Nykaa Fashion has onboarded Bollywood actors Ishaan Khatter and Shanaya Kapoor as its new brand ambassadors.

With this collaboration, Nykaa Fashion aims to highlight its offerings through Khatter and Kapoor who will bring their individual fashion perspectives to the platform.

Ishaan Khatter and Shanaya Kapoor will contribute to Nykaa Fashion’s messaging through their individual styling approaches.

Commenting on the association, Adwaita Nayar, executive director CEO of Nykaa Fashion in a statement said, “Shanaya and Ishaan are the perfect voices for this generation, unafraid to experiment, authentic in their choices, and always pushing the boundaries of personal style. With them on board, we’re dialling up a fashion conversation that’s bold, inclusive, and rooted in self-expression, just like our community.”

Ishaan Khatter added, “Being part of a platform where one can find pieces that speak to them and make it easy and accessible to dress for the occasion is exciting. I’m happy to be the face for Nykaa fashion and hope for the platform to grow even further through our collaboration together.”

Nykaa Fashion is one of the fastest-growing fashion platforms in India with over 3200 brands across women, men, kids, luxe, and home categories.

Author Credits- Maverick Martins
FASHION NETWORK

According to DHL eCommerce’s latest trend report published on June 4, 70% of global consumers expect to shop primarily through social media by 2030 and desire AI-driven shopping tools to help guide their buying decisions.

The E-Commerce Trends Report 2025, which draws on insights from 24,000 online shoppers across 24 key global markets, also reveals the importance of getting delivery and sustainability right.

“It’s important to recognize that there isn’t just one type of online shopper or one type of market,” said Pablo Ciano, CEO of DHL eCommerce. “The reasons for cart abandonment can vary widely. Our E-Commerce Trends Report analyzes the trends and developments shaping online shopping worldwide, to help our customers grow their businesses.

“Logistics plays a crucial role in this process, and we see ourselves as a vital partner, offering our customers relevant insights, expertise and solutions to drive their success.”

Shopping powered by AI

The trend report reveals that AI is one of the most highly anticipated and demanded innovations among consumers, with seven in 10 shoppers globally wanting retailers to offer AI-powered shopping features. Virtual try-ons, AI-powered shopping assistants and voice-enabled product search top the list of features consumers actively want to use. The report also shows shopping via voice commands is on the rise, with 37% of global shoppers – and nearly half of social commerce users – making purchases hands-free.

Social commerce growth

According to the report, traditional e-commerce websites are being replaced, or bypassed, by social platforms, with consumers turning to apps like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook for both discovery and purchase. The report reveals that seven in 10 shoppers have already made a purchase via social media, and that same proportion expects these platforms to become their primary shopping destination by 2030.

The power of influence also plays a critical role: 82% of shoppers said viral trends and social buzz influence their buying decisions.

TikTok in particular is driving change in markets such as Thailand, where 86% of online shoppers report buying through the app, and globally among Gen Z, where almost 50% are already using the platform to purchase.

According to DHL, this shift signals a major transformation in how and where brands need to engage with their audiences, and calls for seamless, mobile-native experiences built for in-app conversion.

Delivery and returns

While new technologies continue to transform the digital shopping experience, it’s the fundamentals of delivery and returns that remain the biggest drivers of cart abandonment, according to the report.

Shoppers aren’t willing to compromise when it comes to convenience, flexibility and control, with 81% of consumers abandoning their purchase if their preferred delivery option isn’t available. Just as critically, 79% said they would leave if the return process didn’t match their expectations.

Trust also plays a major role, with three out of four shoppers reporting they will not buy from a retailer if they don’t trust the delivery and returns provider.

Sustainability and the circular economy

According to the report, sustainability has evolved from a brand differentiator into a core consumer demand, with 72% of shoppers globally considering sustainability when making online purchases. For many, this goes beyond packaging or shipping – one in three shoppers have abandoned their carts due to sustainability concerns. Among Gen Z, this figure spikes to nearly one in two, the report showed.

Consumers are also embracing more circular models of consumption, with over half opting for pre-owned or refurbished goods, motivated by environmental values and cost-efficiency. Additionally, 58% of shoppers express a willingness to participate in recycling or buy-back programs offered by retailers.

Author Credits- HAZEL KING
Parcel and Postal technology INTERNATIONAL

Kimberly-Clark (KMB.O), is nearing a sale of its Kleenex and tissue businesses outside of North America for around $3.5 billion to Brazilian pulpmaker Suzano (SUZB3.SA), opens new tab, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

A deal could be completed as soon as Thursday, the report said on Wednesday.

Reuters could not immediately confirm the report. Kimberly-Clark and Suzano did not immediately respond to requests for comments.

Reuters had reported in April citing people with knowledge of the matter that along with Suzano, Southeast Asia’s Royal Golden Eagle (RGE) and Asia Pulp & Paper Co (APP) were the final bidders for Kimberly-Clark’s international tissue business, valued at around $4 billion.

The unit, which was put on the block by Kimberly-Clark as part of a restructuring initiated last year, generates around $500 million in annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA).

The sale is proceeding as U.S. President Donald Trump’s broad trade tariffs weigh on Kimberly-Clark’s business outlook. The consumer goods company slashed its annual profit forecast due to increased costs in April as a result of the tariffs.

In 2022, Suzano announced a deal to buy the Irving, Texas-headquartered company’s tissue paper operations in Brazil for an undisclosed sum.

News Credits- Reuters

Meesho expands personal care segment by onboarding HUL, P&G, and Himalaya to boost Meesho Mall. With rising demand in smaller cities, the platform offers branded products like Dove, Pampers, and Vaseline. Meesho eyes $10B IPO amid rapid growth in GMV, users, and non-metro market reach.

E-commerce platform Meesho is focusing on increasing its presence in the personal care category and has onboarded leading FMCG companies Procter & Gamble (P&G), Hindustan Unilever (HUL) and Himalaya, the company said in an announcement on Wednesday.

The move is a part of the company’s effort to expand Meesho Mall, its branded products vertical.

The announcement comes at a time when the demand for such products is rising across the smaller cities, which are typically considered more price-sensitive.

These partnerships mark a shift in the platform’s strategy of positioning itself as a low-cost e-commerce platform, with a focus on unbranded products.

The expanded assortment brings well-known brands like Pampers, Gillette, Dove, Pantene, Vaseline and Head & Shoulders to a much larger base of consumers.

“Shoppers are turning to personal care brands for their everyday essentials — from face wash and lipstick to baby diapers and sanitary pads. Meesho Mall is uniquely positioned to meet this growing demand with a wide selection of reliable, high-quality brands,” the announcement said.

According to brokerage firm CLSA, Meesho has reached a gross merchandise value (GMV) run rate of $6.2 billion for FY25, making it the third-largest e-commerce platform in the country.

By order volume, it commands the largest share of 37% of the e-commerce market.

With 4.9 million daily orders and 180 million monthly active users (MAUs), the platform now leads in order volume and user engagement metrics. Its average order value (AOV), however, remains low as compared to Amazon and Flipkart, at Rs 315–Rs 350.

The report pegs Meesho’s GMV and revenue to grow at a 26% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next six years, driven by deepening e-commerce penetration in non-metro markets.

Meesho is planning to go public later this year and is looking at a potential valuation of $10 billion.

Author Credits- Raghav Aggarwal
FINANCIAL EXPRESS

MANILA, Philippines — E-commerce platform Lazada is spending as much as P3 billion this year to grow its operations in Mindanao.

Lazada Philippines CEO Carlos Barrera told reporters that the e-commerce player intends to spend “more than P2 billion to P3 billion” for Mindanao this year.

He said Lazada sees an opportunity to grow in Mindanao, which currently has a low e-commerce penetration rate in the single-digit level.

“When we look at the opportunity, it’s not so much about what it accounts for today. But we believe that over time, it should be a sizable percent of our business, (around) 20 to 25 percent. So we’re investing today to build that future growth and to help bridge that e-commerce development gap,” he said.

According to Barrera, the investment is going to marketing campaigns, especially shipping vouchers to make it cheaper for Mindanao customers to shop online.

“Historically, the cost of delivering items to Mindanao was the highest in the country. So we have been investing a lot and we have been able to lower the cost of shipping by more than P40 per order,” he said.

Barrera said Lazada is also investing in sellers on the platform.

“We have onboarded more than 500 sellers over the past few months and we’re also investing a lot to help them grow,” he said, noting this is done by co-funding the vouchers so these businesses can gain traction and reduce the cost of their operations.

In addition, Lazada is also investing in infrastructure and the e-commerce ecosystem.

Barrera said Lazada has opened an office in Mindanao and plans to open more hubs.

“We’re also helping with financing options. Together with our partners, we’re giving more buy now, pay later options for the users in the area and even seller financing,” he said.

While Lazada has earmarked an investment from Mindanao, it is also looking to invest in the Philippines through its $100 million fund to support the creator economy in Southeast Asia.

“The Philippines is one of the biggest countries for influencers, especially when it comes to many mobile individuals, people that are recommending things. We have very strong beauty bloggers, mother and baby bloggers, so it will probably be one of the top two countries in terms of investment,” he said.

As Lazada aims for growth, it is set to hold the 6.6 Super Wow Sale, the platform’s much-anticipated mid-year mega sale.

During the mega sale, which will run from June 5 to 8, shoppers can get Lazada vouchers up to P2,000 off, LazFlash deals up to 90 percent off, as well as access to authentic, high-quality products from both top local and international brands on LazMall.

Author Credits- Louella Desiderio
Philstar GLOBAL

Nestle India to invest Rs 5,000 crore in capacity expansion, new product lines, and sustainability across its factories. CMD Suresh Narayanan highlights growth, premiumisation, and rural outreach. New CMD Manish Tiwary to take over from August 1, 2025.

To meet the growing demand for its products, Nestle India will invest around Rs 5,000 crore in the country in coming years, it said in the Annual Report for 2024-25 released on Tuesday.

“Consistent with the growth in business and operations, the company plans to carry out capital expenditure to increase the capacities, productivity, investment in the new product lines and sustainability initiatives across all its existing factory locations,” the company said in the report.

“…this is estimated at around Rs 5,000 crore in coming years,” it added.

In his last letter to the shareholders as the Chairman and Managing Director of the company, Suresh Narayanan said that the company’s capital expenditure as a percentage of sales has jumped from 1.8% in 2015 to 10% in FY25.

“This not only demonstrates the focus on Indian consumers but also our commitment to manufacture in India and ‘Make in India’ as a theme,” he said.

Narayanan will retire as CMD of the company on July 31. Former Amazon executive Manish Tiwary will replace him on August 1.

The annual report showed that in FY25, the company spent Rs 2,004.4 crore towards capital expenditure, its highest in a decade.

It operates nine factories in the country and is currently setting up the tenth facility in Khordha, Odisha.

The FMCG major said that while the capacity expansion has planned for all categories, the focus will be on foods, chocolates and beverages. For instance, the upcoming Khorda facility will focus solely on the company’s food portfolio – which includes the famous Maggi.

Moreover, the company would continue to expand its premium portfolio. “Premiumisation remains a key growth engine for your company,” it said.

Narayanan said that Nestle India’s revenue grew at a compounded rate of 10.3% since 2015. The corresponding profits from operations grew by 13.5%, during the same period.

“In 2015, many considered us to be solely a MAGGI noodles company. Since then we recalibrated and rejuvenated the portfolio launching over 150+ new products that have contributed to 7% of sales,” he said.

Since 2016, Nestle India has added 1.3 million retail outlets, with the highest gains amongst peers in 2024. Its RUrban strategy, which began in 2019, has increased RUrban distribution touchpoints to 28,240.

“Today we are present in approximately 209,050 villages,” Narayanan said.

Currently, India is the largest Maggi and the second-largest KitKat market for the company globally.

The company’s confectionery business here has tripled in the last ten years. Munch and Milkybar have also doubled their business.

In the distribution channels, Narayanan said that about 40% of the distributors have been associated with the company for over 10 years. Moreover, e-commerce contributes 8.6% to sales, out of which quick commerce accounts for around 45%.

Author Credits- Raghav Aggarwal
FINANCIAL EXPRESS

Usave, Shoprite Group’s no-frills discount stores, recently introduced an advanced loss prevention system designed to reduce costs and boost operational efficiency in its supermarkets – helping the retailer to continue delivering the lowest prices to customers.
This is in response to South Africa’s rising energy prices.

Implemented in partnership with 100% South African tech company Azoteq, the customised system employs SmartSense technology to track power consumption and facilitate rotational switching of store equipment during power outages, utilising inverters and battery banks.

It is especially critical for Usave’s rural and peri-urban stores, where the electricity supply is often erratic and extended outages are a regular challenge.

“This pioneering work showcases how our real-time, proactive use of innovative, locally developed technology, combined with a strong focus on operational excellence and cost savings, helps us prevent unnecessary waste and reduce shrinkage-related costs – efficiencies that allow us to pass even more value and savings directly to our customers,” says Dewaldo Diedericks, general manager of Usave.

The system monitors temperatures in critical areas, like cold storage, freezer rooms, and the sales floor, and issues alerts when predetermined thresholds are surpassed, thereby preventing spoilage and optimising energy consumption of equipment in these areas.

Data is delivered through a user-friendly dashboard that equips management with real-time insights to enhance decision-making, ensure improved food quality, and prevent costly equipment failures.

Generator runtime and fuel levels are also tracked, enabling the business to follow more efficient servicing and refueling schedules. In this way, Usave avoids unnecessary maintenance, further reduces costs, and minimises the likelihood of unexpected outages in instances where a switchover to a generator is necessitated.

To generate additional savings, Usave supermarkets also regularly simulate power outages at supermarkets on time-of-use (ToU) tariff structures, switching over to battery during peak times when electricity is more costly, and charging the batteries during off-peak times.

“We have been able to respond and prevent freezer failures as they occur, achieving a 0% rate of stock loss across all stores where this system has been implemented to date. In addition, the seamless, automated transition from generator power to hybrid inverter and battery power during outages has saved the business more than 80,000 hours worth of costly services and fossil fuel consumption,” adds Diedericks.

Already running at 202 locations, Usave plans to equip all its stores with SmartSense technology, gradually replacing older uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems.

As part of its sustainability efforts, the discount retailer is also gradually incorporating solar energy into its operational strategy at its already compatible hybrid system stores

News Credits- ZAWYA BY LSEG

Burberry’s CEO Joshua Schulman has earned almost £2.6 million in his first nine months at the business, with the figure including hundreds of thousands to relocate him to the UK and a £1 million+ bonus.

With former CEO Jonathan Akeroyd having received a payoff adding up to around £1.5 million following his July 2024 exit, the numbers come in stark contrast to the firm’s aim to cut costs, an aim that will include around 1.700 job cuts.

The firm’s annual report showed that Schulman could earn multi-millions this year if he meets key targets that will trigger bonus payments. And in future he could received £3.6 million if the company’s share price doubles in three years and it gets back into the elite FTSE 100 index that would see demand for its shares rising even further.

Earlier this month the company revealed a £66 million annual loss after profits had been close to £400 million in the previous year.

Burberry clearly believes that Schulman is the best person for the job and he already appears to have stabilised the business while boosting its share price that has risen almost 50% since he took over. That’s what triggered the £1.2 million bonus he’s already received.

While the payments to him are likely to come in for some criticism at a tough time for many at the business, Burberry said the three-year targets he has will stretch him and challenge him to deliver tangible growth.

Author Credits- Sandra Halliday
FASHION NETWORK

NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) announced today that Michael Gonda will become Executive Vice President and Chief Communications Officer of NIKE, Inc., effective July 7, 2025. In this role, Gonda will lead the global communications organization, overseeing all facets of the communications strategy, including storytelling, corporate and brand reputation, issues management, and employee engagement. As a member of the company’s Senior Leadership Team, Gonda will report to President and Chief Executive Officer Elliott Hill.

“Michael is a deeply strategic, emotionally intelligent, purpose-driven leader who understands the power of storytelling to move both brands and people,” said Hill. “His vision for driving impactful communications, his instinct for building high-performing teams, and his ability to form authentic connections will help Nike amplify the voice of sport and athletes around the world in bold and meaningful ways. I’m confident he’s the right leader for us as we put Nike back at the center of sport, and our team is excited for the vision and leadership he brings.”

Gonda joins Nike from McDonald’s Corporation, where he held several senior leadership roles, including Chief Impact Officer for North America—overseeing communications, public affairs, sustainability, community engagement and philanthropy for the company’s largest markets—and as Global Chief Communications Officer. During his tenure, he served on several leadership bodies, including the Global Senior Leadership Team.

“Nike has always been more than a brand—it’s a storyteller, a cultural force, and a catalyst for belief,” said Gonda. “I’m deeply honored to join a company that has shaped how people see themselves and the world around them, and am humbled to help Nike tell the stories that matter, connect even more deeply with athletes and communities, and write the next ambitious chapter with Elliott and this team.”

Prior to McDonald’s, Gonda held senior leadership roles at Chobani, a purpose-driven food company, and communications agency Weber Shandwick. An avid runner and traveler, Michael has lived across the United States, Kenya, and China. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in English with Honors from Brown University.

About NIKE, Inc.

NIKE, Inc., headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, is the world’s leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Converse, a wholly-owned NIKE, Inc. subsidiary brand, designs, markets and distributes athletic lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, NIKE, Inc.’s earnings releases and other financial information are available on the Internet at https://investors.nike.com/. Individuals can also visit https://about.nike.com/and follow NIKE on LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

News Credits- businessWire