effect

If you have the feeling that everything is more expensive than ever, it is not your imagination: it is called “Zillow effect”

by

Digital platforms promised to make everything easier and cheaper. Actually, they have created the opposite phenomenon: The “Zillow Effect” is taking practically everything What we play online, whether digital or not. Why is it important. When any transaction is digitized, the demand is triggered because it eliminates friction, but the supply remains constant. The result is usually the same: prices go up and competition intensifies for buyers. The panoramic. The effect began in the real estate sector with Zillow in the United States, A real estate platform born in 2006 which allowed anyone to consult the value of their home. Now it extends to university candidates, employment searches, appointment applications, concert tickets, vacation destinations and even second -hand markets. If you can buy it with a click, it is probably more expensive than before. In detail. The mechanism is simple: Before, requesting place at a university required physical effort. Get forms, send them by postal mail, go to pay fees. Now, with a button you can send your application to twenty universities. Result: the best receive many more requests, they can be more selective and the competition to access goes up to the same pace that their access barriers are lowered to the application. The same happens in the labor market: For candidates, there is a paradox: getting a job becomes more complicated. The contrast. There are two large categories of products here: Products with elastic offer. They are the ones that can be manufactured in greater quantities. Clothing, processed food, smartphones. They have been cheaper. Products with limited offer, or by regulation or by their own nature. Housing in good areas, places of universities, more desirable jobs, very attractive sexual couples. They have fisher, financially or symbolically. Between the lines. Great technology benefit from this problem, so they have no incentive to solve this problem. More demand is equivalent to more data, more engagementmore commissions. The case that gives name to this effect has a perfect example: Zillow earned money both if the houses were sold as if notbecause he charged for teaching them. AND Your platform fired your visibilitywith the aforementioned consequence: same supply, greater demand … upward prices. The threat. The Zillow effect has as first victims local and imperfect markets where opportunities could be found before. There are no longer the secret restaurants, virgin and quiet holiday destinations, or jobs that only a few knew. Google Maps, LinkedIn, Instagram or YouTube have democratized knowledge, but have also concentrated demand. An example: Instagram and ‘Tourism of Likes‘. And now what. A possible solution would increase the offer where possible, such as building more housing or creating more university places. Another would artificially limit digital demand. But there are not too many incentives for it. The digital world has connected us in this century, but it has also put us to compete against many more people for the same limited resources. And there is only a great winner: the platforms. In Xataka | 34 futuristic predictions made in the past: erroneous, successful and crazy Outstanding image | Xataka

Ozempic and blindness, we have been on the track of an extremely rare adverse effect for months. Now the AEMPS has taken a step forward

by

A few days ago the The United Kingdom warned on an unexpected effect associated with the use of Ozempic and treatments based on the same principle, the phenomenon of Ozempic Babies. Now the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) has also issued a statement but this time as a consequence of a very different effect. Adverse reaction. This week the AEMPS, the agency in charge of ensuring that the drugs meet the required standards, has issued A statement To warn of a very uncommon ocular adverse reaction “associated with treatments based on the semaglutida, the active compound of drugs such as Ozempic, Rybelsus or Wegovy. The notice occurs after the Committee for the Risk Assessment in Pharmacovigilance (PRAC) of the European Medication Agency (EMA) reviewed the risk of developing an ocular condition called Niana, which can cause loss of sudden vision. While the agency affects that the frequency of appearance of this type of eye problems is “very low”, it recommends that a sudden loss of vision is carried out an ophthanmological examination for Evaluate the possibility to interrupt the treatment. Noiana. Noiana is an acronym that refers to calls Previous ischemic optical neuropathiesNaion in English. These ailments are caused For the infarction of the optic nerve head. In other words, blood does not reach this eye region and a loss of vision occurs, which is typically fast but painless. It is an unknown and infrequent disease, not only in the context of those who follow a trailer treatment: its prevalence in the general population is approximately 10 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. A year on track. A year agoa study I found indications of the relationship between the treatments of Semaglutida and Niana. Indications such as those that gave rise to the evaluation by the Pract. The Committee reviewed clinical and preclinical essay data together with suspicion of adverse reactions, explains the AEMPS. This work resulted in the conclusion that trailer treatment can be associated with a risk of developing this disorder but indicate that with a very low frequency. The AEMPS speaks of “an increase in the risk of developing Niana of approximately double compared to people not exposed to this treatment. This corresponds to an additional case of NOIANA for every 10,000 patients treated with semagglutida for a year.” And what about the “other ozempic”? The AEMPS statement focuses on the drug -based drugs such as Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy but does not indicate whether similar effects have been detected on similar treatments such as those based on the tirzepatida, such as Zepbound and Mounjaro. A medication with side effects. Like any drug, the semaglutida has a series of Contraindications and side effects. It should be remembered in this sense that the success of drugs such as Ozempic began when it was observed that this treatment against diabetes made those who followed it lost weight. In Xataka | “Ozempic face”, “Ozempic language” and “Ozempic teeth”: the other very visible effect of consuming the medicine to lose weight Image | Chemist4u / Amanda Dalbjörn

The domino effect of tariffs is also being felt in Valencia. Specifically, in the Ford factory

by

Ford has drastically trimmed the production forecasts of the new bronco in its Almussafes plant. Of the 300,000 units initially planned, the figure has fallen to 209,000, as published Digital economy citing their own sources. Why is it important. This 30% cut reflects how Trump’s tariff policies are already moving chairs in the European industry before applying. The accuracy of the new figure – 209,000 units compared to the 300,000 round rounds – lets read a very specific calculation between a very specific projected stage between the lines. Between the lines. Suppliers openly speak of the “Trump effect” by explaining these changes. The most important reduction affects precisely the volume allocated to the United States: from 91,000 units per year provided for a much lower but not even pointed out. Ford is adjusting its transatlantic export plans in the face of tariff uncertainty. And that is felt in the Valencian economy, whose GDP depends by approximately 10% of this factory. In detail. The effect on the supply chain is, the redundancy, in chain: Suppliers have to recalculate investments. Prices should be modified based on a lower production volume. Lower production means less industrial capacity required. And that facilitates the transfer of suppliers outside the Almussafes environment. Yes, but. Trump will end his mandate in 2028, but bronco production is planned between 2027 and 2035. That is, three quarters of the manufacturing will be done without him in the presidency. But the car is an industry without much flexibility to modify the decisions that are made now. The threat. Reduce estimates during the award of limited pieces future expansions. If suppliers dimension their capacity for 209,000 vehicles, then increase production will be more complex and expensive. It is not easy to undo steps and make them again. The industry is creating a productive roof based on the most pessimistic stage. Deepen. Ford He is at the same time intensifying his presence in Moroccoparticipating in the Automotive Tangier meetings with the presence of the Moroccan monarch. Its sponsorship contrasts with brands such as Stellantis or Renault, which already manufacture vehicles in the African country, which gives clues of a geographical diversification of the productive strategy. In Xataka | One of the most mythical cars in the history of cinema can be “copied” by anyone. And that has consequences for the industry Outstanding image | Luke Scarpino in Unspash

We thought that gasoline cars were much cleaner than diesel. We did not have the effect of the sun

by

For every 100 cars that are sold in Spain, just five are diesel. They are the latest data we have in Spain of registration, which reflects to what extent the diesel (despite having market niches in which It is still profitable) It has become an almost banished fuel in our country. And although it may be weird, it does not make 70% of the cars we bought were diesel moved. In fact, just over a decade ago. In 2014 the diesel lived his golden age. From its 70.06% market share It has plummeted. There are numerous factors that explain the rise and fall of diesel. For years, its price was so cheap (in fact it is still subsidized) than each buyer He poured liter calculations consumed For every 100 kilometers to know how long it would take to make investment profitable since they used to be more expensive motorizations. But over the years, emission regulations were drowning the diesel. Especially after the famous Dieselgate in which it was discovered that the Volkswagen Group (first defendant) and other companies trucan their emissions to offer data within the legality in the homologation exams to, outside them, contaminate more than allowed. With Euro 6, diesel were put much more complicated since 2015. For sample, the comparison between the demands made to diesel engines compared to gasoline and that You can read in this extensive article of Xataka in which all the normative change was explained: Limits for a gasoline engine CO (carbon monoxide): 1.0 g/km HC (total hydrocarbons): 0.10 g/km NOX (nitrogen oxides): 0.060 g/km HC + NOX (hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides): 0.160 g/km (approx.) PM (suspended particles): 0.005 g/km P (number of particles): 6×10^11/km (6×10^12/km for three years for direct injection) Limits for a diesel engine CO (carbon monoxide): 0.50 g/km HC (total hydrocarbons): 0.09 g/km (approx.) NOX (nitrogen oxides): 0.080 g/km HC + Nox (hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides): 0.170 g/km PM (suspended particles): 0.005 g/km P (number of particles): 6×10^11/km The problem is that, due to its own operation, A diesel is less pollutant in CO2 that a gasoline but expels many more particle emissions than They are very dangerous to the health of the human beinglike the Nitrogen oxides (NOX). Although the value was slightly higher for diesel, emission regulations were forcing manufacturers to squeeze the brain. With Euro 5 the particle filter. From Euro 6, the Adblue. These measures ended up banishing diesel engines of smaller cars. Well because they contaminated too much or because innovations to be installed in them It was more expensive both the product that did not make it viable. If we take into account the increase in the product, the bad reputation after the dieselgate and the innumerable statements On a rise in the price of fuel, now it is better understood The sudden drop in sales. All this explanation makes sense. Do you remember that Euro 5 forced to mount particle filters in diesel cars? And that with the Dieselgate the cars reflected some emission figures that were not real? A study now indicates something similar for gasoline cars. It is not that they are cheating, they point out that the emission regulations itself may not be enough to tell us how pollutants are our cars. A little effective particle filter In short, a particle filter is a kind of mesh that catches larger pollutant emissions before expelling them to the atmosphere through the exhaust pipe. Taking advantage of the heat of gases, the mesh takes temperature and burns the particles, reducing emissions. That is a problem in the cars that start and stop every time or those that do many kilometers by city because the engine does not give time to take the temperature enough to burn these particles and the filter ends up collapsing, causing a somewhat expensive breakdown. For some years, emission regulations have forced gasoline cars to also mont particle filters to get emissions not to exceed the allowed limits. However, as a gasoline engine works at a higher temperature, It is more complicated to fall into these types of situations. However, a study published in Science Advances He has pointed out a problem: they are not enough. The particle filter aims to reduce the Volume of fine particles that are expelled to the atmosphere, PM2.5. And they get it, according to researchers but that is not enough to ensure that their toxicity is lower. They point out in their study that it is not enough to measure emissions just after combustion, they should be studied how they behave once in the atmosphere. And how do they behave?: Bad. They point out that, once in the air, the experts expelled are exposed to sunlight and that they cause a series of transformations that make them remarkably more toxic to the human being. They explain in Phys.org that the modification of the particles caused damage to the human DNA and in cells that we find in our bronchi. It is what they call “photochemical aging” that causes particles to increase their toxicity generating “oxygenated volatile compounds, such as carbonilos.” In the article they point out that Dr. Mathilde Delaval, the first author of the study and researcher at Helmholtz Munich, says that “our study shows that we are missing a large part of the panorama by not considering How exhaust gases changeand become more harmful, after leaving the car. “ The study is partially financed by the European Union and in it they have intervened in one way or another universities and laboratories of Germany, Finland and Switzerland. Photo | Nursultan Abakirov and Romanov Nick In Xataka | Diesel or gasoline: what are the differences and which one is better to buy according to your use

The “Ozempic effect” that is filling the mirrors with unknown faces

by

Thanks to Ozempic, many people have managed to fulfill a goal that had been chasing for years: losing weight faster. What was not expected is that it came with a collateral effect that was not on the prospect: an alien face. In the mirror there is another person. Fallen cheeks, loss of volume, sagging … and no, it is not natural aging. In social networks it has been baptized as “face Ozempic ”, a consequence of accelerated success in weight loss. According to Cleveland Clinicthese effects are not directly caused by the medication, but by the rapid loss of facial fat that accompanies weight loss. The trend. The conversation has gained strength especially after the testimonies of celebrities who have decided to talk about the physical changes they have experienced after using this type of medicines. One of the most popular voices has been that of Sharon Osbourne, British presenter, who has recognized having lost more than 15 kilos with Ozempic, but not without consequences. “I wouldn’t use it again. I look very thin and older, I regret it,” has declared In an interview with The Daily Mail. On the other hand, in social networks, many people are showing change with pride. On platforms like Tiktok, images of the before and afterhighlighting the physical transformation achieved with the use of Ozempic and similar medications. Science behind. From the medical point of view, the explanation is simple: if you lose very fast fat, you also lose it on your face. And not all the skin returns to its place. As detailed by Dr. Nyla Raja, Dermatologist with Clinic in Mayfair, In statements to the Evening Standard“When the thinning process is so accelerated, the skin does not have time to fall, which leads to sagging and a more aging appearance.” This loss of support in key areas such as cheekbones or jaw can cause the face to look more tired or aged than expected. It is not irreversible. Although the effects can be worrisome, there are solutions. Some dermatologists and nutritionists have agreed that the best way to avoid these consequences is to plan a gradual weight loss. According to Forbes has collectedmaintaining a rhythm of moderate weight loss, following a feed rich in protein and collagen, and practicing strength training can help preserve the facial structure. In some cases, aesthetic treatments such as radiofrequency, dermal fillings or even facial lifting are also resorted to correct the offalter. But… There are more effects. However, other unexpected ones are added to this phenomenon. According to The Independentthere are other secondary symptoms that are increasingly being documented. One of the most striking is “Ozempic language”, which is caused by oral dryness, which generates an alteration in taste. For its part, like has reported the same mediumDr. Tim Bradstock-Smith has pointed out that some patients experience “dry mouth, dental hypersensitivity and loss of volume on lips and cheeks, which compromises both aesthetics and oral health.” Besides, I know They have reported cases Blurred vision and, in rare situations, loss of vision associated with the use of semaglutida. The debate is no longer limited to the medical field. Ozempic, like other medicines to lose weight, has become a mirror of collective priorities: a culture of immediacy where the ideal body seems to be an injection of distance. But it is also true that, for many people, represents a real opportunity of recovering health, taking control over your weight and improving your quality of life. Reducing this conversation to aesthetic changes would be to simplify a deeply personal decision. Behind each treatment there are different stories, emotions and contexts. We live in a society every time more crossed by obsessions and trends that are born – and they are amplified – on social networks, where the ideal body is repeated with Filters and algorithms. At that cross, the direction that takes health, self -esteem and beauty is quite complex and dangerous. Image | Unspash and Instagram Xataka | Losing weight without losing muscle is the great challenge of drugs such as Ozempic. A protein keeps the key to face it

We begin to discover the effect of microplastics on our body thanks to the most unsuspected thing: tap water

by

The heat comes and, with it, the thirst comes. On average, according to some public estimates, household consumption grows up to 44%. But those data are incomplete because, a good part of the water we drink, comes in bottle. In Spain they are sold 5,331 million liters of bottled water every year. And it is a market in full growth. Sales grow annually at a rate of 2.5%. What we usually forget is that this type of product has consequences: the pressure pressure rises. As? What does what? One might think that drinking water rises the normal artery pressure. After all, blood pressure is the force exerted by blood against the walls of the arteries. If there is more liquid in the system or more salt, there should be more pressure … But not. Although obviously in extreme cases and, of course, specific conditions and compositions They alter the pressure Within a fork, the system has dozens of mechanisms to ensure that the blood pressure of a normal human being is what has to be. And then? That is what some scientists from the Danube University asked when, in the middle of a very small clinical trial They discovered that the same did not happen with bottled water. The Austrian team discovered that by keeping eight healthy people (of both genres) to a “water regime” of only tap water, His basal diastolic blood pressure dropped. It happened in men and in mujres, but in the latter the effect was much more striking. Because? Right now we only have hypotheses, but the most solid are phthalates (chemical substances that make the most flexible and durable plastic). And, honestly, it is something quite interesting: because, although all the water we consume right now has complex microplastics and substances, the truth is that they do not have the same things. And that is exceptionally good news. Not because with the available information is (or not) advisable to take (or stop drinking) bottled water. But because it is these little things that allow us to improve our understanding of What microplastics do in our bodies. Image | Noppadon Manadee | Engin Akyurt In Xataka | When the tap water knows in rays: the invisible chemistry of drinking water that explains why he knows how he knows (and why he is one of the best inventions in the world)

The gradient effect of objective

by

Everything is more fun When it is raised as a gameeven more so when the objective of that game is to improve your motivation to achieve your goals. Plan the tasks As if they were Small tests of a game that you must be overcoming throughout the day you will get all your goals and, more importantly, you will without decaying your motivation. Gamification is a concept that is already used to maintain your motivation in sports applications; its use has been investigated in learning systems with dynamics such as the one Duolingo uses in its app; and use it to your supermarket to encourage your faithfulness. The common denominator for all of them: a psychological conditioner called “GRADIENT OF OBJECTIVE EFFECT“ The idea is simple but effective: by structuring tasks in short -term goals, each step about tangibly at the end, that generates in the brain a feeling of triumph and reward. This expectation of reward generates a natural impulse to continue advancing until the next test to complete it, and so on avoiding procrastination. Thanks to this technique, worldly priori tasks or demotivating priori, they can become more fun and attainable. Origin of the gradient effect of objective The gradient target effect has its roots on A study performed in 1934 by psychologist Clark L. Hull, who sought to better understand human behavior patterns. In his investigation, Hull observed the behavior of rats in a maze while looking for food. Interestingly, it was discovered that the closer they were to achieve their goal (food), faster and with greater determination advanced. This increase in effort when approaching the ultimate goal is a condition that also occurs in the human brain and, in fact, has a very widespread use in loyalty marketing (with rewards when accumulating points or stamps with your purchases to obtain gifts), in education, or to maintain motivation in health and sport apps (granting medals and overcoming challenges) The perception of closeness to the goal that our brain perceives can influence behavior and effort level, so the motivation to obtain a reward in dopamine is increased. Ran Kivetz, Oleg Urmininsky and Yuhuang Zheng They studied this behavior And they discovered that customers with a fidelity card that required 10 stamps to receive a free drink, were more likely to complete it if they already had some pre-marked stamps. Interestingly, people who started with two “gift” stamps completed 82% faster than those who began with a completely empty card. This same principle can be applied to your productivity. With one Proper task planningso that a large and challenging task can be divided into simpler and easiest tasks, a workflow aimed at constantly achieving small achievements throughout the day can be encouraged. That will contribute, for example, to mitigate that feeling of having been working throughout the day without having completed any concrete task. In addition, the progressive conclusion of tasks reduces the feeling of fear of failure, redagering the possibility of abandonment of A half task do. Something that your brain hate deeply by another psychological condition called Zeigarnik effect. How to apply the gradient effect of objective to our tasks Understanding this theory allows you to apply it practically to your daily life, especially using gamification tactics for do all kinds of more attractive tasks. Gamification consists of incorporating elements of video games, such as points, levels or rewards, to everyday situations to make them more motivating. For example, the gradient objective effect can be integrated into your day by dividing A big task in smaller steps And visually traceable, so you feel that you are continuously progressing in its conclusion. Another trick to take advantage of the gradient target effect is to incorporate small rewards along the way. Instead of waiting until the end of a project to celebrate it, you can Establish intermediate milestones. Imagine you are working in a long report. You can divide it into sections and, when completing each of them, reward with something you enjoy, such as a little break, a few minutes of relaxing music, etc. An essential element in this process is the visualization of the advance, so it is important to use productivity apps that measure that progress or keep the list of tasks, and Get out of all those little tasks Completed thus marking the progress of your work or your personal tasks. Use in moderation Despite being an excellent way to maintain motivation naturally taking advantage of an innate condition of the brain, it is convenient to use this technique selectively as a support for those projects that are procrastination meat. The abuse of the objective gradient effect conditions the brain to stay in a constant state of expectation that You can take its toll consuming all your energy and deriving in states of exhaustion, both physical and mental. A Excessive motivation By completing objectives, it also causes a “tunnel vision” in the task, in which other alternatives that could be more effective, but are not studied because the goal has been put into finishing them at all costs, not in the best possible way. Therefore, you have to be careful when applying this technique in tasks that require creative solutions or problem solving. Beyond those “contraindications”, take advantage of this condition of your brain will help maintain motivation In those tasks that you hate or that you do not feel like doing. In Xataka | Lack of motivation is a problem for productivity. The trick to avoid it is simple according to science: start In Xataka | “Doing nothing” is a great technique to improve your productivity. Neuroscience is clear Image | Pexels (DS Stories, Ivan Samkov)

Nintendo has just postponed the Switch 2 reserves in the US. Tariffs begin to take effect on the gaming world

by

Nintendo prepares the ground for A new earthquake in the video game industry. The Nintendo Switch 2long expected by the followers of the brand, promises to renew his hybrid proposal with ambition. The expectation soon translated into a movement: while the presentation was developed, the official website activated a waiting list to access. But Nintendo has decided to slightly lift the accelerator foot in the United States. The Japanese company He has postponed The beginning of the reserves of its new star product in that country. The reason? Tariffs driven from the White House, which begin to leave their first visible mark on an industry that seems to be directly exposed. No date to book in the US. As usual in Nintendo, its new devices cannot be reserved the same day they are announced. Reservations are activated days later and shipments take a little longer. This time, April 9 was the date marked in the calendar of users in the United States, but they will have to eliminate it because it is simply no longer valid. As Nintendo has pointed out In a statement issued to Polygonthis movement is because they need to “evaluate the potential impact of tariffs and changing market conditions.” We are facing a movement that prints some uncertainty about the expected launch, but not everything is such discouraging news. The shipping date is maintained. Although Nintendo will take time to evaluate the impact of new tariffs on the United States, and will later announce the new date to reserve the Nintendo Switch 2shipments are still planned for June 5. With that horizon in mind, the margin to open the reserves is not too broad. For now, it only remains to wait for Nintendo to announce the new reservations for the US market. It should be remembered that this measure affects only the United States. In the rest of the markets, everything follows as planned. In Spain, for example, reservations will begin on April 8. The context that explains it. Just over 48 hours have passed since Donald Trump will announce the “reciprocal tariffs.” The measure extends to dozens of countries, with 24 % tariffs for Japan and 46 % for Vietnam, where Nintendo has transferred part of the hardware and component production. View price increase. Tariffs, As explained by Tax Foundationthey function as taxes applied to imports. In practice, this additional cost is rarely assumed by companies: it ends up impacting directly on the consumer pocket. Impact on Nintendo and other companies. Tariffs promise to leave their mark on the technological sector, especially among companies that manufacture outside the United States. The case does not affect Nintendo only: giants like Apple also face a complex scenariodespite having diversified its production to dodge these barriers. Images | Nintendo | Cristina Glebova In Xataka | Zuckerberg, Bezos and Musk have also suffered the coup of tariffs: their fortunes have lost more zeros than they would like

In the US they have realized that Covid has had an unexpected effect on its restaurants: it has triggered its production

by

The Covid has not sat badly at the US bars. At least if we talk about productivity levels. Even though pandemic He hit with viciousness to the hospitality of half the world (including the Spanish), He sank the billing From the sector and condemned not a few businesses at the close, American premises reached during the health crisis a level of labor productivity by 15% greater than they had before COVID, a notable increase that has not been diluted. The explanation is very simple: express visits. The Covid heritage. That the pandemic was devastating for the hospitality and forced to close Many businesses It is clear. However, however, a group of researchers from Chicago and New York universities asked a question that goes a little further: Did Covid-19 influence the productivity of the premises? And if so, in what sense? Is that effect still maintained? Their conclusions were reflected in A study that has just published the National Bureau of Economic Resarch (NBER) with a quite eloquent title and that gives a clue to which direction its findings point to: ‘The curious increase in productivity in US restaurants’. A percentage: 15%. The team of economists has not only found that effectively the performance of restaurants seemed to increase during the years of the health crisis. Has even encrypted that increase, as they need in The conclusions Of its report: “We verify that, after being practically constant for almost 30 years, real work productivity in restaurants increased more than 15% during the Covid-19 Pandemia.” The data is interesting because it does not only reflect a specific and past reality, related to the worst years of the Coronavirus. After sliding that percentage (15%) the researchers clarify that this turn has not yet diluted its effect. “This increase has been maintained even when many conditions have returned to prepondondemic levels.” And what was the reason? Clarified and calculated the increase in productivity, the following doubt was obvious: what was the reason? What did he answer? To answer all these issues, experts examined about 100,000 restaurants distributed by the US, focusing on aspects such as sales or the number of consumers attended by each employee. They also had access to information about visits thanks to mobile phones. The sample is wide, but presents certain characteristics that should be taken into account. To start the experts set in a very specific business profile, the Limited service hospitality (LSR), the one in which the interaction between the staff and the client is minimized, as in many premises of Fast food. The study in fact that focused on three subcategories: restaurants in the style of Taco Bell or McDonald´s, buffets and coffee shops such as Starbucks. For the sample to be wide, they covered more than 600 brands. Why this choice? The study It clarifies that the LSRs represent about 45% of the employment and sales of the sector in the US already throughout the last decades its productivity has evolved in a “very similar” way to the whole of the restoration sector. In addition, limited services offered an extra advantage: economists have complete information on their visits. Combing (thousands of) data. With all that information about the table, economists began drawing conclusions. And the first were striking. “Microdatos reveal significant growth in productivity, already measured in sales per employee or even in a more basic/physical average of the total number of customers per employee,” he says The study Published by Nber, which also rules out that this rebound can be explained by economies of scale, a greater weight of the sector or changes in demand. The experts also found that if the employees sold more it was not because they spent more time in their positions. When they were proven that the average weekly hours worked between July 2022 and June 2024 was 25.1 hours, “the same”, they clarify, that from 2006 to 2008. “In fact the current hours per worker are actually a bit below the pre-covid average from 2018 to 2019”. What is the cause? The rhythm. Or rather, the duration of visits. The researchers appreciated “significant descents in the amount of time” that customers spent in restaurants, with an increase especially pronounced in the group of consumers that remained in the premises 10 or even less minutes. That phenomenon was found during the pandemic years and did not seem to dissipate once the health crisis has been overcome. “The average permanence time of customers decreased and most of the reduction was due to the increase in the percentage of visits that lasted less than 10 minutes,” says the study. Your reading It is therefore clear: the increase in the performance of the restaurants “is strongly correlated” with the reduction of the time that customers pass in business, especially with express visits, which do not reach the quarter of an hour. Beyond the minutes. The data of the minutes clarified part of the mystery about the increase in performance (shorter visits translate into the possibility of attending a greater number of customers without increasing the templates), but letting another equally important question be bumping: why? Why was that increase in fleeting visits, 10 or even less minutes? Researchers are clear: leading food. “The frequency of these carrying food clients increased during the COVID-19, even in restaurants in Fast foodand it has not decreased “, They conclude Economists. The key would therefore be Deliverythe increase in orders made by telephone or customer apps that then collect their orders to eat them at home, office or any other place. “If businesses can satisfy these fast customers, in addition to the usual ones, with the same labor, the data will reflect a clear and legitimate increase in productivity,” economists add in their article. An advance with nuances. The 15% yield increase is positive for business, but there are experts who already invite you to value it with perspective. Douglas Hoktz-Eakin, president of the US Forum of Action, I pointed After examining the study that there is … Read more

The effect of interest rates on their results

by

Juan Roig has found in recent years a new and lucrative source of income for Mercadona that goes beyond the sale of products in its stores: the management of your treasury He reported 180 million euros in 2024, 13% of its total benefits. The context. The increase in interest rates has turned the Mercadona Treasury into a machine to generate benefits, going from contributing only 5 million in 2022 (0.7% of the benefit) to 180 million in 2024 (13% of the benefit). This phenomenon is directly related to the supermarket business model, where customers pay at the time of purchase, generating surpluses of liquidity that can be deposited in banking entities. Simpler: Mercadona charges its customers instantly but pays its suppliers to installs, allowing you to accumulate billions in the bank generating interest. In figures. Mercadona closed 2024 with benefits of 1,384 million euros37% more than in 2023, with 5,692 million in cash and liquid assets equivalent to the end of the year. The financial result has multiplied by 36 in three years: 5 million in 2022 to 180 million in 2024. The total turnover reached 38,800 million, 9% more than in 2023. What has happened. He End of the negative types cycle in 2022 It was a turning point in the financial management of the Valencian company. Although the Euribor ranged between 3.7% and 2.4% for 2024, Mercadona was improving its financial margin through more efficient management. Roig’s company has increased its financial benefits even when interest rates have shown a downward trend. That demonstrates active management. Between bambalins. This improvement in financial income coincides with the culmination of the process of transformation of its supermarkets. Mercadona invested 419 million in 2024 to adapt stores to Efficient model “Store 8” (Diaphanous spaces, prepared dishes section, term and acoustic insulation …), 231 million less than in 2023. The combination of savings in investments (231 million) and the improvement of the financial margin (additional 92 million compared to 2023) explains much of the increase in the benefit. Deepen. The Phenomenon of Mercadona is an example of a trend among large retail companies with a lot of cash generation: diversification towards financial activities taking advantage of their liquidity surpluses. This “hidden bank” within the supermarket company has become an extra competitive advantage against chains with lower financial muscle. By 2025, Mercadona provides for a more moderate growth in sales (3.5%, up to 40,100 million) and a consolidation of the benefit. If we read the latter between the lines we can intuit that they anticipate a lower interest rates scenario in the future. Outstanding image | Mercadona In Xataka | Mercadonia: What is it, what is it for and how to use this GPT trained with the prices and data of Mercadona products

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.