Like most types of contracts, employment contracts can usually only be varied by consent. In Bateman v Asda Stores Ltd case the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) had to consider whether a general clause which purported to give Asda the right to change terms and conditions of employment allowed it to introduce a new pay scheme.

Since a couple of years ago Sony has become more focused on its customers – their purchasing behaviour and motivations. Last year, following extensive market research, the company divided its customer market into six distinctive groups – and this year it will focus its product development and retail efforts on two of them: Status Seekers, who first embrace the latest CE technologies, and Innovation Enthusiasts, who purchase the latest technology and are very knowledgeable about it.

According to Panasonic, the future of film and television will be in HD 3D. With its latest product line-up and enormous investment in developing 3D technology the company demonstrated that it intends to take a leadership role in the 3D world.

Toshiba began its annual product showcase this year by revealing that despite tough market conditions the company achieved encouraging trading results in 2009. The value of its TV sales grew by 25%, while the sales value of its DVD players was up by 10%.

Held in Las Vegas, in the Nevada desert, the world’s largest consumer electronics show was as big as ever this year, with over 2,500 exhibitors and more than 20,000 new products on show. Remaining bullish in the face of the recession, the show attracted more than 120,000 attendees, according to early estimates, marking a substantial increase in visitor numbers from last year.

Regular readers of IER magazine may recall that in early 2007 I wrote a piece entitled “Grow the Market”. It referred to the need to look at the broad range of items which fall into the general category of domestic appliances. In some cases, the market penetration of these products in the UK was quite low. In other words there was tremendous potential to ‘grow the market’.

Of all the consumer electronics products the one which consistently turns in the biggest business for the independent dealer is large-screen TV. It also offers the most and the best opportunities for trading up – in turns of product upgrade, service and accessories. And I’m not thinking only of stands and leads, important though they are...

The central hub of the BSH customer support system is the Customer Service Centre in Kettering, dealing with all four of the company’s brands – Bosch, Siemens, Neff and Gaggenau. Opened in 2006, it includes a contact centre handling engineer visit requests, replacement spare part sales, customer liaison and product advice. It also provides a centralised location for phone calls, letters and emails related to customer service, and works closely with the BSH HQ in Milton Keynes. Other back up staff, based in Kettering, provide support for field service engineers and IT services.

In a difficult economic climate some companies adopt the ‘slash and burn’ approach to staff training. This often causes damage to relationships with customers at a time when competition is fierce and high satisfaction levels are vital to survival. A recent poll conducted by the Institute of Customer Service found that 30% of organisations surveyed have cut investment in customer service training, and 21% have laid off customer-facing staff in 2009. At the same time the Institute’s research shows that companies with a reputation for service excellence and committed frontline staff have a 24% higher net profit margin than same-sector rivals who do not enjoy similar standing.

The GfK Retail and Technology works with retailers and resellers in more than 80 countries worldwide. The GfK data platform, Star Track ensures that manufacturers and industry leaders receive comparable information at an international level. GfK market experts offer fact-based consultancy on brand share and channel performance at both country and international level.

Mathias Tingström, who is responsible for the design of the recently launched Charisma collection – which includes a freestanding washing machine, a dishwasher and a fridge freezer – says that he takes inspiration for his designs from a wide range of sources. “We have ongoing research activities which generate consumer insights from different sources, such as consumer homes, shops or places of social interactions, such as clubs. It gives us an idea what are the main drives of the current trends.

Stuart Wiggins has been running an electrical independent business, in Rothbury, at the heart of rural Northumberland, for the last 20 years. In 1967, he joined the parent company, The Seaton Valley Relay, which specialized in sound and vision line rentals, as an apprentice radio and TV engineer. Having worked for the company for twelve years, during which it had undergone several transformations, Stuart bought its Rothbury branch (which he had run since 1967). In 1989, he started trading under his own name “as everybody knew me as such”.

This year is one which is best forgotten, except that towards the end of it some light began to show, albeit too late for some. Apart from those in the retail sector who came unstuck, 270 workers in Plymouth lost their jobs when the very last TV sets to be manufactured in this country came out of the Toshiba factory.

The Retailer of the Year is by far the biggest survey of independent electrical retailers in the UK. More than 250,000 surveys are mailed out to consumers within 30 days of purchasing electrical goods from independent retailers in the UK. Administered by Domestic & General, the survey runs for a 12-month period from 1 August to 31 July every year. The survey is sent to customers registering their products with manufacturers and from retailer customer returns (ie it encompasses all independent retailers - not just D&G's warranty retailers). Customers filling in the survey are entered into a draw to win a cash prize equivalent to the retail purchase price of their goods.

Obesity affects 69 million adults and 22 million children in Europe, and the population of overweight people grows by 320 thousand annually, says the European Commission. The main reasons for this are increasingly sedentary lifestyles and greater consumption of fat, present in fast and commercially pre-prepared dishes. The principal challenge which faces doctors, nutritionists and anyone attempting to re-educate society into adopting a healthier diet is the ‘pleasure factor'. It is commonly identified with the belief that ‘most good things are bad for you'.

"A defining feature of this year's show was the support of the suppliers who with their presence demonstrated their backing for CIH and the independents. It was evident in the quality of their stands, the variety of offers, special promotions and deals. The membership attendance rate this year was 94% in comparison with 90% last year - this shows their willingness to make time investment to come to the show, even in the recession," commented Stuart Cook, chief executive of CIH Group, to IER.

We sold a modestly priced DVD player a couple of weeks ago, and were surprised when it was indignantly returned, with a demand for an instant refund. The reason? It degraded the picture, we were told, and therefore must be faulty. We gave the man another identical model to try, but results, he said, were the same. So we refunded his money - after getting from him a full description of the alleged fault. With the new player set to upscale the image and pipe it along an HDMI link, the image was inferior ("lacking in detail and texture") to that obtained from this and his previous player when coupled via an analogue RGB link. But there was no fault in either the player or the TV....

A year ago Sir John Collins announced his intention to step down as DSGi's chairman at the Group's AGM this September.  After six years in the job, and with a new chief executive (John Browett) and group finance director (Nicholas Cadbury) in place, he thought it an appropriate time to bow out and allow someone new to oversee the group through a period of significant change.  John Allan takes over his role.

Consumer electronics manufacturers, broadcasters and national regulators are now facing a multitude of operational and strategic dilemmas as a result of the increasing complexity of digital communications. The speakers at the recent Intellect Conference considered these issues from the perspective of their sectors.

As consumer electronics becomes more complex and compact, test equipment and service aids are evolving to match. Fault diagnosis and solder rework on thinscreen TVs are facilitated by specially designed workshop tools. Here are some good value for money ones.

Although the main world markets have contracted in 2008, the overall sales of the BSH Group totalling €8.76 billion were only 0.7% down on 2007. The company's pre-tax operating profit declined by 20% since 2007. "On the whole, BSH has proved to be more resistant to this crisis than many other manufacturers. This shows once again that with our value-driven management strategy we are on the right track," commented Dr Kurt Ludwig Gutberlet, CEO of BSH.

Since the recession took hold we have had an increase in rental business, relating to new and used equipment; and in sales of second-hand TV and video gear, coming in as ex-rental and part-exchanged units. Apart from the obligatory electrical safety check, some of this is in dire need of refurbishment to maximise its appeal, even to impecunious customers.

At its recent trade event in Birmingham, Samsung showcased a wide range of products which in the words of Andy Griffiths, Samsung vice-president of consumer electronics, were to reflect "the solutions to the money which is still available in the market. Preparing this showcase we wanted to indicate to the trade what is still possible out there, and how we can survive this recession together."

The Government recently outlined its proposals in the final consultation document for how the Batteries Directive will operate in the UK. Its proposals have left those that are obligated by the new legislation confused and concerned. Producers are claiming that the Government's proposals need much further thought and modification before the directive is introduced if the UK is to hit the stringent collection and recycling targets expected of it.