A new group of diamonds stands out as being more perfect than almost all others in the $14 billion diamond market. They are completely colorless – making them, in the eyes of the Gemological Institute of America, among just 2 percent of the diamonds in the world. They are almost or entirely devoid of impurities,...
The lowest-paid workers in the UK have three more years of retirement on average compared to their professional counterparts, but are more likely to suffer ill health after stopping work, a new UCL-led study suggests. The study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, examined the length of time between stopping work and...
Giving consumers short time limits on offers means they are less likely to take them up, according to new research. Making time-limited offers is a common retail pricing strategy. Examples include the doorstep seller who claims that they are currently ‘in the area’ but will not be returning; the telephone seller who makes a ‘special...
Whether it’s walking down a dark street at night or fighting off grizzly bears on the trail, pepper spray is an effective tool to fend off an attacker and get safely away. But have you ever thought about what gives this personal-defense-in-a-can its bite – is it just weaponized hot sauce? The American Chemical Society...
Hermès’ revenues are on the rise again. The Paris-based luxury brand revealed this week that for the first half of the year, revenues were up 15 percent from the same 6-month period last year to $3.63 billion, while net profit (i.e., dollars earned after subtracting operating expenses, interest, taxes and preferred stock dividends) rose to...
For decades, Walmart solidly held the reins as the largest retailer in the world. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based multinational retail corporation’s competition trailed far behind and it could afford to focus almost exclusively on its roots as a big-box retail chain, selling low-priced staples, such as laundry detergent, paper towels, bottled water, groceries, and even apparel...
Gucci is going carbon neutral. The Kering-owned brand announced on Thursday that it is upping the ante in its existing decade-long sustainability plan, and confirmed that it will be completely carbon neutral by the end of September. “A new era of corporate accountability is upon us and we need to be diligent in taking all steps...
Do we tend to centre our Instagram selfies on our left eye? A new study suggests that it may not just be artists who make their eyes the centre-point of their own original work. New research suggests that we tend to compose ‘selfies’ that horizontally centre on one of our eyes, particularly the left. The...
Top fashion companies that are pledging to end worker exploitation in their global supply chains are hampering progress through their own irresponsible sourcing practices, concludes a new report on working conditions in the Southern Indian garment industry powerhouse. Short production windows, cost pressures and constant fluctuations in orders by brands and retail chains like Nike,...
Money can’t buy you happiness, but it could motivate you to live a better life. A new study featuring researchers at Binghamton University, State University of New York found that viewing wealth and material possessions as a sign of success yields significantly better results to life satisfaction than viewing wealth and possessions as a sign...
