Fast-food restaurants are in almost every country of the world now. They are popular because they are served quickly, convenient to find, and relatively cheap.
Listen to this audio and read the transcript about fast food.
Advertising is the way to sell products or goods to customers. It’s a creative way to communicate and to publicly promote products, brands, and services with potential buyers.
Listen to this audio and read the transcript about advertising.
As the saying goes, “When one man fails, another man rises in his shadows”. As the whole world falls to its knees due to the sharp increase in energy prices, the solar industry booms.
Read the article about the boost in solar panel sales. Be ready to answer the questions that follow.
Technological products run because of computer chips, also known as semiconductors. However, there has been chip shortage nowadays. Because of this, there is a problem with the supply of some popular tech items.
Read the article to find out the reasons for this chip shortage, how tech firms are addressing this crisis, and how it affects us. Be ready to answer the questions that follow.
Why is there a chip shortage? What is reaction to/thoughts on this?
How are tech firms dealing with this problem?
How does this impact us? How does this affect you?
Some tech firms stockpiled and ordered the chips in advance as the pandemic was beginning in 2020 which lead to the other companies to have problems acquiring the components. Share your opinion on what big tech firms did back there.
How often do you buy new electronic gadgets or appliances?
The Suez Canal in Egypt is an important way that connects Asia and Europe. Egypt is developing four new industrial zones along the canal and in one of them, a new city where workers can live and so they don’t have to travel far to get to work.
Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the new industrial zones in Egypt. Be ready to answer the questions that follow.
As many people struggle to make ends meet, they try to find solutions to the rising household costs. Consequently, dollar stores have become popular nowadays. However, evidence shows that the chemicals present in products that can be found in such shops are harmful to the environment and endangering human health.
Read the article to learn more about how dollar stores are full of toxic products and be able to answer the questions that follow.
During times of inflation, companies usually increase the price of their products, but some don’t. They choose to sell the product at the same price, but with less contents inside of their containers or packaging. This is colloquially known as “shrinkflation”.
This might sound like a normal thing for companies to do, but after the periods of inflation are over, companies typically don’t go back to their old ways.
To find out more, let’s watch this video about shrinkflation.
Discussion Questions:
What are your thoughts on shrinkflation?
In the long run, do you think that this practice would be a problem? If so, how could we spread awareness?
Have you personally experienced shrinkflation? How did you feel about it?
Are you meticulous/savvy when it comes to the products you buy? What are some things you do to make sure you are getting value for your money?
Now that you have heard of this practice, would you be a bit more mindful about buying products, their prices and contents? Why or why not?
What are other ways to help companies deal with inflation without passing the burden to their customers too much?
How did companies you have worked for in the past try saving money?
Netflix is one of the most popular streaming services in the whole world today. It was once only accessible in 60 countries. But more recently, it has expanded to over 130 countries worldwide. Millions of additional subscribers are expected to join the company in the near future.
Instagram, the world’s most popular photo-sharing app, is five years old. Instagram’s success can be attributed to a variety of factors. For starters, you can publish photos and videos on other social media platforms. Facebook paid a billion dollars for Instagram in 2012. As a result, the social media behemoth has poured millions of dollars into making Instagram even more appealing to users.
Read the article about Instagram and how it was founded.
When out doing your grocery shopping, you might have thought the choices you made were yours and yours alone. More often than not, though, we are being influenced by manufacturers’ manipulations. Our sense of taste and smell are exploited when we walk into a supermarket and notice the pastries and ready-to-eat food found at nearby counters.
Read the article and watch the video to know other clever tricks food marketers pull on their customers.
