Your commercial news round-up: Ed Sheeran, Primark, Zomato and Swiggy, Shein

Reading time: three minutes

It’s Thursday, which means business as usual; we’re bringing you the top trending commercial news. This week, we’re digesting the latest copyright battle, trying to get our head around Primark’s marketing strategy, gaining insights into fast-fashion retailers and finding out who’s being investigated for alleged unfair practices!

PS – LCN’s newly launched Commercial Connect newsletter is landing in your inbox tomorrow to connect you to the business world.

• In media news, Ed Sheeran has won the “Shape of You” copyright case. The English singer-songwriter was in a High Court copyright battle over plagiarism following allegations that he had copied a phrase from Sami Chokri and Ross O’Donoghue’s song “Oh Why”. Both claimants argued for “copyright infringement, damages and an account of profits concerning to the alleged infringement.” Sheeran has been involved in this copyright case since May 2018 but enjoyed victory this week when the High Court dismissed all claims of plagiarism. “Shape of You” is the most streamed song in Spotify’s history, the best-selling song of 2017 and the second best-selling digital song worldwide.
   
• In retail news, Primark (the people’s favourite) just got a new website, but customers are still unable to purchase clothes online. The Irish clothing retailer launched its new website because it knew that customers wanted to browse its recent collections and check stock availability. However, the fast fashion retailer wants all sales made in-store and has refused to implement a delivery operation. Primark lost £800 million during the pandemic due to not having an online shopping service and it seems they still haven’t learnt their lesson!
   
• In the same vein, Shein has overtaken H&M and Zara in a $100 billion valuation. The Chinese fast fashion company has surpassed both retailers combined. Shein was founded by Chris Xu in 2008 and is known for selling affordable, trendy clothes to millennials. The retailer also has a strong social media presence and fanbase with numerous teenagers sharing Shein hauls and try-on videos on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. During the pandemic, the company reportedly made $10 billion in revenue.
   
• Who’s being investigated this month? Zomato and Swiggy, two Indian food delivery unicorns, are being investigated for their conduct. Investigation commenced following the National Restaurant Association of India’s complaint to the Competition Commission of India about alleged unfair business practices. The two delivery services are being investigated for prioritising eateries and “providing discounts after charging exorbitant commissions from restaurants.” According to the BBC, Zomato and Swiggy dominate the food delivery business in India and are among the fastest-growing start-ups in the country.

Check the News every Thursday for this weekly commercial news round-up.

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