Breaking news, industry updates, and the latest developments shaping global retail, e-commerce, and commerce technology.
China’s SAMR and commerce ministry opened a 20-provision draft amendment to the 2019 E-commerce Law for public comment, widening platform-economy oversight. The revision tightens platform liability and pledges to defend Chinese firms operating abroad.
Billions of undervalued DDP parcels enter the EU almost unchecked, dodging duty and VAT while local retailers pay in full. How the loophole works, and why the EU keeps waving it through.
Three fresh regulatory tells (an FTC injunction, Virginia’s live auto-renewal law, and NYC’s first municipal rule) point to a US subscription-commerce compliance reckoning. The signals suggest “cancel as easily as you enrolled” becomes the de facto national standard by year-end 2026.
The European Court of Justice dismissed Google’s final appeal, confirming a 4.1 billion euro fine for abusing Android to entrench Search and Chrome. The ruling ends an eight-year antitrust battle with binding consequences for app-marketplace rules.
General Mills reported a $2.1 billion fourth-quarter operating loss on non-cash goodwill and Brazil charges, even as adjusted operating profit rose 13 percent in constant currency. The July 1 results point to flat volumes, a cost-savings drive, and fresh pressure on grocery shelves from private label.
Three fresh regulatory signals point to the EU consolidating a two-track marketplace regime, binding commitments plus a customs cost stack, on China-founded platforms. The pattern suggests Shein and Temu face binding commitments or a second penalty before year-end 2026.
MINISO authorized a fresh HK$2 billion (about USD 255 million) share repurchase program that begins June 30, telling investors its stock trades below intrinsic value. The move follows a year in which the Chinese variety-store group nearly exhausted a prior buyback while its New York-listed shares fell toward a 52-week low.
The 200 million euro Temu fine and Shein’s open DSA case point to a sustained enforcement posture, not a one-off. The pattern suggests a second major penalty on a Chinese marketplace is likely before the end of Q1 2027.
The CBI’s June Distributive Trades Survey shows UK retail sales volumes falling at their sharpest annual rate in over a year, with trade judged the weakest for the season since early 2024. Stalled consumer confidence, sticky inflation and a 3.75% Bank Rate leave retailers facing a gloomy start to summer.
Wise FY26 results show cross-border volume up 31% to $243.5 billion as the company cut its take rate to 0.52%. Net revenue rose 19% to $2.5 billion and pre-tax margin reached 26%, the first full year since its Nasdaq move.