Pandora to switch from silver to platinum

 

Jeweller Pandora has said it will switch from using silver in some of its ranges to platinum-plating following a dramatic increase in prices. Silver prices have more than doubled over the past year with other precious metals such as gold also surging. Pandora's chief executive Berta de Pablos-Barbier said the aim was not to make all jewellery platinum-plated, but silver will be reduced to around 25% of its goods to reduce its exposure to the metal given the recent volatility. The Danish firm, one of the world's biggest jewellery retailers, currently makes the majority of its products from silver. Although platinum is more expensive than silver per ounce, Pandora said it will create an alloy, which would make it cheaper to use. It said over time, parts of its silver ranges will shift to platinum-plated, using its own metal alloy called Evershine, which it already uses for its gold-plated products. Pandora is well known for its charm bracelets. Chief executive de Pablos-Barbier said that around 60% of its business was currently in silver. Silver prices hit record highs in January before falling back, but remains elevated compared to last year. Pandora said that it would introduce the new platinum-plated range in 2026 before rolling it out more broadly.

BBQ - Will this switch in supplier impact the customer perception of the brand?

Pandora

Aldi Store Protest

About 160 people have taken part in a protest in Cornwall over plans to build an Aldi supermarket on a green field used by a local rugby club. The food retailer has announced a £10m investment plan for the supermarket in Saltash, on ground used by Saltash Rugby Club for youth training.Elliott Saunders, real estate director for Aldi, said the retailer was "listening and reviewing feedback from the community" with plans to "agree appropriate measures to mitigate any loss of open space" in its planning application. Thompson, who organised the protest, said the turnout was "fantastic" and "really impactful". He added "I think it sent a very clear message to Aldi, Cornwall Council and Saltash Town Council that an Aldi store is not wanted on that green space." Saunders said the project team at Aldi was carrying out a "detailed audit of current and future open space provision" in Saltash. "Once this has been carried out, it is our aim to work alongside the council and key stakeholders, including Saltash Rugby Club, to agree appropriate measures to mitigate any loss of open space. He added: "Our proposal for Saltash represents a £10m investment: creating around 40 new, local jobs with sector-leading pay, and improving access to Aldi's award-winning range of high-quality food at low prices."

BBQ - How can you apply the concept of stakeholder conflict to this?

Aldi Saltash

Walmart Becomes First $1tn Valued Retailer

Walmart has become the first traditional retailer to hit a $1tn (£730bn) market valuation, propelling it into a small group dominated by tech firms. The milestone reflects the US retail giant's booming e-commerce business and its success in drawing in price-conscious shoppers. Wall Street has also responded enthusiastically to its investments in artificial intelligence (AI). Walmart joins an elite club of mostly tech firms, including Nvidia and Alphabet, with valuations over $1tn. The company's share price, which has soared in recent months, rose by more than 3% on Tuesday. Walmart is the biggest brick-and-mortar retailer in the US and is known for its low prices. It has benefited from a trend of higher earners trading down to lower-priced items, as the jobs market cools and inflation persists. Its speedy home delivery offering has also enticed shoppers from households across income brackets. Walmart's online business has helped it emerge as a competitor to Amazon. E-commerce sales in the US jumped 28% in the three months to 31 October, propelled by online orders and advertising. Still, Amazon's market value currently stands at $2.6tn - more than double Walmart's. Wall Street investors have embraced Walmart's adoption of AI, helping push the company's valuation to new highs. The firm reached the $1tn milestone during chief executive John Furner's first week at the helm of the company. Furner has been a vocal backer of its AI investments.

BBQ - What factors cause the change in share price for businesses?

Walmart $1tn

F1 Kit Kat

KitKat’s new global partnership with Formula 1 marks a strategic move to align the brand with one of the world’s fastest‑growing sports, strengthening its visibility across key international markets. By launching an industry‑first chocolate product shaped like an F1 car, Nestlé is showcasing its investment in advanced R&D and high‑precision manufacturing—differentiating KitKat through innovation and reinforcing its position in a competitive confectionery landscape. The collaboration also unlocks significant consumer‑engagement opportunities, with integrated activity planned across trackside branding, retail promotions, social media, exclusive merchandise and targeted advertising around Drive to Survive. This 360° approach aims to deepen brand relevance among younger audiences and drive incremental sales throughout the 2026 season. With nationwide distribution for the new product in the UK and Ireland, KitKat is positioning itself for strong commercial impact as the partnership rolls out.

BBQ - Do you think this will be a successful product for Nestle?

F1 Kit Kat

Pepsi Swipe At Coca-Cola in Superbowl Ad

While excitement circles around the event’s musical performances and the match between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, there’s certainly a viewer or two eager to see what the commercial lineup is. Pepsi’s Super Bowl LX spot, “The Choice,” directed by Academy Award®–winning filmmaker Taika Waititi, puts taste to the test as a cola‑loving polar bear takes the iconic Pepsi Challenge—and chooses Pepsi Zero Sugar. The spot brings the Pepsi Paradox to life, proving once again that when labels disappear, Pepsi wins on taste. According to Pepsi, the idea for the bear’s taste test came from real data from its 2025 Pepsi Challenge. Last year, the company conducted Pepsi Challenges across 34 markets, with 66% of participants preferring Pepsi Zero Sugar to Coke Zero Sugar in taste tests. Showcasing the brand’s success, Reyna noted that Pepsi Zero Sugar had 30.8% growth in the Zero Sugar Cola category in 2025. The marketing exec explained that the polar bear in the ad is “just another cola lover that represents the vast majority of Americans.”  Last year, when the Kansas City Chiefs met the Philadelphia Eagles, a record audience of 127.7 million people tuned in. Ahead of Super Bowl LX on NBC, which will be contested between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks on February 8, Bloomberg reports that the cost of a 30-second ad has reached a high of $10 million.

BBQ - Is the cost of a SuperBowl Ad worth it? How would you prove it?

Pepsi Advert

Viral Crying Horse

A frowning horse plush has become a viral bestseller ahead of Lunar New Year celebrations for the year of the horse in China. The sad-looking soft toy was originally made in error after a worker sewed a smile on the horse upside down. Zhang Huoqing had expected to have to issue a refund to the customer who bought the toy, but after an image of it started circulating online the horse began selling out. The newspaper says the horse is about 20cm (7.8in) tall and costs 25 yuan (£2.62). It is red for good luck, with a golden collar and bell around its neck, and has the phrase "money comes quickly" embroidered on its body in golden letters. "A lot of customers like it, and they said it makes sense: that it suits the spirit of today's corporate slaves," Zhang said. "This crying horse really fits the reality of modern working people," she added. "People joked that the crying horse is how you look at work, while the smiling one is how you look after work." Zhang's factory has surged production to meet demand - including from other countries, according to media reports. Lunar New Year will be celebrated in February to usher in the year of the horse - one of 12 animals repeated in a cycle under the Chinese zodiac calendar.

Crying Horse

Slovakia Becomes Number One Car Manufacturer

This is the European factory of Korean car company Kia, just outside the city of Zilina in the north of Slovakia. It represents, Kia says, an investment of €2.5bn ($2.9bn; £2.2bn). Volkswagen also produces cars in Slovakia. So does Stellantis (formerly Peugeot-Citroen, Fiat and Chrysler), and Jaguar Land Rover. Volvo is opening an electric car factory here in 2027. Slovakia, which is home to 5.4 million people, makes almost a million cars a year. This is a small number compared to the world's largest producers, such as the biggest, China, which manufacturers a whopping 31 million cars per annum. Yet Slovakia is the number one producer on a per capita basis - relative to the size of its population.  Kia says the average salary at the facility is €2,400 per month. That is substantially higher than the country's average monthly salary across the entire economy, which official figures show but at the same time it is considerably lower than the EU-wide average of €3,417. Car industry expert Peter Prokop says that back then the labour costs in Slovakia were 20% of those in Germany. Kia Europe's outgoing chief executive, Marc Hedrich, says that Slovakia's car manufacturing industry also benefits from the country's central location. "Slovakia is really in the heart of Europe, quite well-connected to the big markets," he says. Another important Slovak advantage is its dense network of car industry suppliers. Some 360 companies work for the car industry. "The supplier base is enormous," says Mr Hendrich, "this is critical". Kia didn't want to go into details about the incentives it received from the Slovak government to start production in the country back in 2006. Yet Hedrich did say it received a tax credit of €29m for transforming its Slovak production lines for its new electric vehicles, the total cost of which was €108m. The Slovak government offers these incentives to carmakers because the benefits for the country are enormous.

BBQ - What is the biggest benefit for being a car manufacturer in Slovakia?

Slovakia Car

, external was €1,403 in 2023