Maserati is poised to unveil a new business plan shortly after Stellantis' new CEO, Antonio Filosa, assumes office later this month. The plan aims to revitalize the struggling luxury brand, encompassing new products, redesigned dealer relations, and improved assistance networks. Despite market speculation, Stellantis has no intention of selling Maserati, reaffirming its commitment to the Italian brand.
Sam's Club, owned by Walmart, plans to eliminate over 40 ingredients from its Member's Mark brand by year-end. This initiative, called 'Made Without', caters to health-conscious consumers. The move follows calls to remove synthetic food dyes. Other companies like W.K. Kellogg and Tyson Foods are also reformulating products. Sam's Club has already introduced cookies and snacks without artificial colors.
Starbucks is undergoing a leadership reshuffle to improve performance, promoting Mike Grams to chief operating officer. CEO Brian Niccol, aiming to revitalize the coffeehouse experience, is simplifying the menu and enhancing cafe features. These changes follow disappointing sales and profit figures, prompting organizational adjustments to streamline operations and boost accountability.
Flipkart, owned by Walmart, has secured a non-bank finance company (NBFC) licence from the Reserve Bank of India, enabling it to directly offer loans to customers and sellers. This marks the first time the RBI has granted such a licence to a major e-commerce player in India. The central bank issued its certificate of registration - a document that officially recognizes a company as an NBFC - to Flipkart Finance Private Limited on March 13.
Procter & Gamble plans to reduce its workforce by 7,000 employees, approximately 6% of its total, over the next two years. This restructuring aims to address uneven consumer demand and rising costs influenced by tariff uncertainties. P&G will also streamline its organization, potentially divesting some brands and product categories to optimize its supply chain and navigate the challenging global environment.
Google is facing an $800 million class-action lawsuit in California, with Android users alleging the tech giant misappropriated their cellphone data. The plaintiffs claim Google surreptitiously sends data over cellular networks, even when phones are idle, consuming purchased data allowances. Google defends its practices as standard and beneficial, while arguing users consented via terms of service.
Satya Nadella of Microsoft announced changes. Ryan Roslansky, LinkedIn CEO, will now oversee Microsoft Office products. This includes Word, Excel, and Copilot. Roslansky will report to Rajesh Jha. Charles Lamanna, who leads Copilot for business, will also report to Jha. Sumit Chauhan and Gaurav Sareen, current Office leaders, will report to Jha as well.
AI search advertising in the US is set for massive growth. Emarketer predicts spending will reach $26 billion by 2029. Traditional keyword ads may decline as AI offers better user engagement. Google and Microsoft are adding AI to compete with chatbots. Apple is exploring AI search for Safari. Online education firms are already feeling the impact.
The BEUC filed a complaint against Shein with the European Commission, accusing the fast-fashion giant of using “dark patterns” to push excessive buying. These include pop-ups, countdowns, and gamification tactics. BEUC says such strategies fuel mass consumption. Shein claims compliance efforts are underway, but faces broader EU scrutiny and potential fines over consumer and digital regulation breaches.
According to the complaint, Anthropic has resisted entering a licensing agreement even as it trained its Claude chatbot on Reddit content, despite assuring last July it had blocked its bots from accessing Reddit's platform. Reddit quoted Claude admitting it was "trained on at least some Reddit data" and did not know if that content was deleted.
South Korean cosmetic startups, buoyed by online success, are expanding their physical presence in the U.S. market, aiming to offset tariff impacts with competitive pricing and quality. Brands like Tirtir and d'Alba are in talks with major retailers, leveraging the popularity of K-culture to drive sales. Despite challenges, K-beauty's growth in the U.S. is outpacing traditional brands.
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