Reporting

  • Testing 1, 2, 3: How CPGs get more sustainable packaging to store shelves

    Testing 1, 2, 3: How CPGs get more sustainable packaging to store shelves

    By Shefali Kapadia Anyone who ordered an old fashioned or whiskey sour at the Johnnie Walker Princes Street’s 1820 bar in Edinburgh last fall may have noticed something unusual. The whiskey in the drink tasted the same, but it was poured from a different kind of bottle – a 90% paper-based bottle the brand was… Read more

  • Merchants maneuver as Visa enforces surcharge program

    Merchants maneuver as Visa enforces surcharge program

    By Shefali Kapadia Nearly two years after Visa began cracking down on surcharges, payments processors and independent sales organizations say they have a better understanding and sense of clarity on the network’s rules.  At that time, Visa imposed a credit card surcharge cap of 3%, down from the previous cap of 4%. Many in the industry found communication… Read more

  • Truck driving: A diverse, but not inclusive, industry

    Truck driving: A diverse, but not inclusive, industry

    By Shefali Kapadia Women make up only about 10% of truck drivers, by some estimates. Several organizations have sprung up, focused on addressing female drivers’ unique needs and concerns on the road.  One of those organizations is REAL Women in Trucking (RWIT), founded by truck driver Desiree Wood after she saw firsthand the many dangers on the road. We caught up with… Read more

  • From lotions to linens: How hotel marketplaces can boost guest loyalty

    From lotions to linens: How hotel marketplaces can boost guest loyalty

    By Shefali Kapadia Four Seasons’ bed linens and JW Marriott’s shampoo aren’t just for guests staying in the hotels anymore. The items are available for sale on dedicated websites, so customers can cozy up in Four Seasons sheets at home, or wash their hair with JW Marriott Ylang Ylang Shampoo in their own shower.  For… Read more

  • 6 months after Baltimore’s bridge collapse, lessons are emerging for a rebuild

    6 months after Baltimore’s bridge collapse, lessons are emerging for a rebuild

    By Shefali Kapadia A key feature is missing over the Patapsco River in Baltimore. The water still glistens, and cargo ships still pass by on their way in and out of the port. But the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which had spanned the river since 1977, is no longer there. In March, a container ship crashed into one… Read more

  • Can canned food outlast competition from flexible plastic alternatives?

    Can canned food outlast competition from flexible plastic alternatives?

    By Shefali Kapadia When Sonoco announced plans to acquire European metal packaging specialist Eviosys in a nearly $4 billion deal this summer, the packaging giant made its intentions clear: It was betting big on metal food cans.  At a time when novel materials and formats are proliferating in packaging and food companies rely on innovation to drive sales in… Read more