Latest news with #December2023
Irish Times
16 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Supermarket cleared of discrimination in row over paying for groceries with 10c and 20c coins
A supermarket has been cleared of discriminating against two children who were asked by a cashier if they had 'anything larger' when they tried to pay for €68 worth of groceries with 10c and 20c coins. The children's father filed a complaint accusing the unidentified supermarket of a breach of the Equal Status Act 2000 by refusing service to the children on December 22nd, 2023, because they were members of the Travelling Community. The claim was ruled 'not well-founded' by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in a decision published on Friday, which was anonymised because of the involvement of minors. The tribunal heard that at about 1.30pm on the day of the incident, a cashier scanned €68 worth of shopping through a checkout for a girl and boy whose father was outside the premises in a car. READ MORE The cashier's evidence was that she counted out €26.80 comprising €1 and €2 coins and 20c and 10c pieces. '[It] took some time to count,' she told the WRC at a remote hearing last month. When she asked the children for the rest of the sum due, the young girl produced a purse with 'a large amount of 10- and 20-cent coins inside', she told the WRC. The cashier then asked the children whether they had 'anything larger to pay with'. She explained that there was 'a large queue building up' at her till. The children said they did not and left to fetch their father, the cashier said. She said he asked her why she was not taking their money, and that she found him 'very confrontational'. She told the WRC she 'made it clear to him that she was not refusing to take his money' and had only asked for notes because it was 'a very busy day'. There were 'a lot more than 50 coins involved'. The supermarket owner came to the till and intervened, the tribunal heard. The owner gave evidence that the father showed her he had banknotes, but told her he 'wished to pay in full using coins'. The owner then proposed that the father could count out the exact amount owed in coins, or count it out in batches of €5-€10, she said. The father replied: 'You are refusing to accept our payment.' She said she was 'trying to find a solution' and even offered coin bags to count out the loose change, but the father 'turned and walked away and left the store mid-conversation'. The father gave evidence that the children told him at the car that they 'were not being served' and that he went in to find out why. He told the WRC he 'supported what [his wife] had said about the event' in presenting the claim. The family's position, as presented by the children's mother at last month's hearing, was that the children were 'refused service at the supermarket because they were members of the Travelling Community'. 'The children suffered embarrassment in the shop with locals present, and suffered embarrassment with their friends because of the incident.' The supermarket's solicitors, Sweeney McGann, submitted that the business offered an apology to the children's mother for the 'misunderstanding' in a bid to de-escalate the situation, as well as a voucher as a goodwill gesture, which was refused. Adjudicator Peter O'Brien wrote in a decision published on Friday that it was 'not prejudicial' for the cashier to ask the children if they had 'larger-value coins or notes to complete their purchases'. He noted that by law, 'no entity other than the Central Bank or such persons as ordered by the Minister [for Finance] shall be obliged to accept more than 50 coins denominated in euro or in cent in a single transaction'. He noted that the only person who had given direct evidence to him about the initial incident was the cashier, as anything the children had told their parents was 'hearsay'. The cashier's evidence was that she 'never refused to complete the purchase' but simply asked the children whether there was 'a more convenient way to pay', he wrote. 'The request to pay with larger-value notes or coins could easily have applied to a minor who was not a member of the Travelling Community or indeed any adult who presented with large amounts of small coinage on such a busy day,' he wrote. He concluded the cashier's actions were reasonable and that she 'did not engage in discriminatory or prohibited conduct', and dismissed the complaint.
Bloomberg
a day ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
UK Retail Sales Plunge 2.7% in Worrying Sign for Economic Growth
UK retail sales plummeted in May, the first time they have fallen this year, in a sharp reversal that suggests the economy could be struggling in the second quarter. The volume of goods sold online and in stores dropped 2.7% after four consecutive monthly increases, the Office for National Statistics said on Friday. It was far worse than the 0.5% fall expected by economists and the biggest drop since December 2023.
Bloomberg
5 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Global Food Companies Are Struggling to Deliver Methane Progress
In December 2023, some of the world's largest food companies made a splashy pledge to slash one of the planet's fiercest heat-trapping gases. As part of the newly formed Dairy Methane Action Alliance, Bel Group, Danone, General Mills, Kraft Heinz, Lactalis USA and Nestlé—with Clover Sonoma and Starbucks joining soon after—pledged to reduce the powerful gas emanating from their sprawling dairy supply chains. The companies promised to publish emissions data and action plans by the end of 2024. So far the results have been lackluster. As of May 2025, seven of the companies have at least partially disclosed their dairy methane emissions. But only three have rolled out action plans that meet the alliance's guidelines, and just one has set a specific target to shrink its dairy methane footprint. Meanwhile, the deadline for publishing their emissions figures and plans has been pushed to the end of this year.
Daily Mail
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Nelly and Ashanti admit to 'HATING' each other in new trailer for Peacock reality series
Nelly and Ashanti admitted to 'hating' each other following their first breakup in a new trailer for their upcoming Peacock reality series Nelly And Ashanti: We Belong Together. The Dilemma rapper, 50, and Foolish songstress, 44, officially tied the knot in December 2023 and welcomed their first child together in July 2024. The latest teaser - which officially dropped on Thursday - gave a glimpse into the couple's life as newlyweds and parents while also balancing their busy careers. At one point, the pair could be seen sitting down during a confessional as they reflected on their 2013 split. 'I hated her,' Nelly said, while Ashanti also chimed in with, 'I hated him.' She continued, 'I didn't think that we would get back together,' while Nelly jumped in with a smile to say, 'She got me y'all.' Additional snippets continued to show the two stars and their lifestyle in the industry, such as attending events and parties. 'We have grown. We're adults,' Ashanti told the cameras, while Nelly added, 'But we're still trying to have fun.' As the trailer came to an end, the pair could also be seen having difficulty deciding where they should settle down. The rapper expressed in a voice over towards the end of the clip, 'With our lives moving so not perfect. But we can work our way through it.' The mom-of-one then said in a confessional, 'Til death do us part,' as her husband added, 'We belong together.' The upcoming show 'follows the electrifying journey of this beloved couple as they reignite their love, navigate the ups and downs of newlywed life, and the challenges of parenthood while juggling their thriving careers. 'Can this unstoppable duo prove that their love truly can conquer all? A fun-filled exploration of love's second chances,' per an official synopsis. The first season of Nelly And Ashanti: We Belong Together will contain a total of eight episodes which will start airing later this month on June 26. She continued, 'I didn't think that we would get back together,' while Nelly jumped in with a smile to say, 'She got me y'all' Fans quickly shared their thoughts over the new teaser by jumping to social media - with some expressing excitement in the comment section of the trailer on Peacock's Instagram page. One penned, 'I'm here for it All! I like them both,' while another typed, 'I haven't watched a reality show in a long time but I might have to watch this one.' An Instagram user shared, 'Now this I would watch,' and one added, 'This is actually looks really good!' 'This was the best spin the block ever that no one saw coming. I love them together,' one wrote, and another penned, 'We have been invested all the 20 years. We are watching.' A fan said of Ashanti, 'She seems so fun!! I love them together,' while one also commented, 'Baby I'm watching every episode.' Back in 2003, Nelly and Ashanti sparked up a relationship which came to an end in 2013. But 10 years following their split, the two stars rekindled their romance and it was confirmed that they were dating once again in September 2023. During an interview with Love and Hip Hop stars Rasheeda and Kirk Frost at the time, Nelly revealed, 'Yeah, we cool again.' One penned, 'I'm here for it All! I like them both,' while another typed, 'I haven't watched a reality show in a long time but I might have to watch this one' An Instagram user shared, 'Now this I would watch,' and one added, 'This is actually looks really good!' He also explained, 'I think it surprised both of us though. It wasn't anything that I don't think was planned.' The star added that their time apart was beneficial and had a positive impact on the two. 'We both were pretty much doing what we do. 'But sometimes being separate, you understand one another more. You could be like, "Well yo, let me exactly see maybe what they see." 'We all can be defensive sometimes in our own relationships. We know we wrong but we going to stand on it, you know what I mean? But we all a victim to that,' he stated. While talking to Entertainment Tonight, Ashanti also opened up about her relationship with Nelly. 'It's priceless, honestly, just to have my soulmate, like my person, my best friend, my protector,' she gushed. 'It's an amazing feeling. The universe doesn't make mistakes.' The Hot In Herre rapper also joined in on the conversation and sweetly said that his wife is a 'great person' and a 'great mother.' And while also talking to ET in June of last year, the songstress admitted that she never thought she would get back with Nelly. 'Never in a million years did I think we would be here,' the star explained. 'Ten years ago - maybe yes - but after our breakup, you know, I didn't even think we'd ever have a conversation again. 'I guess when you go through a breakup, for me personally, I kind of just shut that person out... It's kinda like, okay, that chapter is closed and you just move on, you know, and there's nothing there.' In regards to how their relationship differs from a decade ago, Ashanti stated that they have both experienced a lot of 'growth.' 'We are both at a place where like before, sometimes we would argue and walk out, slam the door, and not talk for a few days. 'Now, it's kind of like, "All right, you good?" You know, give me a kiss goodbye and it's over...' She continued, 'It's not like holding on and bickering and we find out what the resolution is. We apologize... It used to take me a little longer to apologize.' Last summer, it was also revealed that the couple welcomed their first child together - a son named Kareem 'KK' Haynes - who will ring in his first birthday next month in July. And during an interview with E! News earlier this year in February, Ashanti revealed that both she and Nelly want to continue growing their family. 'I am feeling amazing, incredibly pleased, humbled. My life has completely changed for the better. I feel full, you know? My cup is full,' she said in regards to being a mom. 'We're going to add some more,' the performer then said, adding that she is hoping to have a baby girl in the future. 'Definitely a girl to balance it out. I'm outnumbered in the house right now. So, a girl would be great.'
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why one economist says the labor market is far weaker than it seems
The May jobs report beat estimates, but the data might be concealing underlying weaknesses. Economist Samuel Tombs warns about softening hiring and frequent downward job revisions. Tombs predicts a 4.8% unemployment rate by December and a September rate cut. Last Friday's jobs report was upbeat, but the numbers might not be telling the whole story, one economist warns. Samuel Tombs, Chief US economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, sees a labor market struggling with softening hiring and an accelerating trend of downward revisions. In May, 139,000 jobs were added, beating the 125,000 consensus estimate, but that was overshadowed somewhat by sharp revisions to prior months' data. March's initial figure of 224,000 payrolls added has since been nearly slashed in half, down to 120,000. It's likely that May's figure is inflated, too, Tombs said. "We expect May's number to be revised down to about 100,000 by the third estimate, published in early August," Tombs wrote in a recent note. Since January 2023, downward revisions between the intial and third estimates for each month have averaged 30,000. The frequency of downward revisions could be due to reporting by small businesses filing payroll data late, Tombs said. Smaller companies are often hit the hardest by high interest rates and tariff costs. "Small businesses are really the canary in the coal mine in this downturn," Tombs told BI. "They don't have the financial capacity to deal with many of the upfront costs that are involved with tariffs. They still face very high borrowing costs, so they are very, very cautious with both their hiring and capex decisions going forward." Tombs sees continued weakness in the retail, wholesale, and transport and logistics sectors, and expects employment in those parts of the economy to fall by 50,000 by year-end due to a reduction in the "pull-forward effect" from tariffs, which saw many businesses and consumers rush to spend money ahead of tariff-related price hikes. On top of the revisions, hiring also appeared poised to slow. The NFIB small business hiring intentions index slipped to its lowest level since May 2020, and regional Fed surveys suggest continued declines in service-sector employment outside healthcare and education. "Of all the indicators that we track, it is the best singular indicator of payroll growth that we've found in the last three years," Tombs said of the NFIB survey. In the chart below, hiring intentions tracked by regional Fed surveys are weaker than the 2015 to 2024 average. Actual job growth in the private services sector tends to move closely with hiring intentions, meaning that when hiring intentions fall, actual hiring tends to drop shortly after. Tombs believes government jobs will also continue to decline after their DOGE gutting as federal employees who accepted a voluntary buyout get removed from the payroll in September — they've fallen by 59,000 this year, including by 22,000 in May. On this trajectory, Tombs expects the unemployment rate to peak at 4.8% by December. This year, the Fed has been in wait-and-see mode when it comes to cutting rates, and some strategists believe it's prioritizing bringing inflation down before turning to expansionary monetary policy. But these factors point to a labor market that's weaker than it seems, and Tombs believes the Fed will need to start cutting rates in September to provide relief for businesses, before inflation peaks. Read the original article on Business Insider Sign in to access your portfolio
