Environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices are increasingly becoming important for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Rising expectations of investors, consumers, suppliers, and regulators are making it imperative for businesses to develop, implement and demonstrate good ESG performance. We understand SMEs are looking for and needing right-sized, relevant guidance on how to credibly identify, fulfil and report their ESG performance. SMEs are anxiously hearing regulator’s high-profile warnings about penalties for unsubstantiated claims, are reading about scheduled mandatory sustainability reporting for all businesses, responding to calls for accuracy and timeliness with expanded reporting expectations, and reacting to demands for information from other businesses they deal with. Yet, most of the limited available guidance is designed for larger and more sophisticated entities with a focus on limited, available guidance is designed for larger and more sophisticated entities with a focus on what not to do, rather than positive engagement with credible ESG…

The Queensland government has announced that all Queensland retailers and wholesalers of smoking products must hold an approved licence to sell smoking products by Sunday, 1 September 2024. Retailers are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, and no later than Friday, 31 May 2024. Early applications are also eligible for a discounted fee. AACS’ CEO, Theo Foukkare adds, “As an association representing convenience store owners across Australia, we acknowledge the Queensland government’s decision to require retailers and wholesalers to obtain licenses for selling smoking products. While we support efforts to regulate tobacco sales responsibly, we urge policymakers to consider the potential impact on small businesses. We are committed to working collaboratively with authorities to ensure compliance while minimising disruptions to our members’ operations.” You can visit Business Queensland  to apply online for your licence.

NEW YORK — Nearly 100 years after giving rise to the convenience store industry, 7-Eleven Inc. continues to be on the forefront of the channel, driven by its ability to tap into the wants and needs of the ever-changing consumer. The Irving, Texas-based retail chain has a network of 13,000-plus convenience stores across multiple banners in North America and serves more than 12 million customers daily, according to Marissa Jarratt, executive vice president, chief marketing and sustainability officer at 7-Eleven. Speaking at NRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show on Jan. 14, Jarratt sat down with Lauren Wiener, managing director and partner at Boston Consulting Group, to talk about the retailer’s ability to leverage customer data to create a better shopper experience and transform the company. Key to this is ICE: Immediate Consumption Ecosystem. As Jarratt explained, ICE is composed of three elements:  Breaking it down further, she explained that the first element is made…

One year after every industry dove headfirst into GenAI hype, retail market gurus have surfaced with a boatload of tech-related ways that retailers will deploy to cut through market volatility and competitive threats, delivering intelligence that powers personalized customer experiences and solid business results. This is a quick round-up of the latest retail industry trends and predictions that revolve around increasingly intelligent merchandising, digital commerce, personalized marketing, and supply chain resilience. Retail leaders showcase innovation at NRF Last year ended with strong retail sales. CNN said Americans spent a record-setting $222 billion this past holiday season. The National Retail Federation (NRF) reported that a record 200.4 million consumers shopped over the five-day holiday weekend from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday. SAP was among the many innovators rubbing shoulders with the world’s most influential brands at NRF’s flagship tradeshow in New York City this week. “In a market where customers have so many…

New technology took center stage at the National Retail Federation’s Big Show this month, with thousands of exhibitors featuring tech innovations for every part of the supermarket from supply chain to the checkout lane. The show featured new smart carts, retail media networks, warehouse and inventory robots, AI-powered shrink prevention technology, and more. Supermarket News made the rounds and spoke with some of the most cutting edge companies in the industry. See more in our video roundup.  Shrink and theft prevention  Auror Auror’s license plate recognition technology is used by top brick-and-mortar retailers like Walmart and Best Buy. The AI-powered cameras can detect the moment repeat offenders enter the parking lot.  Signifi Solutions  The company’s locking shelf technology protects shoplifting of high-priced items like wine and liquor and can be locked and unlocked wirelessly from any area of the store.  Smart cart technology  Easy Shopper This smart cart technology, which is…