Retail Crime: Scottish Labour says retail crime is “running riot,” citing a 19% jump in shoplifting and a 10% rise in assaults on retail workers (with injuries up 18%) from 2024-25 to 2025-26. Supermarket Pricing Watch: Consumer NZ warns supermarket loyalty data (Club+ / Everyday Rewards) could enable targeted dynamic pricing that may push grocery costs higher, while Foodstuffs and Woolworths deny it. Insurance Affordability: A NerdWallet survey finds many Americans are stressed by auto and home insurance premiums, but most don’t switch—highlighting how inertia keeps consumers in expensive policies. Online Marketplace Safety: Temu signed Australia’s ACCC Product Safety Pledge, adding 15 commitments and annual reporting to improve monitoring and removal of unsafe products. Consumer Finance/Tech: Luma Financial Technologies and TD Securities will link structured products management into a single hub for Canadian wealth firms. Retail Insolvencies: PwC reports Irish retail insolvencies rose 35% in H1 2026, with 109 retail failures in Q2. Brand/Marketing: KitKat won Cannes Lions for “The KitKat Heist,” turning a real transit theft into a global consumer moment. Food Prices: Egypt’s June 28 grocery basket was mixed—eggs and meat up, poultry down, and packaged milk rising.