Trade press for commerce and distribution · Europe
Effective immediately, all retailers, hospitality businesses and service providers must offer card payments and mobile payment methods alongside cash – a move by the federal government under Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil.
Discount fashion retailer Primark says it will start offering home delivery in the United Kingdom from 2026 – a radical strategic shift that ends its long‑standing click‑and‑collect‑only model.
A global YouTube experiment from July 2026 showed that videos that rely solely on product tags generate more than twice as many clicks as videos that only include description links. The finding forms the basis for the new YouTube Shopping Affiliate program in Germany and could sustainably influence the sales strategy of retailers such as OTTO, Thalia and Kaufland.
Berlin‑based e‑commerce brand Neona Living turned a garden shed and €1,500 of start‑up capital into annual sales of over €10 million – completely bootstrapped and without external venture capital.
The Swiss federal administration will launch a pilot project in 2026 with the open‑source office suite OpenDesk. On 3 000 workstations – roughly 7 % of the IT stock – about 9,4 Mio. € will be invested.
An analysis of roughly 220,000 plug‑in hybrid vehicles registered in the EU from the 2024 model year finds average real emissions of 145 g CO₂/km – six times the WLTP values of 24 g CO₂/km. The discrepancy fuels the upcoming debate on tightening the utility‑factor.
The Berlin Senate announced on 28 August 2026 that the state is under blackmail following a hacker attack on its Landesnetz, but gave no information on the perpetrators, demands or any ransom.
Meta unveiled the AI agent Muse, which operates via WhatsApp, handles purchases through Stripe Link, drafts emails and conducts price negotiations on its own.
The Berlin Regional Court ruled on June 24, 2026 that Lieferando’s clause excluding the refund of pre‑paid tips on cancellations is invalid. Lieferando has removed the clause from its terms and has been automatically refunding tips since March 2026.
The number of cyberattacks on banks and insurers is rising, with foreign intelligence services now blamed for more than a third of the attacks. At the same time, AI‑driven techniques such as deepfakes and automated robo‑calls are significantly reshaping the threat landscape.
Employers in wholesale and logistics need clear guidance on supporting inattentive, hyperactive‑impulsive and combined ADHD types.
A coalition of industry groups, companies and trade unions warns, ahead of the Bundestag debate on the 2027 federal budget, of an annual funding shortfall of roughly €4 bn that puts more than 90 rail projects – including about 30 this year – at risk.
The new kilometre‑based truck toll in Europe demands precise vehicle data, reshapes the cost structure and requires extensive system adjustments within companies.
Public‑sector buyers must look beyond glossy brochures; new regulations demand proof that agentic AI meets compliance standards.
The Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court ruled on 3 September 2026 that the city of Datteln must restart its planned procurement of roughly 650 iPads and issue a product‑neutral tender – the first binding precedent for public ICT procurement in Germany.
Buyers increasingly compare price, scope and target audience of negotiation trainings. We compare the publicly available course details of German providers.