Walmart ultrafast drone delivery takes off in Atlanta

Walmart continues expanding the availability of drone-based delivery that can arrive in as little as five minutes. The discount giant is building on a longstanding partnership with Wing, an on-demand drone delivery provider powered by Google’s parent company Alphabet, to launch ultra-fast drone delivery from six Walmart Supercenter stores across metro Atlanta.  Walmart products eligible for drone delivery include grocery items, last-minute gifts, household goods and over-the-counter medicine. According to the retailer, its drone deliveries average a five-minute or less flight time.  To receive drone delivery from Walmart, eligible customers can place an order through the Wing app and, at checkout, confirm the precise delivery location on their property. Once loaded onto one of Wing’s automated drones, the order cruises at approximately 60 MPH and about 150 feet off the ground.  Upon arrival, the drone lowers the package to the ground with no assistance needed. Wing operates within FAA guidelines, flying their drones beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) up to a six-mile aircraft range from the store.
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Inside New Balance’s Mission to Invest in Made-in-America Production

New Balance has no plans to stray from its decades-long commitment to American manufacturing. The footwear firm has released its first Made in USA Economic and Social Footprint report focusing on 2023 and 2024 initiatives. The company, who said it is the “only” major athletic footwear manufacturer to maintain U.S. production, disclosed that it invested $155 million in expanding its U.S. factory presence since 2021. Those investments have included the integration of advanced technologies while also preserving skilled craftsmanship that has defined its shoe-making heritage since 1938. The company operate four factories in New England. Two are located in Maine, one in Skowhegan and the other in Norway, as well as two in Massachusetts, one in Lawrence and the other in Methuen. A fifth factory in Londonderry, N.H., is slated to open in early 2026. The report noted that the shoe firm in 2024 contributed $3.1 billion to the U.S. economy, representing a 23 percent increase from $2.5 billion in 2023. The company said that $479 million of that impact came from its U.S. Made operations, underscoring the “vital role domestic manufacturing plays in its U.S. economic footprint.” Its operations employed more than 5,000 across the U.S., including 1,200 Made employees. The company also said that last year, each Made employee supported 2.5x additional U.S. jobs.
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Fanatics tapped as World Cup 2026 partner; to open ‘retail experiences’

FIFA has selected a retail partner ahead of the world’s largest sporting event next year. Sports merchandise brand Fanatics will serve as the official on-site retail licensee of the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will feature 104 matches across 39 days next summer in Canada, Mexico and the United States. In addition to in-stadium retail operations at 16 venues across North America, including in Los Angeles, New York & New Jersey, Atlanta, Miami and more, Fanatics will also open retail experiences at official FIFA Fan Festival locations within host cities, creating more opportunities for fans to shop their favorite country and player apparel. Fanatics says it will work with a variety of brands and official FIFA merchandise partners to curate a “robust fan gear assortment” for all 48 competing nations. The company will utilize its on-demand manufacturing capabilities and global supply chain to produce “quick-strike products” that celebrate the unpredictable moments of the World Cup.
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Cyber 5 online sales set new record as shoppers spend $44.2 billion

In 2025, online sales beat expectations for retailers during Thanksgiving and the four days that follow, which together make up the Cyber 5. Altogether, U.S. consumers spent $44.2 billion online during the five-day period, according to data and analysis from Adobe Analytics. The Cyber 5 also includes Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. The results show Black Friday’s online relevance continuing to rise. As they did, Cyber Monday still continued to be the dominant day for digital sales. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence (AI) and buy now, pay later (BNPL) apps drove more activity than they did during the equivalent days in 2024.
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Sappi and UPM propose combining their European-based graphic paper businesses to create a new Joint Venture company

Sappi and UPM have today announced the signing of a non-binding letter of intent to form a non-listed, independent 50/50 Joint Venture for graphic paper. This Joint Venture will bring together Sappi’s European Graphic Paper business with UPM’s Communication Papers business in Europe, the UK and the US. Sappi and UPM will sell their respective businesses and assets mentioned below to the newly formed Joint Venture with a combined enterprise value of €1,420 million excluding the value of the expected synergy benefits. At closing the Joint Venture will raise debt to fund the purchase prices payable to Sappi and UPM respectively. The Joint Venture’s dividend policy will be to distribute all excess cash to its shareholders.   The Sappi business is valued at €320 million which, based on an FY2025 EBITDA of €64 million represents a 5x multiple. Sappi will transfer pension and other liabilities of €53 million and net assets valued at €267 million to the Joint Venture. In return Sappi will receive cash of €139 million and 50% shareholding in the Joint Venture.   The UPM business is valued at €1,100 million, which represents a 4.6x multiple of the last reported 12 months to September 2025 EBITDA. UPM will transfer pension and other liabilities of €360 million and net assets of €740 million to the Joint Venture. In return UPM will receive cash of €613 million and 50% shareholding in the Joint Venture.  Sappi will contribute the following assets: Gratkorn Mill (Austria); Ehingen Mill (Germany), Maastricht Mill (The Netherlands), and Kirkniemi Mill (Finland); as well as Sappi Europe’s wood supply Joint Ventures. UPM will contribute their Communication Papers business assets which are located at the following UPM mills: Augsburg (Germany), Schongau (Germany), Nordland paper lines 1 and 4  (Germany),  Rauma including UPM RaumaCell (Finland), Kymi (Finland), Jämsänkoski paper line 6 (Finland), Caledonian (United Kingdom), and Blandin (United States of America).
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The complete Super Bowl 60 ad tracker for 2026

Advertiser excitement is in full swing as Super Bowl LX approaches on Feb. 8, 2026. NBCUniversal confirmed in September that all commercial inventory for the big game is sold out, with the broadcaster seeking around $7 million for a 30-second spot during early talks. Some marketers, including Grubhub, have been quick to announce their debut for what many bill as the biggest night in advertising, while others, like Ritz and Nerds, were similarly eager in revealing plans for their return. The big game continues to be a major opportunity for brands to gain visibility, with the 2025 iteration attracting 127.7 million U.S. viewers across television and streaming platforms, making it the most watched Super Bowl to date.
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China has planted so many trees it’s changed the entire country’s water distribution

China's efforts to slow land degradation and climate change by planting trees and restoring grasslands have shifted water around the country in huge, unforeseen ways, new research shows. Between 2001 and 2020, changes in vegetation cover reduced the amount of fresh water available for humans and ecosystems in the eastern monsoon region and northwestern arid region, which together make up 74% of China's land area, according to a study published Oct. 4 in the journal Earth's Future. Over the same period, water availability increased in China's Tibetan Plateau region, which makes up the remaining land area, scientists found. "We find that land cover changes redistribute water," study co-author Arie Staal, an assistant professor of ecosystem resilience at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, told Live Science in an email. "China has done massive-scale regreening over the past decades. They have actively restored thriving ecosystems, specifically in the Loess Plateau. This has also reactivated the water cycle."
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McDonald’s faces allegations of non-compliance with EU law in the Netherlands

The Fair Resource Foundation has alleged that McDonald’s Netherlands is using single-use paper cups with plastic coatings for on-site consumption, rather than reusable packaging, as required by EU’s Single Use Plastic Directive (SUPD) The Fair Resource Foundation, a non-profit organization that advocates for the equitable use of resources, claims that the fast-food chain furthermore charges customers €0.15 (US$0.17) per single-use cup, even though the charge is only applied to take-away packaging, not dine-in.  The SUPD prohibited the offer of disposable cups and containers made of plastic and imposed a surcharge on single-use items. In the Netherlands, as of January 2024, the legislation requires restaurants to offer reusable cups and containers for on-site consumption
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Macy’s cautiously optimistic about the holidays

Along with its strong comparable sales showing, Macy’s achieved its highest Q3 net promoter score, which CEO Tony Spring called “one of the best ways to measure progress.” “It used to be the case that Macy’s presented the customer with a jumble of product that they had to sort and sift through,” he said. “Nowadays, Macy’s is increasingly giving the customer ideas and inspiration through things like outfit suggestions and more curated assortments.” “The company’s efforts to improve merchandising and service appear to be gaining traction, as the company sees somewhat accelerating topline results despite a choppy environment and ongoing challenges at regional malls,” Silverman said in emailed comments.
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Reuse and return schemes could help eliminate plastic pollution in 15 years, says report

Pew Charitable Trusts finds plastic pollution will more than double globally by 2040 unless action taken The 66m tonnes of pollution from plastic packaging that enters the global environment each year could be almost eliminated by 2040 primarily by reuse and return schemes, significant new research reveals. In the most wide-ranging analysis of the global plastic system, the Pew Charitable Trusts, in collaboration with academics including at Imperial College London and the University of Oxford, said plastic, a material once called revolutionary and modern, was now putting public health, world economies and the future of the planet at risk. If nothing is done, plastic pollution will more than double in the next 15 years to 280m metric tonnes a year, the equivalent to a rubbish truck full of plastic waste being dumped every second. Much of the waste is made up of packaging. The single largest source of plastic waste across the world comes from packaging, which is used once then thrown away, and much of which is not recyclable. In 2025 it made up 33% globally of plastic waste, causing 66m tonnes of pollution to enter the environment each year. But packaging pollution could be almost eliminated with concerted action such as deposit return schemes and reuse – where consumers take empty boxes or refillable cups to supermarkets and cafes. Combined with bans on certain polymers and substituting plastic for other materials, plastic pollution could be cut by 97% in the next 15 years, the research found. “We have the ability to transform this, and nearly eliminate plastic pollution from packaging,” said Winnie Lau, project director, preventing plastic pollution, at the Pew Foundation.
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Domtar owned Crofton B.C. pulp mill to close permanently, throwing 350 out of work

Domtar, which owns the mill, cited the lack of available fibre and poor pricing in global pulp markets for the shutdown. The Crofton pulp and paper mill, a fixture in the region since 1956, is closing permanently. Domtar, which owns the mill, cited the lack of available fibre and poor pricing in global pulp markets for the shutdown, which will put 350 employees out of work. The company said the mill will cease operations on Dec. 15, but will continue to employ workers at the site until February. It said it is exploring possibilities for the property, including putting the site up for sale. The closure follows the curtailment of the mill’s paper machines in late 2024, which sidelined more than 100 workers. Steve Henry, Domtar paper and packaging president, said Tuesday the Crofton mill has faced challenges for some time. “Over the last 18 months, Crofton employees worked hard to reduce operational costs, and they made some extraordinary gains,” Henry said in a statement. “Unfortunately, continued poor pricing for pulp and lack of access to affordable fibre in B.C. necessitate the closure.”
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10 Roads Express to shut down operations, end USPS contracts

The 10 Roads group of companies — one of the largest U.S. mail haulers — announced Monday it will wind down all operations over the next 60 days and cease service to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) by Jan. 30, citing steep revenue losses tied to major USPS network changes. In a statement to FreightWaves, the company said it has faced “continued and significant headwinds” across the transportation sector, compounded by fundamental operational shifts at USPS over the past two years. Those changes include increased use of brokers and the insourcing of transportation work — a trend that 10 Roads said has resulted in a 70% loss of revenue with expectations of further declines, company officials said. The company, which has provided mail-haul transportation to USPS for more than 47 years, said it has formally notified USPS of its intent to discontinue service. “We remain very appreciative of our long-standing relationship with the USPS and are committed to supporting a smooth transition,” the spokesperson added.
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Canada Moves Toward Harmonized Ecodesign Guidelines

For the first time in Canada, five producer responsibility organizations are collaborating to develop harmonized ecodesign guidelines that will help improve the recyclability of packaging and paper products across the country. The national framework will build on the ecodesign and recyclability guidelines developed by Éco Entreprises Québec, which were launched in 2024 and updated in 2025. The harmonized approach focuses on three key design pillars: reducing unnecessary packaging, increasing the use of responsible materials and prioritizing recyclability. “This collaboration will lay the groundwork for a national approach that will better support the recycling of packaging and paper across the Canadian marketplace,” said a joint statement from the organizations. “Ultimately, it will enhance environmental performance and build a more circular economy.”
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Small businesses face rising costs and cautious hiring, even as holiday spending and tech adoption show signs of strength.

According to Bank of America’s 2025 Business Owner Report, many business owners are approaching the next 12 months with cautious optimism, with nearly three out of four expecting revenue increases. But compared to last year, more small business owners expect sales to decrease over the next 12 months, while fewer who run medium-sized firms expect that to occur. With the holidays around the corner, there are crosscurrents for small businesses. On one hand, consumer spending on holiday items was off to a strong start; on the other, tariff-related costs have surged for small businesses. Despite the pressure, inventory payments per small business client were up 0.6% year-over-year in October, though seasonal retail hiring remains below last year’s levels.
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Costco sues over Trump’s tariffs in a bid to secure a refund

The wholesale retailer has filed a lawsuit against the United States, the US Customs and Border Protection agency, and Rodney S. Scott, the Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection. The suit asks the US Court of International Trade to strike down tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump by executive order under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and to ensure tariff refunds for businesses that paid import duties. In a complaint submitted Friday, November 28, the retailer said it is seeking a "full refund" of duties it paid after Trump used the emergency-powers law to levy what he described as "reciprocal" tariffs. The complaint cited a previous lawsuit, VOS Selections, Inc. vs. Trump, filed against the Trump administration, for which the US Supreme Court heard arguments in early November. Earlier this year, Costco's CEO, Ron Vachris, said during a Q2 earnings call, "About a third of our sales in the US are imported from other countries, and less than half of those are items coming from China, Mexico, and Canada."
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People, climate, and nature go hand-in-hand: reflections of COP30

From November 10 to 21, 2025, nations and organisations gathered in UN’s annual climate conference COP30 to discuss global climate action, including nature and communities. This year, the conference took place in Belém, Brazil, and Stora Enso was proud to be part of the Finland Pavilion. We partnered with Veracel, our Brazilian joint-operation with Suzano, that produces eucalyptus pulp for the needs of a circular bioeconomy. Now as a week has gone past since COP30, it’s time to take look at some of our key takeaways. Session 1: Resilient communities – Mitigating climate change impacts on livelihoods Session 2: Forest restoration – From incremental gains to systematic impact Session 3: Towards net positive impact on nature – Using science-based metrics to measure biodiversity gains
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LEGO® shift to paper bags playing out worldwide

The LEGO Group, famous for its snap-together plastic-brick playsets, continues its phase out of single-use plastic bags in LEGO boxes and replacing plastic pre-pack bags with new standup paper bags from Forest Stewardship Council-certified forests and FSC-controlled wood. The rollout of the new paper-based bags, which are verified as recyclable in the European Union, United States and Canada, started in Europe and Asia in 2023 and continued last year when the rollout across the Americas markets began. About half of LEGO’s packaging lines worldwide are now using the paper-based flexible packaging. Tim Brooks, vp-Environmental Responsibility at the LEGO Group, says, “The transition to paper-based bags is a significant milestone in the LEGO Group’s sustainable materials journey. Phasing out single-use plastic from our products has been very important to us as this material is rarely recycled, unlike paper-based bags.
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Amazon overtakes Best Buy in electronics spending share

Consumers are opting for an online giant over a brick-and-mortar staple when it comes to electronics spending. Numerator’s latest Consumer Electronics Tracker reveals that Amazon has officially overtaken Best Buy in the electronics space, accounting for 30% of overall sales in select consumer electronics categories in the past year, compared to Best Buy’s 28%. Amazon’s share of electronics spending spiked in July 2025 to 43% as a result of its summer Prime Day event, according to the data. Walmart held steady in third place when it came to electronics spending, ending September 2025 with 12.8% of consumer spending. Walmart was followed by Costco, Target and Sam’s Club, which each captured a single-digit share of electronics spending all year.
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Canada to tighten steel import rules, boost lumber aid

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced last week $1.3B in new supports for the steel and lumber industries hit hard by U.S. tariffs. U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed 50% tariffs on steel, and softwood lumber, long subject to U.S. tariffs, is currently taxed at 45% after the Trump administration's hike last month. Carney said the decades-long process of an ever-closer economic relationship between Canada and the United States is now over. "As a consequence, many of our strengths have become vulnerabilities. Last year, more than 75% of our exports went to the United States. Ninety percent of our lumber exports, 90% of our aluminum exports, and 90% of our steel exports, all bound for a single market," Carney said.
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Yankee Candle owner resorts to layoffs, store closures

Newell Brands, which runs Yankee Candle, Rubbermaid, Elmer’s and other names, will lay off 900 people, about 10% of its global professional and clerical staff. U.S. cuts begin this month and those abroad will continue through next year, the company said Monday. In January the company will close about 20 Yankee Candle stores in the U.S. and Canada, which deliver about 1% of the brand’s sales. Most of the company’s 240 or so retail stores, including 230 in the U.S., are Yankee Candle locations; 90% are leased. The plan is expected to generate annualized pre-tax cost savings of some $110 million to $130 million, though it will entail $75 million to $90 million in severance and related costs until the end of next year.
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