Day: 4 November 2026

The Contagious Brands Report 2026 reveals the most creative, disruptive and innovative brands of the year

Stuart Mitchell

Contagious has released the Contagious Brands Report 2026, spotlighting 45 brands from around the world considered to be rule-breakers that challenge category conventions and stand out in a sea of sameness.   From startups to multi-billion-dollar companies and across diverse sectors, the selected brands tell their own stories, move at the speed of the internet, and generate ideas people can’t wait to talk about. Regarded to be creative, disruptive, and innovative, the list has been shaped by today’s biggest business challenges and opportunities, from media fragmentation and artificial intelligence to the…

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“Don’t weaken CO2 standards for trucks”, European businesses urge the EU, as they signal strong demand for electric

Stuart Mitchell

Major businesses are urging the European Commission in a letter to maintain ambitious CO2 standards for heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) to maintain future investment in electric fleets. Signatories including IKEA, EDF, Geopost and DFDS have joined industry and civil society organisations in calling for clear, long-term policies that will help businesses to continue investing in electric trucks. Businesses want to increase investment in electric fleets to reduce their exposure to fuel price spikes. They warn that weakening EU’s HDV CO2 standards would undermine this choice, creating investment uncertainty. The letter argues…

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Charity rescuing even more produce with innovative new smoothie

Stuart Mitchell

A food rescue charity is showing what can be done when you combine a manufacturer with growers who have tonnes of surplus fruit and vegetables.  Felix (formerly FareShare and The Felix Project), is the UK’s leading food rescue charity. It works with supermarkets, restaurants, wholesalers, manufacturers and farmers to rescue, repurpose and share surplus food that would otherwise go to waste.  It has worked with B.fresh, BerryWorld and Strawsons to create a small batch of smoothies from surplus berries and carrots that may otherwise have gone to waste.  A team from Felix visited…

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IKEA heads to the Himalayas with ALPTALL, a new children’s collection

Stuart Mitchell

In partnership with Swedish wildlife conservation centre Nordens Ark, the ALPTALL collection brings the dramatic landscape and wildlife of the Himalayas into the home. The new children’s collection from IKEA reveals a world in which the elusive red panda shares a home with thick-furred yaks and roaming camels. This is the third collection IKEA has done in collaboration with Nordens Ark, a partnership that highlights endangered animals in their natural habitat. From dense forests to desert sands and snowy mountain peaks, the Himalayas are brought to life in a collection…

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ILO survey signals rising business demand for support on labour, trade and responsible business

Stuart Mitchell

An ILO survey of 60 employer and business membership organizations across 22 countries and economies in Asia and the Pacific highlights how labour and responsible business requirements are increasingly shaping business decisions on market access, competitiveness and supply chains. The survey captures perspectives from organizations that represent businesses and help them navigate changing requirements. Among those answering the main survey questions, 96 per cent say these requirements are relevant to their member companies, and 81 per cent say companies face greater pressure to meet them than two to three years…

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