SAN FRANCISCO: Amazon has banned sales of imported seeds in the United States after thousands of Americans said they had received packets of seeds they had not ordered, mostly from China.
“Moving forward, we are only permitting the sale of seeds by sellers who are based in the US,” the e-commerce giant said in a statement Saturday.
In late July the Department of Agriculture reported that packages of seeds had been sent to Americans and warned not to plant them, in case they posed a danger to US agriculture.
Examination of the mystery packages revealed at least 14 different kinds of seeds, including mint, mustard, rosemary, lavender, hibiscus and roses.
“At this time, we don’t have any evidence indicating this is something other than a ‘brushing scam’ where people receive unsolicited items from a seller who then posts false customer reviews to boost sales,” the Department of Agriculture said in a statement on August 12.
Amazon bans sales of foreign seeds in US after mystery packets
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Amazon bans sales of foreign seeds in US after mystery packets
- ‘Moving forward, we are only permitting the sale of seeds by sellers who are based in the US’
- Thousands of Americans said they had received packets of seeds they had not ordered, mostly from China
Saudi POS stays above $4bn as Ramadan spending lifts home goods
RIYADH: Saudi point-of-sale transactions remained above $4 billion in the week ending Feb. 14, with spending on furniture and home supplies rising ahead of Ramadan, central bank data showed.
Overall POS activity totaled SR15.34 billion ($4.09 billion), representing a 4.8 percent week-on-week decrease, while the number of transactions dipped 1.6 percent to 252 million, according to the Saudi Central Bank.
Spending on furniture and home supplies rose 5.9 percent to SR697.35 million, marking the strongest weekly increase among major retail categories.
Expenditure on electronics increased 2.9 percent, while spending on construction and building materials rose 1.1 percent.
Sectors that saw declines includes freight transport and courier services, which posted a drop of 5 percent to SR64.86 million.
Pharmacy and medical supplies spending fell 8.2 percent to SR223.81 million, but outlays on medical services rose 5.7 percent to SR539.68 million.
Food and beverage expenditure decreased 4.3 percent, but the total spend of SR2.57 billion meant it retained the largest share of POS activity.
Restaurants and cafes followed with SR1.73 billion, despite a 4.7 percent decline. Apparel and clothing outlays represented the third-largest share of POS spending during the monitored week, up 0.5 percent to SR1.38 billion.
The Kingdom’s major urban centers mirrored the mixed national changes. Riyadh, which accounted for the largest share of total POS spending, saw a 3.4 percent drop to SR5.32 billion. The number of transactions in the capital reached 80.7 million, down 0.8 percent week on week.
In Jeddah, transaction values decreased 4.4 percent to SR2.12 billion, while Dammam reported a 3.3 percent decrease to SR746.29 million.
POS data, tracked weekly by SAMA, provides an indicator of consumer spending trends and the ongoing growth of digital payments in Saudi Arabia.
The data also highlights the expanding reach of POS infrastructure, extending beyond major retail hubs to smaller cities and service sectors, supporting broader digital inclusion initiatives.
The growth of digital payment technologies aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives, promoting electronic transactions and contributing to the Kingdom’s broader digital economy.
