在港澳零售市道回暖之際，主力經營美妝及保健品的莎莎國際正從「收縮防守」轉向「擴張進攻」。公司在剛過去財年盈利按年大增約1.6倍，管理層將派息比率重回100%，末期息更實現倍增，直言派息水平反映對未來業務「信心好強」。數據上，上財年港澳營業額、同店銷售、交易宗數、客單價及每宗交易貨品件數均錄得增長，為公司重新加速開店提供底氣。

踏入新財年，營運動能延續甚至加速。管理層披露，新財年首季集團總營業額按年上升24%，當中線下銷售總額增長30.9%，港澳市場銷售額更錄得32.5%的按年升幅，東南亞增長17%。線上業務則整體下跌3.2%，其中港澳微升0.9%、東南亞增長49.6%，惟內地在線銷售下降18.1%。在強勁線下復甦帶動下，集團啟動新一輪門店擴張，新財年計劃新開10間分店，近期已於旺角及尖沙咀增設門店，其中旺角文華中心更在原有地舖之上再增一間約6,000至7,000平方呎的樓上舖，走更闊落及年輕化路線，另外已有約七至八間新舖完成簽約。

面對疫情後商圈變化及旅客結構重塑，莎莎擴張策略明顯圍繞「位置與租金成本」兩大變量。管理層指出，目前公司在遊客區的門店數量較高峰時期約少一半，意味仍有相當空間重新布局旅客區舖位。具體項目包括預計今年8月於啟德大型商場AIRSIDE開店，並計劃在落馬洲開店以承接經陸路來港的內地客流。同時，集團強調不會忽略本地市場需求，門店選址仍以人流為先，「有人流才有營業額」，期望在內地進一步擴大自由行安排下，旅客與本地客共同支撐銷售增長。管理層又坦言本人及太太均偏好「大店」模式，並考慮開設旗艦店以提升內地及本地顧客購物體驗，但開大店或小店仍以成本效益為依歸。

對於外部環境變化，包括韓國對中國內地旅客實施免簽以及內地居民北上消費的持續趨勢，莎莎管理層判斷化妝品行業所受影響相對有限。公司認為，北上消費已成定局，但香港作為旅遊及購物目的地仍具便利優勢，尤其不少內地客每月以陸路方式來港一至兩次。在此背景下，集團強調自身在產品多樣性及價格上的競爭力，並表示不擔心未來有更多藥妝店加入市場競爭。另一方面，東南亞業務則以「收支平衡」為今年目標，截至上財年末，集團在東南亞共有75間分店，當中70間位於馬來西亞、5間位於新加坡；目前新加坡5店中已有3店錄得盈利，下半財年增長勢頭強勁，若有合適機會會再開店，而馬來西亞業務亦見穩定，未來會更著重成本控制，管理層預期新財年區內表現可優於過去一年。

儘管上財年全年營業額按年增長14.2%至43.83億元，但毛利率下調1.3個百分點至38.2%，反映在提速擴張之際，莎莎仍需在產品組合與折扣策略上取得平衡。管理層承認，新財年計劃增開10家門店或會對同店銷售帶來輕微稀釋，但預期新增門店可帶來「正面財務收益」，並強調集團對延續目前銷售勢頭「好有信心」，市場未來將檢驗這一輪自香港本地走向東南亞的多市場擴張，能否轉化為更高質素的盈利與持續回報。

Taipei is doubling down on efforts to cut consumption of single-use beverage cups, rolling out a city-backed discount that rewards customers for bringing their own containers to popular hand-shaken drink chains. From July 2 through Dec. 31, consumers who visit participating Taipei outlets of Milksha (迷客夏) and TEA TOP on Thursdays will receive a NT$10 discount per drink when they use a reusable cup, up from the standard NT$5 required by national rules.

The program, jointly launched by the Taipei Environmental Protection Department and the two chains, covers 46 Taipei stores and is capped at 50 discounted drinks per outlet each Thursday. The NT$10 reduction combines the existing NT$5 price difference that chains must offer under the "Restrictions on the Use of Disposable Beverage Cups" with an additional NT$5 subsidy from the city. The offer does not apply to prepaid or stored-value orders, and outlets in other municipalities continue to provide only the basic NT$5 discount.

Taipei officials say the initiative builds on a smaller 2023 pilot with five brands and 18 outlets that generated 4,385 instances of reusable-container use between Sept. 18 and Oct. 9. By expanding the scope and duration and partnering with high-traffic milk tea brands, the city estimates the latest round could spur about 50,000 drinks served in personal cups, cutting a similar number of disposable cups from the waste stream. Authorities argue that as more people adjust their daily purchasing habits, the cumulative impact on waste reduction, resource use and environmental pressure will become increasingly significant.

The city is also tying the push to its digital payments ecosystem. Consumers who register for the "Plastic Reduction EasyLife" (減塑EasyLife) campaign in the EasyCard Pay (悠遊付) app and link a mobile barcode can earn additional rewards when they buy drinks in reusable cups and opt for cloud invoices, on top of the price discount offered at the counter. Taipei officials frame the effort as a public–private partnership designed to make environmentally friendly behavior financially attractive, positioning the weekly rebate as both a way to trim beverage costs and a step toward a longer-term shift away from disposable cups in one of the world’s most beverage-focused urban markets.