AGP Executive Report

UPI Payments: India’s Payments Council of India says UPI will stay free for consumers and small merchants won’t pay MDR charges, even as rules for larger businesses are debated. Consumer Costs: Pakistan’s NEPRA approved a 75-paisa per-unit electricity price increase for June, to be recovered in August bills, adding pressure to household budgets. Retail & Tech: Retailers are racing to win AI-driven shopping traffic, but the fight is shifting to who controls customer data after chatbots recommend products. Smartphones: Counterpoint reports Apple has 65% of the global premium smartphone market in H1 2026, though its share is down from 2022 as Chinese rivals push harder. Payments & Trust: English National Ballet warned customers of a possible data exposure after a cyber incident at its CRM provider, with names and contact details potentially affected. Food Safety: UAE authorities say lettuce linked to a US cyclosporiasis outbreak is not sold in local markets, while urging shoppers to buy from approved outlets and wash produce well. Business Growth: Texas Roadhouse credits “local” grassroots marketing for its national rise, with same-store sales up 6.2% in Q2. Global Economy: A PMI survey says July growth improved mainly in advanced economies, while emerging markets weakened as cost-of-living pressures bite.

EV Retail: India logged record July EV retail sales of 327,901 units, up 66% year-on-year, with EVs nearing 1 in 8 vehicles sold, as buyers weigh oil-price and inflation risks. Consumer Prices: A Reuters poll points to July Indian consumer inflation edging higher to 4.50% on food costs, keeping pressure on households even as fuel pass-through looks limited. Handloom Goes Digital: India’s National Handloom Day push leaned hard into e-commerce and social media—President Murmu backed online global reach, Andhra rolled out QR tags for handicrafts, and PM Modi urged “GRWM” video sharing to spotlight weavers. Payments & Compliance: Mastercard says its Crypto Credential is a compliance “passport” for stablecoin transfers, not a payment rail, testing a single-audit model for cross-border flows. Semiconductors & Trade: Malaysia is positioned to benefit from AI-driven shifts thanks to its semiconductor export role, while the US’s new polysilicon price floors and tariffs drew criticism from Chinese experts as trade protectionism. Retail & Safety: PSA faced collector backlash after on-site grading delays at a major convention, and S&W Foods hit its highest AIB distribution-center score to date. Global Food: FAO reports global food prices at a three-year high as heatwaves and conflict disrupt cereal supply. Energy: Nigeria’s LNG expansion is advancing, with NLNG Train 7 nearing completion and boosting export capacity.

National ID Push in Banking: The Philippines’ central bank is moving to require banks to plug National ID Authentication Services (NIDAS) into digital onboarding and KYC, using facial recognition and fingerprints, with a phased rollout and minimum use at account opening and risk-based updates. Consumer Law Updates: British Columbia’s consumer protection rules kick in Aug. 1, aiming to curb unclear subscription terms, hidden fees, and predatory contract practices. Energy Crunch for Households: Moldova faces another peak-hour electricity deficit (18:00–21:00), with officials urging voluntary consumption cuts during the 19:00–20:00 window. Retail & Food Safety: A Popeyes Houston lawsuit claims a “condom-like” foreign object was found in fried chicken, seeking $1.5M+. Online Shopping Fit Problem: AndaSeat spotlights chair fit issues driving returns, launching its Back-to-School campaign with the Kaiser 3E Focus. Supply Disruption Watch: A new report says the Strait of Hormuz disruption has surpassed 2 billion barrels, keeping global energy tight. Handloom Day Marketing: India’s PM Modi urges youth to buy handloom and share GRWM videos to boost weavers’ livelihoods.

Digital Identity for Retail Banking: The Philippines’ central bank is drafting a rule that will force BSP-supervised lenders and digital financial firms to link onboarding to the National ID system, with a two-phase rollout starting with high-volume retail institutions. EU Procurement Push: The European Union is moving toward “Made in Europe” procurement preferences, aiming to steer public buying toward EU-made goods and services as protectionism rises. Confectionery Innovation: Nestlé Travel Retail is expanding After Eight beyond mint with new caramel, orange and raspberry flavours, rolling out in global travel retail from September. Beer Marketing: AB InBev launches its global “Cheers to Beer” campaign for International Beer Day, backed by new consumer preference findings. Cyber Safety for Customers: Nigerian banks are warning customers after a global cyber campaign, urging people not to share PINs, OTPs or BVNs via calls or messages. Food Delivery Competition: Bernstein says new entrants in India’s food delivery market could lower prices and widen choice, especially outside top metros. Healthcare Tech Rollout: Leeds pathology researchers’ TANGO tool is set for wider NHS and international adoption to standardize slide staining for more reliable cancer diagnosis. Logistics Demand Signal: DHL Global Forwarding reported Q2 revenue up 17.9%, with airfreight driving gains amid higher rates and AI-related shipments. Cosmetics Standards: China’s first mandatory national cosmetics standard takes effect Jan. 1, 2028, tightening microbial limits, especially for children’s products.

Organic Cosmetics Standard: Natura Siberica says it’s the first Russian cosmetics maker to meet a new state standard for organic cosmetics with environmental claims, following audits of production sites, product formulas, and supply-chain documents. Trade & Logistics: SUMEA opened a nearly 12,000 sqm global trade hub in Dubai’s JAFZA to consolidate sourcing, procurement, warehousing and re-exporting across 75+ countries. Retail Expansion: Woodvale Studios, now in its 10th year, launched its own “Joy” stationery and gifting range for general retail alongside ongoing private-label work. Healthcare Consumer Demand: Excite Medical reported its DRX9000 non-surgical spinal decompression education platform topped 20,000 YouTube subscribers and 7.8M views as interest in conservative pain relief grows. Grocery Tech: Albertsons rolled out a Safeway plugin in ChatGPT to help shoppers find products, check deals and build carts via natural-language requests. Food Safety & Claims: Qatar health authorities warned consumers about “natural” weight-loss products found to contain undeclared prescription drugs. National Farmers Market Push: USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins proclaimed National Farmers Market Week, urging Americans to shop local. Fuel Prices: Malaysia cut retail RON97, unsubsidised RON95 and diesel by 5 sen per litre for Aug 6–12.

EPR & Consumer Stewardship: Vermont’s Reverse Logistics Group won a contract to run outreach and manufacturer billing support for the state’s Household Hazardous Product Stewardship Program under its EPR law, helping shift end-of-life costs from taxpayers to producers. Heat Pump Push: UK energy firm Octopus says heat pump sales hit a best-ever July, up 71% year-on-year, with its dashboard claiming average £227-a-year savings versus gas boilers. Retail Cyber Risk: France’s Intermarché says a cyberattack hit nearly 300,000 click-and-collect customers, exposing names, phones, addresses, DOBs and loyalty numbers (no banking details or passwords). Composite Materials for Defense/Aerospace: Toray Composite Materials America expands its 3960 prepreg with an off-axis ±45° braided format aimed at cutting scrap and boosting production rates. EV Charging Expansion: Beam Global deployed EV ARC™ off-grid charging at a Serbia spa under a recurring revenue deal, positioning Europe growth for 2026. Aviation & Logistics: DHL Global Forwarding reported Q2 revenue up 17.9% as airfreight rose 30.4%, while CFS Aero moved its main base to OR Tambo. Consumer Prices Watch: Qatar’s June CPI rose 2.21% year-on-year, with transport up but several groups flat.

Cybersecurity & Consumer Data: Zenith Bank says hackers accessed limited customer info, including email addresses and phone numbers, and is investigating as part of a wider global cyberattack; the bank stresses core banking and digital channels are secure and urges customers to watch for phishing and never share passwords, PINs or OTPs. Retail & Consumer Tech: Apple asked a judge to block OpenAI from using products made with alleged Apple trade secrets, seeking a forensic look at OpenAI devices and cloud storage as the hardware-related lawsuit moves forward. Energy Costs & Solar: Australia’s small-scale renewable energy scheme is set to expand, with incentives for solar systems up to one megawatt aimed at cutting power bills for small businesses and the “missing middle” in townhouses and apartments. Food & Local Pride: Levain Artisan Bakery in Auckland won the 2026 Bakels NZ Supreme Pie Awards for its bacon and egg pie, beating a field of challengers. Packaging Industry: Sonoco is reorganizing its global consumer packaging under one leadership structure, aiming to streamline operations across metal and paper cans, closures and components. Functional Beverages: Brew Shockalaka is rolling into Schnucks Markets, bringing its zero-sugar nootropic RTD coffee to mainstream grocery shelves in the Midwest.

Retail & Consumer: Hong Kong retail sales rose 4.6% in June (14th straight month of growth), helped by stronger visitor numbers, with jewellery and watches jumping 20.1%. Pet Products: WellPaws became the first pet supplement brand to land a national listing at Tesco Ireland, rolling out across 150 stores, with additional distribution via Dunnes Stores. Energy Costs: Nigeria’s electricity metering rate hit 59.69% in March-April, leaving about 5.13 million customers unmetered, while a US webinar warns high power prices could persist until 2030. Payments & Travel Tech: Conferma launched a Virtual Card Performance Index to benchmark hotel payment reliability using real transaction data. Corporate & Retail Real Estate: Prologis and SEGRO agreed a recommended takeover with a partial cash alternative. Data & Safety: UK Police National Legal Database confirmed a breach published on the dark web, and California Poison Control warned about dangerous synthetic kratom derivatives in some “herbal” products. Manufacturing & Trade: Oman Air added five cargo routes in a week, expanding cold-chain options. Auto Retail: VOYAH opened a large Wuhan flagship center designed for factory-to-customer delivery and after-sales service.

Retail Expansion & Strategy: Shoprite’s Whitey Basson says the retailer’s leap from eight stores to a $9.4B Africa empire was built on acquisitions, pricing psychology, hyper-local rollout, and fast execution. Freight & Consumer Demand: Dimerco’s August freight report flags a market split: AI and semiconductor demand keeps Asia-US air lanes tight while consumer and e-commerce volumes soften. Energy Policy for Households: Malaysia is diversifying gas supply to strengthen energy security, aiming to reduce reliance on any single country or market. Shipping & Food Supply Chains: Port Canaveral launched a new international container service to Mexico and the U.S. Northeast, targeting imports like electronics, refrigerated goods, and fresh produce. Tariffs & Consumer Refunds: Amazon says it will refund some tariff costs in a limited set of circumstances, while lawmakers argue tariff refunds should go to consumers, not big companies. AI in Healthcare Products: CapsoVision expands its AI Highlights feature internationally for capsule endoscopy review workflows. Consumer Deals: Whataburger marks National Whataburger Day Aug. 8 with a Buy One, Get One offer via its app. Safety & Environment: A California-led study finds shark-finning rules didn’t meaningfully curb global shark trade, even as high-end fin demand persists.

France Foreign Investment: France lowered its screening trigger for sensitive-sector deals to 10% stakes in listed firms, aiming to close loopholes and block “opportunistic” non-EU acquisitions tied to national security. Semiconductors: China’s CXMT says its next-gen LPDDR6 low-power DRAM is nearing production readiness, setting up direct competition with SK Hynix. Wireless Tech: T2M expanded its Wi‑Fi 7 and Wi‑Fi 6 RF transceiver IP portfolio for next-gen SoCs, targeting faster integration for consumer and smart-home devices. EV Market: The IEA reports global EV sales rebounded in Q2, helped by Middle East-driven fuel volatility and renewed electrification interest. Retail Operations: A study flags inventory record errors as a major driver of lost sales and order cuts, with inventory accuracy often around 65%. Consumer & Safety: Liberia’s food authority destroyed 76,000 expired energy drink cans after alleged expiry-date tampering and unsafe returns to market. Auto & Mobility: Leapmotor entered Indonesia with B10 and C10 EVs and launched local KD assembly with Indomobil.

AI Demand & Exports: Taiwan’s economy surged 12.9% in Q2, driven by a 21.6% jump in exports tied to AI hardware demand. Consumer Tech Costs: Hong Kong shoppers face a “RAMaggedon” memory chip crunch as RAM prices spike and shortages are expected to linger into 2027-28. Food Safety Alerts: Taiwan expanded its camellia oil probe after finding eight batches with carcinogen levels above limits, while Canada issued a Hershey’s Kisses recall over undeclared almonds. Retail & Payments: Emirates NBD agreed to buy HSBC Egypt’s retail banking business, and Bahrain’s NBB launched a multi-currency debit card feature in its app. Energy & Supply: Nigeria’s navy dismantled illegal refineries and recovered 61,000 litres of stolen petroleum products; Chevron warned Iran-linked risks could threaten global oil supplies. India Consumer Push: FMCG giants are adding stores and boosting India ad spend as distribution widens and sentiment improves. Health & Regulation: FSSAI sent notices to liquor makers over added flavours, and RBI’s MPC is expected to hold rates as inflation pressures rise. Global Brands in China: Apple, adidas, L’Oréal and Coca-Cola reported strong China results, reinforcing the market’s resilience.

Tobacco Packaging Crackdown: Israel will require graphic health warnings on all smoking products, covering 75% of packaging and banning brand colors/logos—another push under the WHO tobacco-control framework. Retail & Consumer Goods: Oatly reported profitable Q2 growth driven by Barista oat milk sales in Europe, while UK ice cream brands point to convenience as the fastest-growing channel as summer demand heats up. Tech & Electronics: The “RAMaggedon” chip crunch is driving sharp RAM price hikes in Hong Kong, with Samsung warning shortages may persist through 2028—raising costs for laptops and smartphones. Global Trade & Supply Chains: China Cotton Association condemned the US adding 43 Chinese companies to the Entity List over forced-labor claims, warning sanctions could disrupt the cotton industry chain. Travel & Payments: HBX Group expanded global accommodation distribution via a Sabre partnership, and India–Maldives launched the Favara-UPI corridor for instant cross-border transfers. Energy Costs: Exxon and Chevron warned high fuel prices may stick due to refining capacity constraints from global conflicts.

AI Spending Anxiety: Silicon Valley’s cash-rich era is flipping as big tech pours money into AI, raising fresh questions about when returns will show up. Labor Disruption Watch: WestJet starts cancelling flights ahead of a potential flight-attendant strike/lockout, with 86 trips already cut. Product Data Upgrades: GS1 Digital Link QR codes aim to keep packaging identifiers stable while letting brands update instructions and service info digitally. Apple Pricing Pressure: Tim Cook warns memory costs are in a “100-year flood,” pushing Apple to raise prices and flag supply constraints. Smartphone Upgrade Economics: More brands are leaning into leasing and subscription plans to smooth upgrades as device replacement cycles lengthen. Tariff Refunds for Shoppers: Amazon says it received about $600M in tariff refunds and will return some to eligible customers, though timing and amounts remain unclear. Food Supply Shock: Ghana warns cocoa output could drop 16%, threatening global chocolate supply and prices. Energy Cost Relief: Energocom urges Moldova consumers to cut electricity use during peak hours amid regional market strain. Health Recall: Major Rugby recalls certain levothyroxine tablets after reports they’re “subpotent.” Consumer Safety: Experts warn skin-lightening products can cause long-term damage and have been linked to squamous cell carcinoma. Wildfire Risk: Extreme fires in Europe underscore how climate-driven disasters can hit consumer life and infrastructure fast.

Tariff refunds meet retail reality: Amazon says it’s getting about $600M back from Trump-era tariff refunds, with some shoppers reimbursed automatically while the rest is expected to show up as price cuts. Consumer protection in banking: India’s Nagpur consumer panel ordered ICICI Bank to refund ₹5.18 lakh to a cyber-fraud victim, stressing banks must monitor suspicious activity. Food affordability pressure: Nigeria’s cost of a healthy diet jumped 11.7% in Q1 2026, with some states’ prices consuming most of minimum wages. World Cup governance shake-up: FIFA withdrew its plan to bring private investors into World Cup commercial operations after global backlash. Energy and prices watch: Pakistan cut petrol, diesel and kerosene prices slightly for Aug 1–3 under a new daily fuel pricing mechanism. Tech + crypto power shift: Russia expanded Bitcoin mining restrictions into Moscow, cutting capacity in a major global hub. Global trade snapshot: WTO reports Africa’s merchandise exports rose 14% in Q1 2026, led by metals, gold, copper and fertilizers.

AI & Consumer Tech: SalesCloser says it will use a voice AI agent to automate applicant qualification for a top-five social media platform’s high-volume onboarding program, shifting more “first conversations” from staff to software. EVs & Cost of Ownership: A consumer-focused piece argues EVs are a win on total cost, citing lower fuel and maintenance plus expanding charging and incentives. Food Safety Crackdown: India’s FSSAI moves against misleading health products and non-compliant labeling, including a prohibition order tied to Folineuro Syrup claims. Retail & Customer Experience: Home Depot reorganizes merchandising, loyalty, Pro operations, and customer experience around a “frictionless interconnected” model, with a Gemini-powered voice agent piloted in stores. Cross-Border Payments: Remitly launches the Remitly Global Card, bundling a Visa debit account with USDC stablecoin balances and zero-APR credit for eligible cross-border workers. Consumer Pressure: A U.S. report says spending is outpacing income, while consumer sentiment rebounds in July. Global Trade: WTO data points to stronger-than-expected Q1 2026 merchandise trade growth, with AI-related electrical equipment helping offset disruptions. Energy & Bills: Oregon’s PGE seeks nearly 5% rate increases, with residential bills rising about $8 a month.

Retail Fuel & Inflation: China will raise retail gasoline and diesel prices starting Saturday, citing higher global crude costs tied to Middle East tensions. Consumer Spending Pressure: Visa says Philippine consumer spending worsened in Q2 as inflation eroded purchasing power, even as fuel spending rose. Auto Market Watch: China’s passenger car market saw retail and wholesale declines in the first 26 days of July, while new energy vehicles stayed relatively steadier. Energy Transition Milestone: California hit a record where solar supplied 51% of electricity in May, helped by large battery storage. Retail Deal: Sainsbury’s agreed to sell Argos to retail specialists Swift Partners in a £120m deal, keeping staff and customers “business as usual.” Tech for Customers: Revolut partners with OpenAI to bring ChatGPT Go to millions of customers, with plan-based free access. Robotics & Policy: The FCC unveiled rules that could ban imports of certain foreign-made advanced robotic devices, including robot vacuums. Global Supply Chain Risk: Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is rebounding, while researchers warn prolonged shutdowns could spread invasive species via ship hulls.