Executive Summary

• This week’s note “From the Desk of Deborah Weinswig” discusses the use of facial-recognition technology for user identification in the next generation of smartphones.
• Many US families still have a lot of shopping left to do as they prepare their children for the start of school. According to the National Retail Federation’s (NRF’s) annual survey, the average family with children in grades K–12 had completed only 45% of their shopping as of early August.
• Discounter Lidl has become the UK’s seventh-largest grocery retailer, according to new data from market measurement firm Kantar Worldpanel. Lidl grew its UK sales by 18.9% in the 12 weeks ended August 13. Aldi, the UK’s fifth-largest grocery retailer, grew sales by 17.2%.
• Alibaba has continued its push into Southeast Asia after leading a $1.1 billion investment in Tokopedia, an e-commerce firm based in Indonesia. Tokopedia, which was founded in 2009, operates a marketplace that allows small retailers and large brands to sell to consumers.