AI in retail & pharmacy: Scandit rolls out Age Verified Self-Checkout, using smartphone vision checks to speed age-gated purchases at self-checkout. Eyecon adds Optical Pill Verification to its pill-counting system to visually flag potential dispensing mix-ups before packaging. Consumer safety: South Africa’s NCC recalls selected SPAR yoghurt lines after a production machine malfunction may cause “blow” and quality/safety issues. Fashion retail moves: Shein’s Paris BHV Marais concession ends before Christmas after a short, heavily criticized run. New drinks: Toby & Co expands its functional soft drinks with The Red One, aimed at relaxation for evening sipping. Food & snacks: Blue Bell debuts limited-time Chocolate Lava Cake ice cream; Mentos launches Experimentos, a mix-and-match sharing bag with mini sweets plus jelly varieties. Tech for everyday finance: BingX launches a Visa debit card to connect crypto holdings to everyday spending; Wealthyhood and Bank of Cyprus launch a co-branded investing app for instant account linking. Retail investing access: Backpack enables 24/7 trading for select real U.S. equities for international investors. Brand protection: Japan registers “Japanese tea” under its GI system to crack down on overseas imitations. Mobility & consumer tech: Yamaha enters India’s flex-fuel segment with the FZ Blue Flex (E20–E85 compatible).