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Walmart expands express delivery network to capture last-day Christmas sales


The retailer will accept express delivery orders until 5 p.m. local time on 24 December, with items arriving in as little as one hour depending on availability(while Amazon is testing half-hour delivery). These deliveries will include hampers, Christmas dinners, even customised ones(note that Lidl has also embarked on the offer of value-for-money dinners), beer and liquor (for the latter 'only' in 2,800 shops). Progressive Grocer Below: a Walmart turkey meal (2024).

AmazonE-CommerceLidlWalmart
 

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Carrefour – Centromarca clash: Mastrolia plays the populist?


Bump between Princes Group CEO and Centromarca president. Between 'disorderly association' and 'shouted messages'. With the mystery of the company's registration in the middle. What will be the developments? And Mastrolia denies that his company has ever been a member of Centromarca (Confindustria) as it turns out: is he being populist or has he simply gone into confusion? It is difficult to wear the jackets of two opposing fronts (GD and Brand Industry) at the same time.

CarrefourConfindustria
 

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Netflix buys Warner Bros. but Paramount relaunches with hostile bid


Three strengths : 1) Warner's catalogue is historically and qualitatively very interesting. 2) the number of subscribers : Warner has 130 million subscribers (Reuters). Netflix has more than 300 million subscribers (a total of 430 million). 3) Warner is strong in gaming with $1 billion in sales (Reuters). Then there are Netflix's popular series. The deal will have to be scrutinised by the US Federal Trade Commission (antitrust), but above all, the agreement is hated by Donald Trump, friend of David Ellison - Larry's son - who, with Paramount, has launched a hostile bid on Warner for $108 billion (New York Times). There has been a lot of confusion about the purchase value of $72 billion (correct figure), not to be confused with the global enterprise value of the acquired group of almost $83 billion. Compiled 5 December, updated 8 December 2025

AntitrustStreaming
 

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Christmas 2025: the best pandoro and panettone at the supermarket according to Altroconsumo


Shortlist of Pandoro Tre Marie - Il pandoro Magnifico - 69 Conad - Pandoro - 67 Favorina (Lidl) - Pandoro Classico 63 Melegatti - Il pandoro originale - 62 Maina - Il pandoro - 61 Motta - Il pandoro secondo Bruno Barbieri - 61 Bauli - Il pandoro di Verona - 61 Balocco - Il pandoro - 60 Bistefani - Pandoro - 58 Paluani - Il pandoro di Verona - 54 Shortlist of panettoni Coop - Panettone Classico - 65 Giovanni Cova&Co - Panettone classico - 64 Le Grazie (Esselunga) - Panettone basso ricetta classica - 63 Maina - Il gran nocciolato - 62 Bauli - Il panettone classico - 58 Balocco - Il mandorlato - 58 Il viaggiator goloso - Panettone - 57 Fiasconaro - Panettone tradizionale - 56 Motta - Il panettone tradizionale Bruno Barbieri - 56 Tre Marie - Il panettone Milanese - 56 Duca Moscati (Eurospin) - Panettone - 54 Galup - Gran Galup tradizionale - 53 Source Read also this article. Compiled 6 December, updated 8 December 2025

ConadCoopEsselunga
 

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Lidl USA launches first holiday meal offer for less than $4 per person


Lidl US is betting on value for the holidays by launching its first holiday meal offer, a package that promises to feed a dozen guests for less than the price of a fast-food combo meal. The promotion, valid from 10 to 24 December at participating shops, offers enough food for 12 people for less than $4 per person. Each item on the shopping list is sold separately, giving shoppers the freedom to expand or reduce the menu to suit their needs. Progressive Grocer Walmart also does this kind of promotion.

LidlWalmart
 

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The effect of climate change on coffee: more and more complicated to grow Arabica. And quality suffers


Brazilian producers are choosing more drought-resistant species such as Robusta. But the taste is changing, getting worse: more bitter and with more caffeine. Behind a bean an entire supply chain is changing face: the Arabica variety, Brazilian farmers explain, requires more stable climatic conditions, average altitudes and moderate temperatures than the current climatic extremes. Then there is the problem of inflation and the cost of coffee at the bar: this year Arabica is priced 50 per cent higher than a year ago.One way to tackle the climate challenge is to increase production of the Robusta variety, which has shown itself to be more resilient than Arabica: it tolerates heat and water stress better, and can also be grown at lower altitudes. These characteristics make it safer to the point that in Brazil it has grown at an average annual rate of about 4.8 % compared to 2-2.5 % for Arabica. Green&Blue wonders whether consumers will be able to adapt. In Italy certainly, because very often the coffee that is drunk in public places is bad.

AgricultureClimate changeInflation
 

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JD.com acquires a total share of 85.2% in Ceconomy which controls Mediaworld


In the meantime, JD.com had to accept a number of restrictions, from the French and Italian governments, concerning its indirect 22% stake in FnacDarty, a share held by Ceconomy itself. These restrictions extend, as a logical consequence, also to the subsidiary Unieuro, where the French owns 100 per cent. The main shareholder of FnacDarty remains, however, with 28%, the Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky who controls Metro and what remains of Casino. The company posted a turnover of $158.8 billion (€152.8 billion) in the financial year ending 31 December 2024. You can read about it here.

CasinoE-CommerceNon-food
 

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Amazon launches 30-minute food delivery in selected markets


The service is currently being tested in parts of Seattle and Philadelphia. Amazon Now includes thousands of household essentials and fresh groceries, delivered from smaller, specialised facilities designed for efficient order fulfilment. According to the company, this approach 'prioritises the safety of employees picking and packing orders, reduces the distance couriers have to travel, and enables faster delivery times'. Shipping costs start at $3.99 for Prime customers and $13.99 for non-customers. A fee of $1.99 will be charged for orders under $15.

AmazonE-Commerce
 

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Amazon reduces sales commissions in Europe in price war with Shein and Temu


As of 15 December, Amazon reduces the referral fees charged on clothes and accessories from 7% to 5% for items up to 15 euros ($17.41) or 15 pounds ($19.79) and from 15% to 10% for items between 15 and 20 euros or pounds... Shein, which sells tops for €3 and jeans for only €8.20, has taken market share from European fast fashion retailers and challenged Amazon with its marketplace selling everything from duvet covers to hoovers Amazon is the dominant e-commerce platform in Germany, France and other European countries, in a market where turnover is expected to grow by 7% to EUR 900 billion this year, according to forecasts by the industry association Ecommerce Europe. Reuters

AmazonE-CommerceNon-foodShein