products

Mercadona has been filled with gels and shampoos that mimic luxury products: the silent revolution of supermarkets

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A light texture cream and minimalist container that could go through a Sephora launch, a Bombonera type bag that Remember Loewe or Jacquemusand a colony whose aroma evokes Carolina Herrera or Issey Miyake perfumes. All this coexists, at reduced prices, in the same place where fried and softening potatoes are sold: the supermarket. Between clonations or inspirations – not to open the legal melon – you can find global cosmetics and perfumery trends, including Korean skincareas well as viral accessories in a daily and massive context. A phenomenon that arouses passions on social networks and that, in Spain, has Mercadona as one of its main protagonists. Imitation as a strategy. According to Business InsiderMercadona, through its own Deliplus brand, accurately mimics makeup products and personal care of firms such as Mac, Benefit, L’Oréal or Urban Decay, with containers and textures that remind the original but at prices that rarely exceed six euros. Among the best known examples are the Maxi Volume mask (inspired by L’Oréal), the silicone base similar to Benefit or Illuminator and Coloretes that refer directly to The Balm and Nars. The formula works thanks to the massive distribution and indirect marketing that generate users and influencers by viralizing findings such as bath gel with amber and vetiver for 1.50 euros, described by the confidential as “a gel that smells of gods” and compared to high -end perfumes. In Xataka A feeling is growing in Europe and Canada: Boicote "National" The hole that leaves inaccessible luxury. This “corridor luxury” blooms at a time when traditional luxury has become more expensive until its clientele concentrated in the richest 1%. According to the avant -gardethe average price of luxury products has risen 25% since 2019, displacing the aspirational consumer that previously saved to buy a perfume or accessory. Today, more than 40% of the sales of many brands come from that 1% of greater purchasing power. The consequence of all this is a market hole that fill legal imitations, inspired products and, in the illegal field, falsifications. According to the countrydigital copies trade has exploded with apps and channels in Telegram, where young people buy and exhibit replicas without complexes. 54% of the B buyers see with good eyes that others carry falsifications, and 37% admit that it carries or carry them. In this panorama, legal clones such as those of Mercadona are positioned as an “safe” alternative, although they are part of the same conversation about value, authenticity and saturation. The origin of luxury by hand. The mixture of luxury references and daily consumption is not new, but in the last decade it has been normalized and even turned into a statement of style. The figure of the “luxury choni” – who combines gold logos with basic garments and low cost makeup – has permeated in artists such as Bad Gyal, capable of dressing in Versace and Use Mercadona Profiler. Also Rosalia, in its beginnings, sang in Aute Cuture: “In the Palace and in the Chinese”, encapsulating the coexistence of two consumption universes in the same aesthetic identity. This symbolic cross has found fertile ground in cosmetics, where the price does not always determine social recognition. An effective clone can grant the same symbolic capital as a luxury product, especially when social networks amplify the finding. The era of “dupe”. In networks like Tiktok, the term Dupe It has become a generational flag. Vogue Business has documented How gene generation has stopped hiding that uses imitations: finding and showing them is a source of pride. Brands such as Mcobeauty in Australia have grown thanks to this movement, while firms like Charlotte Tilbury have launched campaigns to claim their “original formula” and differentiate themselves from copies. In other markets, the line between inspiration and copy has been tested in court. According to Vogue BusinessBenefit’s demand against Elf Cosmetics for a mask similar to his Roller Lash failed: justice considered that packaging and components differ enough not to confuse the consumer. On the other hand, Mercadona does not fight on that forehead: its strategy is to identify and produce quickly, benefiting that in Spain, as in many markets, copying formulas or aesthetics without violating patents is perfectly legal. Beyond beauty: edible luxury. This phenomenon is not limited to cosmetics. According to Delishgeneration Z is moving aspirational consumption to food. In the United States, chains like Erewhon sell $ 20 with superfood and collaborations of Celebritieswhich are both a well -being product and a content for social networks. Logic is similar: to make daily consumption (makeup, breakfast, hydrate) into an act of visible and replicable status. Luxury is no longer alone in marble boutiques: it is in the glass Take Awayin the design bottle of design and, in Spain, in the supermarket perfume line. The debate: democratize or dilute. He Dupe It can be understood as democratization: put aesthetic and sensory codes available to a few people. But it can also dilute the value of the original and its promise of exclusivity. Marc Chaya, CEO of Maison Francis Kurkdjian, warned in Vogue Business: “Duping is a serious matter … some serve to remind brands that cannot abuse the price, but others flood the market without providing utility or purpose.” For the consumer, the dilemma is different: pay for history and prestige or for the effect and similarity. For brands, the question is how to maintain relevance when desire is satisfied with cheaper alternatives. {“videoid”: “x85k87i”, “autoplay”: fals, “title”: “Black Friday: how to know if an online store is reliable ️ Buy with internet security”, “Tag”: “”, “Duration”: “562”} Cart as a global showcase. It is not about replacing the traditional luxury experience, but about appropriating its symbols in times of inflation, precariousness and digitalized consumption. The “hall luxury” is a symptom of an era where the barriers between high range and mass consumption are increasingly diffuse. And there, in that hall where glamor coexists with the softener, a new chapter is being written in the history of consumption: one where a … Read more

We have cheap dough chatbots, and ultra -premium products for the elite

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A 200 euro mobile normally does everything you need. A mobile of 1,000 euros simply makes it faster and better. A 25,000 euros car takes you perfectly from one place to another. But experience is different and better in a 60,000 car. Contemporary economy has taught us how life can work at two speeds. And with AI is happening exactly the same. AI at the balance price. Yesterday Deepmind announced The availability of Gemini 2.5 Flash Lite, a reasoning model “for those looking under cost and latency.” It is not Google’s most powerful model, much less, but it is one thing: cheap. Costs Between three and six times less than its standard model, Gemini 2.5 Flash, and that makes more than ever a clear trend. Welcome to the McDonalization of the AI. Since the AI ​​models began to be marketed, we were seeing how we had a two -speed AI. On the one hand, free or very cheap chatbots –even local– With “minced meat” models for the big masses. On the other, the superpotent and capable chatbots, the most advanced and also the most expensive. Free and ia at $ 250 per month. That division was enlarging over time. AI plans of $ 20 per month have already become “middle range” plans for users. Now we are living a clear phenomenon in which if you want the best, you will have to pay a lot for it. The most advanced models of Openai and Google They cost 200 and $ 250 per month respectively. Before we had super -premium mobiles. Now we have overemium. Free AI is still (very) good. The most striking thing is that this McDonalization of AI is not bad at the moment. Free models, those who use the vast majority of users, They are fantastic for many scenarios And they fully meet their needs. Here we have benefited from an ultracompetitive market: AI companies have had to offer better benefits on their free platforms so that we would not run to use others that did the same for free or cheaper. The cost per million tokens (in dollars) has not stopped falling for two years. He will continue to do so. Source: Epoch AI (click on the image to access the interactive graph). And the AI ​​will continue to be reduced. A few days ago OpenAi The price of O3 was cut by 80% and offered its advanced version, O3 Pro. The latter is an even more capable model, but it is also 10 times more expensive than the standard O3 model. It is intended for very specific users who get all the juice to these models with very detailed prompts and contexts. O3 Pro is not helpful for typical consultations (often not too specific) that we do in Chatgpt, for example. That tendency to the reduction of AI is constant. But also more expensive. The opposite is also true: the cost of inference does not stop lowering, but access to the best models could be further increased. Especially if, as the companies that offer them look like they propose them as substitutes for human employees. Sam Altman already pointed out that an agent of the hyperavanzado with the ability of a human doctorate will not leave for 200, but for $ 20,000 per month. But if you meet expectations – and as always, maximum uncertainty here, Altman is a specialist in generating Hype-, that AI will be able to do the job of many employees, and also do so constantly, 24/7. The price of exclusivity. We are also seeing how these ultra -premium models are those that give access to characteristics that consume many resources, such as Spectacular capacity Video generation of Vist 3. although it is possible to generate a few videos with the “mid -range” accounts of Google (Google Ai Pro, 21.99 euros/month), to use that option much less limited we can sign up for the Google Ai Ultra Plan, 250 euros per month. Maybe 250 euros a month is a bar. We can consider that paying 20, 200 or 250 euros per month for accessing an advanced AI model is somewhat absurd considering that free models are already very good. However, there is another overwhelming reality: those advanced payment models can be an absolute bargain. If you produce double or do your work in half of time, what are 20 euros per month, or even 250? It all depends on how you squeeze them, of course. As said Javier Recuenco (@recuenco), Author and academic: “Something that takes away 80% of the work and that lets you do what you are good, that cool you and what you are good? Please give me more.” Supply and demand. Alberto Romero, author of the Newsletter ‘The Algorithmic Bridge’, I reflected weeks ago About that potential gap. As in the rest of the market industries, for it OpenAi and the rest of the companies of AI will operate in the market “with the only rule that matters, that of supply and demand.” Winners and losers of the AI. But it is also true that That for the poor and for rich will cause A new digital gap. Those who can pay the best AI models can do more things and better – if they really take out the juice – than those who only have access to free or cheap models. There will be no equal opportunities for each other. We could see something like that with access to promising AI agentswhich will be especially intensive in resource consumption but theoretically they will also do many things for us autonomously … but not those who cannot pay for them. In Xataka | The AI ​​race seemed to be matching. Openai has just hit the table with a model that points very high

“Ready to eat” are sweeping supermarkets. It is because we no longer buy products, we buy time

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Juan Roig He said it And half Spain was thrown on him: “In the middle of the 21st century there will be no kitchens.” Discussing whether it was a prophecy or a simple interested provocation, eight million Spaniards were already giving him right. Those who were buying prepared dishes, according to someone so little suspicious of having an interest like the EFE agency. Not that Roig is a visionary guru, he was simply reading the data that others wanted to ignore. The numbers speak for themselves: the consumption of dishes “ready to eat” bought in supermarkets (or in that genius of Naming‘Merchants’) It has grown 48% in just two years. Mercadona has this section In 1,260 storesbut Lidl also launched its own rangeAlcampo sells Up to 200 different dishes according to the store and Day has 180 products like this. Even Ikea has climbed to that car: to sell, more than ingredients, solutions. AND We are not talking about junk food or commitment solutionslike those packaged potato tortillas that made Belcebú cry. Now we see paellas, homemade croquettes, lentils, lasagers or potato tortillas themselves that know exactly what we hope they know. The trend goes beyond the supermarket: in the last twenty years the consumption of this type of dishes has multiplied by five. Supermarkets are simply integrating it into their offer and taking advantage of the fact that they are a usual place of passage, not a concrete destination such as the food houses. The nuance that explains this boom is that We are not buying exactly food, we are buying time. It is a symptom of change of our priorities. We are not stopping cooking for lazy, but by exhausted. Maybe also because we have more options what to do with that time recovered. Our parents had three television channels and the bar dominoes; We have platforms of streamingvideo games, Yoga online classes, cheap Ryanair tickets, establishments oriented towards “experiences” and an infinite offer of stimuli competing for our attention. It may simply Let’s be less willing to give up those two hours of kitchen when we know everything we could do with them. If we add the paid work, the domestic, the displacements and the care, the royal days exceed the 60 hours per week, according to the National Survey of Working Conditions of the INE. What we buy with each prepared dish is not just food: it’s a break. Returned time. A truce. And that’s why they succeed. In Xataka | Spain has become a country addicted to something that some years ago enjoyed little prestige: the white brand Outstanding image | Mercadona

reconditioned and rental products

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A decade ago it was Just an occasional exchange fair. Today, the repurchase and resale of sports material is one of the vertices that sustains the growth of Decathlon. The French chain has turned the circular economy into a commercial argumenta magnet of young customers in a country eager to Chollos in reconditioned And, above all, a visible profitability lever in its global accounts and – with special intensity – in the Spanish market. In 2013 the first ‘took placeTrocathlon‘In Spain, the first semiannual fair that had been celebrating in France from the eighties. It was the germ of the current strategy with a name that today sounds like archeology. Five years later, Decathlon was called occasion and its frequency was increased before moving on to the current nomenclature, ‘Second life‘. The project was formalized with donation, recycling and sale of returned products. Having had three different names in the last decade is more than evolution of sheet and paint: it is the passage of a specific and little transcendent event for the annual balance to a permanent service that already lives with the linear of novelties. And that weighs more and more in Excel. Not that Decathlon is alone here. IKEA has its ‘Preowned’ program, Patagonia launched ‘Worn Wear’ almost a decade ago. It is part of a trend in which the Zeitgeist which proclaims the green and sustainable helps to underpin the results account. Circular turn figures According to him 2024 results reportthe number of second -hand items reached 1.35 million units. It is not just a volume record: that implies that each of these products has generated a second life cycle with minimal marginal costs against the production of a new item. There are also the three million repairs made. There are two twin levers: operational capacity (1,730 workshops) and loyalty. Repair consolidated customer confidence, because the guarantee is prolonged and the perception of durability is reinforced, and incidentally, nourishes the information group on recurring failures or use patterns that can be reversed in design improvements for the following designs. In addition, almost half of the offer (48.5%) is born with criteria of “ecodesign”, ten points more than in 2023. That is: The circle does not begin in the after -sales, but in the design. Easy to disassemble, standardized parts, transparent repair manuals … All that lowers reconditioning and prepares the land for rental models and, of course, subscription. Even, as has happened in consumer technologyanticipates European regulations that will make that “ecodesign” a legal requirement. In the rental market, Decathlon has a 50%share, the same as in Spain. It is an example of how circularity convinces different audiences. In southern Europe there are many occasional practice athletes: The Holy Week skier. The summer cyclist. He camper of the August bridge. Etc. The type of user who sees the “payment per use” as a way to test, rotate and update your equipment Without having to make a great payment (bargain country) or have to store bulky objects (floor of the floor). This is another mine for the cross sale of accessories, insurance, maintenance services … Spain, outstanding laboratory Spain has a highly digitized type of consumer (be complex) and very familiar with the resale. Wallapop and Vinned are religion. In addition, the second -hand bike market has also raided the psychological land. Decathlon has capitalized this habit with Its 70 circular spaces inaugurated in the last two years: large areas in its large format stores that They exhibit reconditioned without sibling them, without removing dignity in front of the new ones. Its placement, by the way, is strategic, near autophagous boxes and counters. The perfect place for last -minute impulsive purchase. Second life space dedicated to cycling with the promotional image of Pedri. Image: Decathlon. Spain is also a good country for reverse logistics for its geography and connections. Makes easy to redistribute Stock to coastal or mountain stores depending on the station. To that we must add the Tarbes factory, south of France, specialized in reconditioning bikes. However, the album has a face B. or three: Delicate appraisal. The balance between what the seller receives and the margin that the retailer needs is unstable. Paying too much erodes the benefit and paying less brakes the product flow. Decathlon Test Algorithms of Pricing Dynamic that weigh local demand, seniority, aesthetic state and seasonality – a road bike is worth more in April than in October. It risks arbitrariness perceptions, something that reduces trust. Capacity of your workshops. The three million repairs are a force exhibition, but also a possible bottleneck. The workshops are concentrated by type of product (cycling, mountain), but other emerging sports such as paddle points require different pieces and skills. The specialized technician is key. Forming and retaining that profile will be key. Inverse logistics and data. Each extra kilometer in the collection of used product can neutralize a part of the savings in CO2 that Everyone proclaims in marketing. Hence the commitment to hubs urban. But the waterfall in the form of a breakdown, average time to the second sale or residual price is analytical gold … that the GDPR Maybe it does not allow you to squeeze as much as the company would like. And there can be no reputational stumble in privacy. Thinking about 2026 That Decathlon has uploaded ten points the “ecodesign” quota in its catalog lets intuit that within a year there will be another climb so important or more. AND That will require redesign entire families of product. Not only changing materials for others Ecofriendlybut modularizing components, normalizing the screws, publishing open repair guides. That will presumably raise the costs. It is the toll. Decathlon is also resorting to AI, according to his CIO in an interview with The Spanishto experiment with the Pricing or estimate the residual value, but the next step is to integrate external data (such as trends in Google) to anticipate, for example, the depreciation of a scooter depending on the weather, its … Read more

Extra virgin olive oil is one of the purest products in the world. And it is also full of microplastics

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As if it were the fashion concertFrance’s olive oil consumers have been waiting for their time for too long: that exact point in which the Bodegas Galas are left without the accumulated reserves of 2024 and prices begin to go down driven by the arrival of the Spanish product. The good news is that this moment has arrived. The bad is that oil bottles come with surprises. Surprises? These days, preparing the “great moment”, the great French magazine of consumption ’60 million of consommateurs’, decided to analyze the main brands They were in the French market. They selected 22 bottles of extra virgin olive oil (that is, extracted only with mechanical pressure or centrifugation). Despite the numerous frauds that have been found, the results of the analyzes seem to square with the requirements of composition of this type of products (99% of lipids of a certain profile, predominance of monoinsaturated oleic acids, etc …). The surprise has been the fact of finding high levels of microplastics. Also in oil? Indeed: “Bios or conventional all (…) contain some type of phthalates”, chemical substances that make the most flexible and lasting plastic. Although they are allowed products, there are an increasing body of evidence which suggests that they have an important role as endocrine disruptors. A few days ago We commented on his role in the regulation of blood pressure. And what do we do? The problem of microplastics is huge, really. Only now we begin to be aware of its dimension and depth. However, cases such as this show that we are not being diligent in the control of these: the presence of phthalates is directly due to the containers we use. A global problem. Because yes, these are French data, but it would be naive not to assume that in Spain (where these oil are consumed up to six times more and the presentations are very far from being ‘premium’) the situation is better. It is not, it cannot be. And it is precisely what should lead us to a reflection: we talk about one of the most important products in the country, the axis of a strategic industry that articulates the entire country. It is time to assume that conserving that heritage requires a much deeper look, a plan that goes beyond day to day. And that, I’m afraid, is a pending task. Image | Fulvio Ciccolo | Oregon State University In Xataka | Olive oil sales have fired 50%. The market is so broken that it threatens to be bad news

Temu already shows the extra cost of the products in the US for tariffs and no, China is not paying as Trump said

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Donald Trump defended his tariff plan during the presidential campaign with overwhelming phrases that they were among their followers: “It is not a middle class tax. It is a tax to another country” or “it will not cost you, it will cost another country.” The message was clear: Americans would not pay the price of their commercial war. And after his victory and arrival at the White House, that speech remained. Reality, however, is being quite different. The tariff war has already begins to move directly to the prices paid by Americans. And one of the most visible cases is that of Temu. The Chinese electronic commerce platform, which had earned a hole among the most popular applications in the country for its very low prices, has begun to apply “Import positions”Which exceed in some cases 100% of the original value of the product. Pay for the same. A concrete example helps to understand to what extent the situation has changed. According to NBC dataa pack of three sports shorts for men, which was offered for $ 23.61 with free shipping from China, ends up costing $ 56.36 once applied 32.75 dollars of import surcharge. That is, the customer pays more on tariffs than for the product itself. Bloomberg was a step further and analyzed the 14 most popular articles sent from China. The result was clear: in all cases, import taxes applied in the United States were higher than the original price of products. Temu begins to warn. Given this new reality, the platform has incorporated informative messages to alert users before finishing their purchases. “Imported articles to the United States may be subject to import positions. These charges cover all customs processes and costs, including tariffs paid to the authorities in your name,” can be read on their website. The ‘local warehouse’ label wins prominence. In response to the price increase, Temu has begun to boost the products that are already stored within the US territory. The company groups them under a specific category: “Local warehouse”. Although many of these articles are also manufactured in China, the fact that they are physically in the United States exempts them from new customs charges. Of course, this advantage has its nuances. As NBC itself has verified, some of these products marked as premises have higher prices than before, despite not being subject to surcharges. In other words, dodging the tariff does not guarantee finding a bargain. The context has changed, and that is also noticed in the local stock. The domino effect of tariffs. The price increase comes after a series of decisions that have completely changed the rules of the game. At the beginning of the month, the Trump administration raised up to 145% Tariffs at certain imports from China. Besides, has announced That as of May 2 will eliminate the exemption known as “de minimis”, which allowed most packages with less than $ 800 to enter the United States without paying taxes. Temu, between success and uncertainty. Since his arrival in the United States in 2022, Temu has conquered millions of users with a simple formula: ridiculous prices in clothing, technology and household items. Although the shipping times were long, many consumers were willing to wait if that meant paying less. That strategy, however, staggers now that the costs are rising and the tax advantage disappears. Complaints flood forums. Reddit has become one of the thermometers of discontent. Temu users Share screenshots of its shopping baskets to show the new prices, visibly inflated by import positions. Many express their frustration And they question if it will remain worth buying on the platform. Change seems to be caught by many by surprise. One of the shared captures in Reddit An increasingly uncertain commercial future. Today it is not clear how long the current tariff barriers will remain. China has responded by raising its own tariffs on certain American products Up to 125%and has described “joke” the possibility of continuing to climb. The tension not only affects companies, but also consumers who, little by little, see how the cheapest options are exhausted. For now, the products stored locally would be offering some respite. But if the situation continues, stocks could be exhausted and consumers would end up having to resort to more expensive articles, directly affected by new tariffs. The White House points to Amazon. In the midst of this pressure climate, the White House spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, accused the giant of electronic commerce to be “hostile and political.” The reason? An article by PunchBowl News suggested that Amazon was exploring the possibility of showing the exact cost of tariffs at the price of their products. The answer soon arrived: Amazon clarified that this idea was only considered for a specific section of its website, Amazon Haul, which competes directly with Temu, and that it was never contemplated for the main page. Showing tariffs can be seen as a challenge. The idea of ​​detailing these costs is not less: it would allow users to clearly see that, contrary to what Trump stated, the economic impact is falling on them. A warning for all players in the sector. The message to Amazon can also be understood as a signal to other electronic commerce companies. Explicit explicitly the impact of tariff policies could be interpreted as an uncomfortable political position for the White House. Images | Freepik | Theme | The White House In Xataka | Chinese companies have found a “shortcut” to dodge US tariffs: re -estate in South Korea

Some of its products are already more expensive in the US

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The tariff war between the United States and China has only intensified. The taxes already exceed 100%marking one of the most tense moments in the commercial relationship between both powers. Meanwhile, Washington has reached temporary relief with other countries with which it maintains agreements, provisionally suspending the so -called “reciprocal tariffs”although maintaining a base tariff of 10%. But beyond geopolitical tensions, what many wonder is whether this will end up being noticed in what we pay for certain products. To what extent will our day to day affect? In the United States, the response begins to be evident: the prices of technological accessories are rising. And the focus is not in minor brands, but in well -known catalogs such as Logitech and Anker, where the first adjustments are already visible. More expensive mice. Media like The Verge or 9to5Mac have collected An analysis of the YouTube channel Cameron Dougherty Techthat alerts about ups to 25% in some Logitech accessories. Not all products have suffered adjustments, but there are striking cases: the MX Master 3S has gone from 89.99 to $ 119.99. There are also changes in keyboards such as Pro X Tkl, which now costs $ 219.99 compared to 199.99 of its launch. Not all prices have risen. Some models, such as the MX ERGO or the G703 Games mouse, maintain their current price in the United States. In fact, there have also been slight declines, as in the case of the Pro X Superlight, which has gone from $ 159.99 to $ 149.99. These decline adjustments are not unusual: they are usually applied to more time products in the market or complete ranges that are close to a renewal. Portable loaders and batteries also rise. According to ReutersAnker has adjusted the price of part of its catalog in the United States in recent weeks, after the entry into force of the new tariffs. The agency cites Smartscout data, which indicates that approximately a fifth of the Chinese company products have remarked. In total, we talk about 127 accessories that are now more expensive. For example, the Power Bank’s Anker laptop portable battery has gone from $ 88 to $ 110. The Anker Prime Docking Station has also risen, which now costs $ 270 compared to the original 250. These prices correspond to the time of publishing this article and, as usual in the Anker catalog, they can frequently fluctuate due to active promotions. Even so, Smartscout warns of a “concerted effort” to raise prices in a sustained way. And in Spain, what is happening? If we look at the aforementioned brands, it does not seem that prices are raising prices in the Spanish market. He Logitech MX Master 3Sfor example, maintains its launch price in 135 euros on the official website, Although it is easy to find it something cheaper on platforms like Amazon. The same goes for the logitech pro x tkl keyboard, which has dropped from the initial 239 euros to 199 eurosalways talking about prices at the official website. In the case of Anker, we have reviewed several products for sale in Europe Through its website and, Between November 2024 and April 2025in general, no increases have been detected. A situation that contrasts with what is happening in the United States. The impact on Europe is still to be seen. The tariff situation remains in motion and short -term changes are not ruled out. The barriers that are raising the United States and China threaten to destabilize a global trade That, until now, it had worked with relative fluency. That tension could end up affecting supply chains and, with it, at the prices we also pay in Europe. For now, there are no clear signs in Logitech or Anker catalogs, but uncertainty is already on the table. Images | Đào hiếu | Mika Baumeister In Xataka | Before panic for US tariffs there are technological ones doing something uncommon: product collection In Xataka | The US tariffs are a weapon of mass destruction in the Tech industry. Except for Chinese mobiles

Price increases on all products

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The penultimate week of April seemed to start with some more calm in relation to the Commercial War Between the United States and China. Nothing is further from reality. DHL Express has announced A temporary suspension of all shipments of more than $ 800 to US consumers (whatever the country from which it is sent). It is the Geopolitical context Perfect for a plan that two of the great Chinese giants of electronic commerce, Shein and Temu, materialize a plan they had before even the entry into force of the tariffs: up the price. DHL suspend shipments. DHL will suspend all deliveries worth more than $ 800 in the United States from Monday and “until new notice.” According to the company, the change in its deliveries policy responds to much more strict customs controls. Although the measure arrives in full context of commercial war and tariff changes, the end of the exception of the “minimis” carries Since the beginning of the year, and giants like Shein and Temu prepared to move card. The “minimis”. MINI What? That DHL has suspended shipments according to this concrete figure is not something arbitrary. For years, trade between China and the United States has benefited from an exception coined to the Latin term “minimis”. This expression refers to all those packages with a value below $ 800. This type of low -cost parcels could enter the United States free of taxes, a mechanism that platforms such as Temu or Shein have been taking advantage of for years to offer especially low prices on their platforms. The position of Shein and Temu. The new Trump measurement package ends the minimis, closing the legal back door that both companies used. Both Shein and Temu have sent a statement to their users with a practically identical message: Prices will rise. “Due to recent changes in global trade standards and rates, our operating expenses have risen. To continue offering the products that you love without compromising quality, we will make a price adjustment as of April 25, 2025. Until April 25, prices will remain the same, so you can buy today at today’s rates. We have replaced existers and we are ready to ensure that your orders come without problems during this time. We are doing everything possible to maintain low prices and minimize the impact on you. Our team is working very hard to improve efficiency and stay faithful to our mission: make fashion accessible to all. “ May 2. Both Temu and Shein will raise prices as of April 25, but the key date at the legal level is May 2. This is the day in which the exemption of customs rights (minimis) is eliminated for shipments worth less than $ 800. If this is added to this that every product imported from China is subject to a tariff of more than 100%, the price increase was simply inevitable. What can we expect outside the United States. Although Shein and Temu are going to be especially beaten in the United States, we can expect a direct impact (to a lesser extent, yes) worldwide. Global operating costs will cause a generalized increase in logistics costsand it is not ruled out to compensate for this possible reduction in margins and sales in the United States through increases in the rest of markets. Image | Daniel Torok In Xataka | Before panic for US tariffs there are technological ones doing something uncommon: product collection

The US tariffs threaten the massive arrival of ridiculously cheap Chinese products. Europe has a plan

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First was the United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Stamer, which made clear The posture of the nation in front of the tariff war. China was more ally than enemy against the turbulence of the global market. Then It was Pedro SánchezPresident of Spain, the one that manifested in the same line. Somehow, both leaders showed that, in the commercial war, there are different interpretations In Europe, and that happens while a word next to China, which will test the regulations of the old continent: dumping. The challenge after tariffs. For years, Europe has seen in China a formidable economic competitor, but many media such as The New York Times They have begun to slide a fear of the escalation of commercial tensions between Beijing and Washington, and how it can transform that challenge into A threat potentially destabilizing for the continent. As? The imposition of Extraordinary tariffs On the part of Trump has raised a commercial wall that prevents Chinese exports from addressing its traditional market, which has lit alarms in Brussels due to the possibility that an avalanche of subsidized products, from electric vehicles to industrial steel, be redir massively to Europe. With key industries such as those of France, Germany or Italy already in a vulnerable situation, the fear is that the so -called dumping (the practice of selling below the cost to eliminate local competition) intensifies until eroding the foundations of European production. Of course, it does not have to be so, and Europe has “weapons” to avoid it. Diplomatic balancing. One thing does seem true. The European bloc is caught between two fires: on the one hand, the pressures of American protectionism and, on the other, the need to contain the Chinese overproduction without triggering an open conflict. The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has tried articulate an answer that combines firmness with pragmatism: he has promised to “closely monitor” the Chinese merchandise flowhas created a working group to detect dumping practices and has warned that Europe “cannot absorb excess global capacity.” Her messidated position was applauded by analysts, who consider her the best way to avoid an economic disaster. However, The Times explained that the unit of the continent can begin to show cracks in the face of the magnitude of the problem. Here are the words we commented at the beginning of leaders like Sánchez or Starmer betting on a greater approach to China as a shield in the face of the turbulence of the global market, while other EU members cry out for a more energetic defense of the European industrial fabric. Europe has a plan. The truth is that, in the face of the catastrophic image that has been warned in many media, for years the European Union has adopted a rigorous regulatory approach to contain the massive entry of Chinese products in your market. As? Through A combination of tariff measures, technical controls and non -tariff barriers that act as effective filters against dumping and unfair competition. Among the most outstanding tools are Antidumping research carried out by the European Commission, which have resulted in more than 100 current measures against Chinese products, covering from stainless steel to electric bicycles. In addition, the Rasff system (Fast food and feed alert network) constantly monitor the entry of non -compliant products with European quality and safety standards, blocking dozens of shipments every year. And the reach. To this is added the strict compliance with the regulation called Like Reachwhich requires any well imported good to register and evaluate its chemical substances, a firewall that prevents numerous Chinese industrial products from freely accessing the community market. Thanks to this normative network and its ability to activate ex officio investigations, the EU not only responds to concrete threats, but can also proactively dissuade the entry of goods that They do not meet the standards Europeans, configuring a legal wall that, until now, has effectively mitigated the wave of Asian overproduction. An asymmetric relationship. That said, and beyond the immediate context, the bottom of the problem may lies in an unbalanced commercial relationship. The Times told that Europe has accumulated a record deficit with China, one that in 2023 reached the 332,000 million dollarsfed by state subsidies that distort the market and by regulatory barriers that hinder the access of European companies to the Chinese market. Plus: the European Commission already has classified China as a “systemic rival” And bilateral relations have cooled in recent years, especially after Beijing support to Moscow during the invasion of Ukraine. European commissioners have expressed directly Your concern During recent diplomatic visits to China, demanding more equitable conditions and voluntary restrictions on exports of subsidized goods. Opportunistic messages and alliances. Despite these disagreements, China has intensified its Diplomatic offensive and media to present themselves as a strategic partner of Europe against chaos generated by Washington. From sponsored articles In influential media of Brussels until Official Communities That omit real tensions, Beijing tries to cultivate an image of stability and collaboration. In parallel, he has accepted Resume negotiations With the EU around European tariffs to Chinese electric vehicles, while minimizing disagreements. Meanwhile, European spokesmen respond cautiousspeaking of “reviews” or “continuation of conversations”, without offering clear adhesion or a firm rejection. An ambiguity that reflects not only the complexity of the situation, but also, perhaps, the fragility of a common strategy within the block. A crucial summer. So things, and with a photo that only points to A fear If we rely on European events and norms, the immediate future of European commercial policy could play a key game in the coming months. One is scheduled UE-China Summit For the second half of July, a meeting in which both blocks will try to soften friction before the impact of US tariffs is translated into an overestrial crisis in the European market. At the moment, the EU seems to have adopted a containment strategy: to endure the pull, maintain the balance between firmness and flexibility, and prevent the … Read more

promises to manufacture up to half a billion dollars in AI products in the US

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Nvidia has announced an ambitious plan to manufacture artificial intelligence infrastructure (AI) in the United States by value of up to 500,000 million dollars during the next four years. The initiative includes the production of Blackwell Chips in Phoenix (Arizona), as well as new plants dedicated to assembling their AI superorders in Texas. The company will also have facilities in Houston and Dallas. It provides that mass production in plants take off within between 12 and 15 months. Now, the announcement arrives at a delicate time, marked by the commercial war promoted by the administration of Donald Trump that, Despite a temporary exemptionmaintains the focus on semiconductors. Factories in the US, foreign experience. Although Nvidia has not detailed what models of Blackwell chips or AI systems will be involved, it has confirmed with who will carry out this industrial expansion. The company will support weight partners such as TSMC, Foxconn and Spil, three Taiwanese giants, in addition to the American Wistron. Behind this international collaboration is the model Fables that follows Nvidia. The company designs its chips, but does not have its own manufacturing plants. To do this, he trusts specialized manufacturers such as TSMC, a formula that also use other heavyweights of the industry such as AMD, Qualcomm or MediaTek. But after the announcement underlies an uncomfortable reality, especially for the aspirations of technological self -sufficiency pursued by the United States. Large companies in the sector, such as NVIDIA or Apple, continue to depend largely on the production capacity and foreign expertise for the production of most of its products. Taiwanese firms land in the US. Match the level of technological sophistication offered by Taiwan remains a distant goal. Giving up that capacity simply is not a viable option. The alternative, As already begun to glimpse with the Chips Law promoted by the Biden Administrationgoes to attract factories to the US territory. But the deployment has not been simple. TSMC has faced delays due to the difficulty of finding workers willing to assume their demanding work culture. According to Fortunethe 12 -hour days and weekend shifts did not fit the American model, and caused internal tensions and high staff rotation. The plants begin to take off. After months of delays, the first TSMC factory in Arizona has started producing chips for Apple and AMD using the N4 node (5 Nm). It is not its most advanced technology, but marks an important step. The second plant, scheduled for 2028, will work with nodes of 3 Nm and 2 Nm. In the case of Nvidia, the company has confirmed that the production of its Blackwell chips has already begun at the TSMC facilities in Arizona. What is not entirely clear is at what exact point the process is located or if the final packaging is being carried out in the United States or continues depending on shipments to Taiwan. As A ASML points outthere are several processes involved in chips production. Let’s see them in general: Deposition: It starts from an ultrapuro silicon wafer on which very thin layers of different materials are added. These layers form the base of the chip. Fotor resistant coating: The wafer is covered with a photosensitive material that reacts to light and allows to transfer the design of the circuit. Lithography: Ultraviolet light on the resist To draw the chip pattern. This phase defines the size of transistors. Recorded: The exposed areas of the resist To mark the pattern on the wafer. It can be done with gases (dry) or with chemicals (wet). Ionic implantation: The wafer with ions is bombarded to modify its conductivity and form the transistors. Packaging: Chips are cut, place on a substrate with connections and encapsulate with a cover that protects them and helps to dissipate heat. Waiting for advances. Analysts cited by Reuters point that “it is unlikely that Nvidia had transferred its production to the United States of not being for the pressure of the Trump administration.” They add, however, that the announced figure could be an exaggeration, and compare the maneuver as the one performed by Apple when it promised to invest half a billion dollars in the country. Images | Nvidia In Xataka | After strictly regulating AI, the European Union has identified a problem: it has been too European Union

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