Digital Payments & Retail: Dubai’s RTA is upgrading the nol card system from card-based ticketing to account-based digital payments, with QR, bank cards and wallets—and the new nol cards will also work for shopping across UAE retail channels, rolling out through Q1 2027. Loyalty Gets a Shop: Qatar Islamic Bank (QIIB) launched “QIIB Online Shop,” letting customers redeem rewards points instantly for products and digital gift cards/e-vouchers inside its mobile and internet banking. Food & Consumer Protection: California’s new rules standardize food date labels (“use by,” “use/freeze by,” “best if used by,” “best if frozen by”) to cut confusion and waste. Retail Crime: In Nottinghamshire, three Asda shoplifters were sentenced after a “supermarket sweep” using bins and trolley loads; police also linked similar thefts at nearby stores. High Street Retail Revival: UK beauty retailer Bodycare confirmed 17 store openings “soon,” including sites at The Moor (Sheffield) and The Bridges (Sunderland), with content-creator studios in each. Grocery Pricing Pressure: Hyderabad flower prices jumped 15–20% wholesale due to supply shortages, pushing bouquet costs higher for florists and event planners. Quick Commerce Watch: India’s quick commerce investors are being urged to focus on profits and cash flows, not just growth, ahead of a potential Zepto IPO. Banking for Younger Customers: Gulf Bank won awards for greener, digitally enabled branches and Gen Z-focused products, including student savings and prepaid card benefits.