed 110,000 Across Japan Top Three Convenience Chains

Japan’s three largest convenience store chains employed more than 110,000 foreign workers in 2025, leaning on overseas labor to staff cash registers and stock shelves.

The cohort represents nearly 14 percent of the 800,000 part-time workers operating networks run by Seven & i Holdings’ 7-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart across the country.

Hiring managers report that recruits from abroad show strong Japanese language capability and high operational competency, helping operators keep stores open around the clock. The influx has become a structural necessity for a network spanning more than 56,000 convenience stores nationwide, where round-the-clock operating models depend on steady frontline staffing.

Pressure on the 24-hour retail model

Convenience operators across East Asia face diverging labor realities, but Japan’s demographic contraction presents the sharpest operational test. While regional peers in South Korea and Taiwan have experimented with automated night shifts and unstaffed outlets to trim payroll costs, Japanese chains continue to anchor their customer proposition on high-touch service, bill payments, parcel handoffs, and freshly prepared hot food.

That service density requires labor that the domestic population cannot supply. FamilyMart alone faced roughly 10,500 vacancies across its 16,400 stores, forcing corporate headquarters and independent franchise owners to widen recruitment pipelines or risk trimming operating hours.

Sourcing labor across Asia

Recruits arrive predominantly from Vietnam, Nepal, China, and Myanmar, drawn initially on student and training visas before taking up part-time retail shifts. In Tokyo hubs such as Shinagawa Ward, overseas employees now anchor entire shift rotations, handling everything from inventory deliveries to food service counters.

Store managers confirm that language training and structured onboarding have kept register errors low despite complex point-of-sale systems that handle utility billing and administrative tasks. The operational reliance on foreign workers shifts supply risk directly onto immigration policy and cross-border recruitment pipelines, leaving franchisees vulnerable if visa quotas tighten or regional currency shifts erode Japanese wage competitiveness.

Friction at the checkout counter

Frontline pressure has surfaced in customer interactions across the retail sector. Service surveys show roughly 80 percent of staff report instances of customer harassment, prompting store managers to rethink standard operating procedures.

Some franchised locations have adjusted staff name badges, substituting generic tags reading STAFF or using alternate names to protect clerks from customer disputes. The friction reflects broader social adjustments as local neighborhoods adapt to a rapidly diversifying frontline service workforce.

Automation versus headcounts

The staffing shift follows years of rapid demographic change across Japan. The country’s registered foreign resident population expanded from 2.76 million in 2021 to 3.77 million in 2024, providing the retail and food sectors with vital replacement labor during a period of record-low domestic unemployment.

Franchise groups must now balance further investments in automated self-checkout kiosks against the ongoing cost of recruiting and training overseas staff. The next operational test comes as major chains review their overnight roster requirements ahead of the 2027 fiscal planning cycle, where store-level wage inflation will determine whether 24-hour operating mandates remain viable across suburban and rural locations.

October 14, 2026
FairPrice Deploys 3,000 Smart Trolleys as Retailers Turn to In-Store Media

Retailers are expanding into advertising, fintech services, and data monetisation as intensifying competition puts pressure on product margins.

FairPrice Group has deployed about 3,000 smart trolleys across selected stores ahead of a wider rollout planned for 2027, linking carts to shopper app accounts to personalise ads and offers.

Speaking at the Retail Asia Summit 2026 in Singapore, Sanjay Singh, senior vice president for the Investor Transformation group at Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific, said retail media can become a profit engine for physical stores by connecting demand, inventory, payments, and fulfilment.

Smart Carts and Targeted Health Campaigns

Grocery operators are using point-of-sale data to sell brand campaigns inside physical aisles. Rajiv Singh, head of the retail media network at FairPrice Group, said an in-store initiative run with Singapore’s Health Promotion Board shifted 12 percent of approximately 500,000 targeted shoppers toward lower-sodium product alternatives. The state health agency is now doubling the budget and scale of the campaign.

Ad deals are benchmarked on incremental return. The grocer measures exact sales generated per marketing dollar spent. Linking smart shopping trolleys directly to the FairPrice mobile app allows the chain to trigger personalized promotions as shoppers navigate aisles.

Packaged goods manufacturers gain direct access to verified purchase histories through these retailer-owned networks. Brands pay premiums for verified basket conversions rather than broad digital impressions across open web platforms.

Extending Sales Windows Beyond the Store

Duty-free and department store operators are adjusting checkout rules to capture spending outside physical premises. The Shilla Duty Free now allows travelers to purchase merchandise via the iShopChangi platform up to 30 days after their trip, according to Joanne Soh, head of consumer marketing and e-commerce at the travel retailer.

A wider post-travel purchasing window lets airport retailers recover sales lost to tight flight schedules and carry-on luggage limits. Physical airport storefronts become discovery showrooms backed by centralized domestic delivery.

Department store operator Metro Singapore is reallocating floor space toward targeted customer problems. Henry Christian, head of loyalty, marketing and partnerships at Metro Singapore, pointed to the retailer’s Sleep Lab concept, launched on World Sleep Day on 15 March. The format evaluates brand participation and customer discussions alongside standard sales volumes.

Micro Occasions and Quick Commerce Channels

Food makers are mining retailer transaction data to generate sales outside traditional peak holidays. Kenneth Lau, global digital commerce excellence lead at Mondelēz International, said digital commerce accounts for roughly 41 percent of the company’s sales this year. That channel delivers 61 percent of its total growth.

In China, Mondelēz partnered with on-demand delivery giant Meituan to target office afternoon tea breaks, tailoring Oreo product selections specifically for immediate local fulfillment. The confectionery group also created an exclusive digital-commerce gift box for its BTS brand collaboration priced at about $15, selling out 20,000 packs on Shopee across Southeast Asia within seven days.

Furniture retailer Castlery is focusing investments strictly on measurable omni-channel systems. Leah Howatson, general manager for international markets at Castlery, said the company synchronizes online shopping carts with physical store systems so staff can complete purchases started online, while scaling back curated experiential events that failed to deliver adequate return on investment.

Balancing Capital Outlays Against Ad Revenue

Retail media networks are creating a split between high-volume grocers and discretionary specialty chains. Supermarket operators control the recurring transaction volume required to justify in-store screens, trolley hardware, and data infrastructure. Discretionary chains lack that visit frequency. They struggle to build ad scale, forcing them to focus on cart synchronization and extended checkout windows instead.

Physical rollouts still face operational hurdles from hardware maintenance, screen vandalism and basement mobile network dead zones. Retailers that over-invest in in-store hardware without securing long-term brand ad commitments risk adding capital costs without lifting net margins.

Attention now turns to FairPrice’s planned 2027 fleet expansion for smart carts across its full Singapore footprint, which will test whether ad-supported trolley systems generate sustainable yields across suburban store formats.

October 13, 2026
Hundreds of Woolworths NZ Managers Plan First Strike over Five-Year Pay Freeze

Hundreds of in-store managers across Woolworths New Zealand are staging their first strike in October 2026 to protest a contract proposal that would freeze wages for up to five years.

Staff represented by First Union will walk out between 10:30am and 11:30am on Tuesday across store locations nationwide to speak directly with shoppers about the pay dispute.

Terms of the Proposed Contract

First Union representative Ross Lampert and union officials state the current remuneration package offered by supermarket management locks store leadership into flat base pay rates. During the one-hour stoppage, participating managers plan to distribute information outside storefronts to explain why they rejected the company offer.

First Union representative Ross Lampert condemned the proposal during negotiations with the retailer. “The pay offer is a slap in the face for people who run Woolworths’ stores,” Lampert said.

Operating Pressures in Australasian Grocery

Supermarket operators across the region face tighter margin scrutiny as store-level overheads climb alongside elevated supply costs. For retail chains, holding management compensation flat is a direct lever to contain operational expenditure, but doing so risks damaging retention across frontline supervisory roles.

Store managers handle daily stock replenishment, team rostering, shrink control and checkout flows. Industrial friction at this tier creates immediate operational bottlenecks for grocery retailers, particularly during high-traffic morning trading windows.

Shifting Frontline Labour Dynamics

Supermarket labour disputes in New Zealand historically centred on hourly floor staff, distribution centre workers and checkout operators rather than salaried or supervisory tier staff. Mid-level retail managers taking collective industrial action reflects growing pressure on supervisory wages as living costs outpace historical salary adjustments.

Woolworths has been updating its store networks and brand identity across New Zealand while managing cost inflation in freight, sourcing and store operations. The dispute shows that frontline cost controls are meeting organized resistance from the staff running store floors daily.

Next Steps for Store Negotiations

Union organizers intend to use the Tuesday morning walkout to gauge customer sentiment and escalate collective bargaining terms with grocery executives. Management and union representatives will monitor participation levels across branches ahead of the next round of contract talks.

October 13, 2026
Ikea Opens Douyin Store in China with 6,500 Products Across 301 Cities

Ikea opened an official flagship store on ByteDance video platform Douyin on 11 October 2026, offering more than 6,500 home furnishing products across 301 Chinese cities.

The catalogue covers 179 merchandise categories and links video discovery directly to fulfillment across the mainland.

Ingka Group, which operates Ikea retail across 32 markets and accounts for 87 per cent of global Ikea retail sales, runs the digital shopfront. The operation runs alongside the retailer’s physical warehouse stores, proprietary mobile app, website, and WeChat mini-programs in China. Orders placed inside Douyin feed into Ikea’s existing national logistics network to handle deliveries across the 301 supported municipalities.

Channel Shift to Video Commerce

Global brands in China face a clear migration of shopper traffic away from traditional search-based marketplaces toward algorithmic feed platforms. Douyin has turned short-form video and livestreaming into primary sales drivers for consumer goods, pulling market share from established online storefronts. For furniture retailers, content-driven selling shortens the distance between lifestyle inspiration and immediate checkout.

Selling flat-pack furniture through social video carries distinct operational demands. Bulky freight logistics and higher assembly-related return rates punish merchants that treat short-video channels as pure promotional feeds. Ikea is betting its localised delivery footprint can absorb the volume without eroding margins through fulfillment delays.

Lessons for Global Retail Networks

Parent company Ingka Group intends to export operational insights gathered from Douyin to its broader digital operations. The retailer has introduced digital planning formats such as Ikea Kreativ and artificial intelligence tools for customer assistance in other regions. Douyin provides high-frequency consumer feedback on pricing, product bundles, and live visual merchandising that purely transactional websites rarely generate.

“Retail is increasingly about being present wherever and whenever people want to meet us, while making those experiences feel like one connected IKEA. What is particularly interesting about new platforms like Douyin E-commerce is the opportunity to learn. They help us understand how inspiration, interaction and commerce are coming closer together, and what that could mean for how we continue to develop the IKEA omnichannel experience.”

Parag Parekh, chief digital officer at Ikea Retail within Ingka Group, confirmed the company will funnel feedback from Chinese shoppers into digital development programs across other territories.

Building the Multi-Channel Network

The Douyin store launch follows a multi-year effort by Ikea China to dismantle its historical reliance on destination suburban big-box stores. The Swedish retailer first opened its official Tmall storefront in 2020 before rolling out bespoke WeChat shopping mini-programs and urban small-format locations across tier-one cities.

Lydia Song, Ikea China acting chief executive officer, president, and chief sustainability officer, oversees the integration of the video platform into the brand’s local store fleet. The retailer will monitor conversion rates and city-level delivery performance ahead of the upcoming fourth-quarter promotional calendar in China.

October 13, 2026