Quick Take — This is the worst bar of soap according to Altroconsumo: Dove, Nidra and Esselunga have also been given a failing mark

Conad and Selexsoap bars were also rated as ‘poor ’.

The survey examined25 solid soap bars(as part of a wider comparison of 65 soaps, including both solid and liquid varieties), assessing the ingredients listed on the label, their environmental impact and certain health-related aspects. The final score placed greater weight on environmental factors (70 per cent), whilst the remaining 30 per cent related to problematic ingredients, allergens and substances considered less favourable. GreenMe

(Dove is a brand of the Unilever group).

Quick Take — OVS is stepping up its international expansion and is opening the group’s largest flagship store at the Dubai Mall

OVS is stepping up its international expansion and has opened the group’s largest flagship store at the Dubai Mall.

The new store, which opened on 3 September, covers 2,500 square metres, employs 47 people and is managed directly by the company. It is a strategic showcase in the heart of one of the world’s leading retail hubs, visited by over 100 million people every year…

The opening reinforces the group’s international expansion following recent openings in New Delhi and Mumbai, strengthening the link between India and the Middle East. “The new flagship store provides a prime showcase for all our brands,” said CEO Stefano Beraldo.

This expansion follows a particularly successful 2025, which the group closed with sales of 1.746 billion euros and an EBITDA in excess of 218 million euros. With a network of over 2,600 shops…

The brand’s overseas expansion is likely aimed at e-commerce.

Quick Take — China: instant retail – ‘quick commerce’ – is set to reach $178 billion by the end of the year

according to the government.

Its competitors are Meituan, JD.com and Alibaba, which spent billions of dollars on vouchers, free deliveries and incentives for retailers last year.

Now, so-called ‘instant commerce’ has established itself as the new battleground for online shopping. Whilst the companies’ spending spree has channelled billions in drinks towards budget-conscious consumers, analysts have stated that the most significant challenge lies in changing purchasing habits, particularly in major cities where consumers increasingly expect a range of goods, such as groceries and cosmetics, to arrive within 60 minutes. Home delivery of drinks and meals may generate frequent visits to the app, but the real opportunity lies in converting these visits into purchases of higher-margin non-food items…

N.B.: The challenges facing quick commerce in Italy also stem from an unclear situation regarding delivery services.

Drafted on 6 September, updated on 7 September 2026

Quick Take — The 3-euro EU tax has caused a slump in Chinese parcel deliveries: Temu, Shein and AliExpress have seen sales fall by up to 40 per cent

A month and a half after the measurewas introduced, the first measurable effect was already evident: imports of small parcels from China to the European Union had fallen by between 30 per cent and 40 per cent. This was announced by theFrench Ministry of the Economy…(Italy has no data and had tried to ‘go its own way’).

It is a measure designed to target the very business modelthat has madeTemuandSheinmass phenomena: individual shipments with a low unit value, sent directly from China to the end consumer, which until June benefited from a total customs exemption for all parcels under 150 euros…

The measure is intended to be temporary. It will remain in force until awider reform of the European customs system is completed, which is expected within two years…Source

Shein has an advantage over its Chinese competitors because it has a warehouse in Poland (which is, in fact, what Amazon has done, with e-commerce warehouses across Europe).

Read more about it here.

Quick Take — USA: Target appoints its first Chief AI Officer

Target has 2,000 superstores and 400,000 employees. It is the eighth-largest retailer in the United States by turnover. Source:

Furthermore: The annual net sales growth forecast has risen to around 5 per cent from around 4 per cent.

Second-quarter profit received a boost of around $1 billion from tariff refunds.

Like-for-like sales rose by 3.8 per cent, with footfall up by 3.6 per cent.

Shares are up 5% in pre-market trading and are up 56% so far this year.

This was Target’s third consecutive quarter of growth, and the results suggest that new CEO Michael Fiddelke’s turnaround plan is taking root ahead of the crucial Christmas shopping season, even as high fuel prices put pressure on household budgets. Reuters

Written on 14 August, updated on 20 August 2026

Quick Take — Change at the top for Coin

…Enrico Faglioni has been appointed chief executive. He takes over fromMatteo Cosmi, who has been at the helm of the company since 2024.

Faglioni has extensive experience in the fashion retail sector and in multi-channel distribution management. Since 2015, he has held senior management roles overseeing the outlet channel for the Eccellenze Italiane group (the holding company headed by entrepreneur Marco Marchi, which brings together brands such asLiu Jo,BlumarineandRebel Queen)…

Faglioni’s career has its roots in fashion retail, with expertise gained across direct retail, outlet formats, multi-brand networks and business development…

These skills were lacking within the group.

below: the Coin store at Citylife, in Milan, which recently closed.