ASIA
ASIA: MARCH 2009 - Malaysia reviews its National Automotive Policy.
Malaysia's National Automotive Policy (NAP) was unveiled in March 2006 and was designed both to position the country as a regional automotive industry hub and to protect the domestic manufacturers, primarily Proton and Perodua. To these ends, and the subsidiary one of lowering prices to consumers, import and excise duties were reduced especially for...read more

EUROPE
EUROPE: MARCH 2009 - Britain imports increasing volumes of wine but not from France.
According to the Institute of Alcohol Studies, a charity, disposable income and relative price are the key determinants of alcohol consumption in the UK.

It certainly appears to be a significant determinant of the 12.4% increase in the UK's volume of wine imported between 2003 and 2007. The International Wine and Spirit Record (IWSR) calculates that Britain is now the largest consumer of imported wine based on the latest available (2007) figures. The runners up are Germany, the United States, Russia and the...read more

GLOBAL
AFRICA: MARCH 2009 - Pick n Pay addresses pricing concerns with suppliers.
On 26 January Business Day reported that Nick Badminton, CEO of supermarket chain Pick n Pay, had summoned 30 of the company's key suppliers to a meeting to discuss high and rising prices.

It quotes from what it calls a strongly worded invitation in which Badminton says 'in many cases, we are being asked by our suppliers for considerable cost price increases', which it describes as 'untenable' and in the case of our customers and the media, indefensible'. He added that there was an 'expectation from consumers, government spokespeople and the...read more