French-based Sofitel has announced that it has signed three new contracts for hotels in the eastern and southeastern regions of China. These new Sofitel properties are already under construction and are scheduled to begin opening from the end of 2010.

The France-headquartered retail giant Carrefour has announced that its major management restructuring in China is complete.

Swedish furniture retail giant Ikea has announced that it will close its trade offices in Chengdu, Wuhan, and Xiamen and employees in these three offices will be dismissed.

The international fast food giant McDonald's has announced that following a one year trial in Shanghai, it will launch its 24-hour delivery service in Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.

Greenpeace recently published a report on pesticide residues in vegetables and fruit in China, which shows five kinds of fruit and vegetables contained extremely poisonous pesticide and produce sold in supermarkets contain higher level of pesticide residue than those sold in agricultural markets.

Guangdong Provincial Consumers' Commission recently exposed five kinds of hair dye as containing harmful chemicals, and now Guangdong Provincial Food and Drug Administration has reported that six more hair dye products, made by five companies, have been found to contain m-Phenylenediamine, a chemical that can cause cancer.