According to Fuld & Company, a Boston-based competitive intelligence (CI) consultancy, the USA’s top companies are likely to raise their budgets on information gathering and analysing over the next five years. Fuld’s predictions are based on data from the recent Global Benchmark Study of 141 corporations, which forecasts the amount that the top 1,000 companies will spend on CI will increase from a current $1 billion to at least $10 billion by 2012.

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The Home Office is under scrutiny today as it has been accused of not investigating incidents of credit card fraud seriously.

APACS, the UK trade association for payments, has released figures which state ‘fraud on lost or stolen cards totaled £89m in 2005 and counterfeit card fraud amounted to £96.8m’ in the same year. The facts show that card crime is high, just last year ‘700,000 individual cases were reported, with the average loss per case amounting to £608.’

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It seems there’s a growing perception of an association between drinks with large quantities of sugar and obesity. While there is no direct medical link between sugar alone and overweight or obesity, there’s no doubt that untangling this notion is one of the greatest challenges for soft-drink manufacturers and retailers.

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It was nearly extinct at the end of the last century. But now more than 1.6 billion people are infected with the disease and global hotspots continue to be burdened with insufficient screening, diagnosis, and treatment.

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The rise against factory produced food is gaining momemtum amongst U.S. consumers. Ask an American about ‘food miles’ or the ‘slow food movement’ five years ago and few would’ve known what you were talking about. Today, however, awareness of these trends is like a badge displaying your green credentials. As these issues catch on the market for foods which fit the profile of this trend is likely to grow significantly.

Continue reading “Local and Fresh Foods: Are they just a privilege for the Middle Class?” »

Ethical Business; it seems to be all the rage these days. So it was no surprise when BAE publicised their intentions to join the ethical bandwagon signing none other than ex Lord Chief Justice, Lord Woolf, as their paragon of integrity.

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Ever heard of Phoods and Bepharages?

Well now you have.

They are food and drink products with additional health related benefits. Functional, Fortified and Inherently Healthy Foods and Beverages: The U.S. Phood Market suggests functional food and drinks are an exploding market which is so important that the writers of the report have created their own words - “phoods” and “bepharages”!

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The slow-down in the central nervous system (CNS) drug market growth between 2003 and 2005 is likely to continue over the next three years concludes new market research. CNS Market Trends 2007 to 2010 - Key market forecasts and growth opportunities is forecast to expand to US$63.9 billion in 2010, equivalent to annual growth of just 2.9% .

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Hybrid cars have been receiving endorsements from the worlds most glamorous people. But, some say these cars are merely a fashion statement not a sensible environmental alternative.

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The driving force behind adoption of new technologies will be consumer demand. That’s according to a new report 2007 Trends to Watch: Media and Broadcasting Technology. It forecasts greater convergence of telecoms, media and entertainment which will transform the technology landscape.

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