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In the world of weight loss, it is called "Dukan effect." Far from referring to the weight loss of the followers of the method of Dr. Pierre Dukan high protein, the term refers to the earthquake has caused its rapid success in the market regimes.

"Since launching our website in 2008, 500,000 people have used our services," says the Figaro.fr Eric Levasseur, CEO of RégimeDukan.com, online service to support the regime. This figure does not however say how many customers are currently active on the site. To achieve this, the entrepreneur says he has not spent a dime on advertising. Media coverage and the very important word of mouth was enough. In addition, this success is due to an unbeatable price on the market, to 18 euros per month. In comparison, subscribe to premium services of Jenny Craig costs 380 euros per month, those of Weight Watchers, about 40 euros per month.

Three ingredients

Otherwise, the business model is based on Dukan a classic recipe with three ingredients. First, the publication of a book, "I'm not losing weight," bestseller in 2010. Then, offer coaching as a service fee. It is the function of RégimeDukan.com held by Marc Simoncini, Meetic founder, Eric Levasseur and children of the inventor of the method.

Last element of the strategy, products "house" manufactured under license, such as oat bran. "The 25 food products we offer for sale are regularly out of stock", says Eric Levasseur. The sale of meals, also proposed by Jenny Craig, has been tested since 1973 in France by Weight Watchers, the history of the area. For the latter, "the business of licensing products represent only a few percent of revenue," says her manager Corinne Pollier France.

The success of Dukan has not stifled competition. Instead, he seems to have created a renewed interest in France for the plans. Thus, Weight Watchers France announces "growth for two years" and has 120,000 active customers in early July. Jenny Craig brand, launched on the market in early 2010 by Nestlé hexagonal, celebrated for its part, the 10,000 th customer in late June. "It's beyond our initial objectives, ensures the boss of France's premium brand, Erick Moreau. We hired over 30 people since early 2011 and now have over 100 employees. "

Booming sales of surimi

Dukan is not only limited effect on the market methods of diet (500 million euros of turnover, against 5 billion for the sector of thinness at large). It also causes a tidal wave less visible in the food products that "light" generated 1.5 billion euros.It's simple: all the foods recommended in its method Dukan turn into gold. The turnover of surimi has enjoyed a double-digit growth in recent months. Sales of fresh cheese (fromage blanc in particular) grew by 14.5%, according to the specialist market research SymphonyIRI.

Still, with the recent controversy about the effectiveness of the regime and the disappointment of Dr. Dukan court, the effect will last Dukan he? "The ruling will not affect our business. The public is not fooled, says Eric Levasseur. We record even a 30% increase in registrations in the first half of 2011. "

Some competitors, however, fear side effects. "The media effect Dukan has cast doubt on the effectiveness of all plans," laments Erick Moreau.Others, like the union's general secretary of dietetics, Jean-Loup Allain, relativize: "For 30 years I have been in the business, plans star there was every year. Dukan has simply replaced the previous ones. "

Dukan is the world

With its success, start-up runs on equity and did not have to organize a capital increase from an initial one million euros. Its international expansion is also financed his own money, said Eric Levasseur. Closely following the launch of the book "I'm not losing weight" in these markets, RégimeDukan.com is being launched in Russia, China, Poland, Germany. It has been online for one month in the United States. In addition, it is already present in Spain, the UK and Italy.

At the same time, Dukan is recruiting 10 persons in Russia, fifteen in the United States.In total, the start-up has between 30 and 40 people abroad, in addition to its fifty employees in France, plus thirty in the rest of Europe.

The management consulting sector confirms its forecast of market recovery and expects growth of between 5 and 7% of its business for 2011 (against 5% in 2010). Despite satisfactory order books and a volume of proposals being important, firms remain cautious. "The general feeling is that it is always an accident thank you for coming all macroeconomic challenge," says the industry trade association, Syntec Management Consulting, which has today its 2010 balance sheet and persoectives .This visibility results found at least by hiring a reboot, including profiles of graduates.

Who benefits most from this recovery? "It's the mid-sized firms that have the highest growth rate at 7.5%, the majors and large are in turn slightly behind, with growth of around 4.5% 5%, "says Syntec management consulting. Another finding, "the speakers operating on more strategic tasks or missions branches record the strongest growth."

What are the sectors most applicants for management consulting? Financial services grew and consolidated their lead with 30% of the total, followed by industry (23%) or administration (15%).As for the energy sector and the environment they are placed fourth with 11% of the missions.

As for the interventions, they relate primarily to the organizational consulting and change management (30% market share). "These services are carried by the restart of delays in 2009 and the new transformation projects," said Syntec. The consulting cost optimization continues to be well positioned with 17% of operator actions.

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The consultation ends on dependency. Roselyne Bachelot and Marie-Anne Montchamp participated in the last debate on Monday in Strasbourg. Yesterday, the Minister of Solidarity and the Secretary of State received the reports of working groups. The opportunity to review the options, when the decision phase starts – Nicolas Sarkozy is expected to decide by mid-July.

• The trails open

Roselyne Bachelot refuses to contribute the only people dependent on a recovery via succession. On behalf of the job, it excludes an increase in contributions Safely weighing on wages. More broadly, she refuses to "seek too assets" and conduct an overall increase in taxes, hence the rejection of a general increase in the CSG, as expressed last week by François Fillon.Finally, the "pattern Axa 'mandatory private insurance is also rebutted by the prime minister – incompatible choice to keep a" floor of solidarity "public.

• Funding potential

This base should look like the current personal autonomy allowance (APA), improved. To finance, the minister mentioned three tracks. First, the alignment of the CSG pensioners (6.6%) of the assets (7.5%). Then, up the "solidarity contribution for autonomy" (employer tax) in exchange for a second "day of solidarity" worked by employees, and / or its extension to independent professionals and retirees.Finally, taxation of all legacies and donations (1% suggested by the Economic and Social Council).

• Law or no law?

Alleviate the "rest dependent" people who are very dependent in retirement homes, relieving departments – the first funders of the APA – in need. These "emergency requirements" will be answered in the fall, confirms Roselyne Bachelot, who estimates that one billion annual funding required. Measures included in the budget of the social security, which can only accommodate financial arrangements. The working groups have launched other ideas, starting with better coordination of stakeholders around the dependent person (our Monday editions). Nicolas Sarkozy will decide whether the subject the campaign of 2012 or if it retains some now. In this case, should be considered a separate act, in a crowded parliamentary timetable.Marie-Anne Montchamp argues that meaning is: "A law would provide visibility, draw perspectives, we will show later that clogging effects of the crisis, as the Head of State wished" . In this case, it could be a framework law, setting guidelines, and perhaps initiating experiments.

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Pressure mounts on the management of Air France-KLM. 144 MPs of all persuasions have signed the petition launched by Bernard Carayon, UMP deputy from the Tarn, to induce Air France Airbus in favor of a mégacommande long-haul aircraft. Monday, Pierre Lellouche, the Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, has announced its intention to meet with Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, the CEO of Air France-KLM to seek "clarification" on its intentions. The meeting should take place this afternoon.

For the government, bad foreign trade figures – which widened to over 7 billion euros in April – have sounded like a severe reprimand. Particularly for companies whose shareholder is the State. Air France-KLM, it holds that "15%" of capital.But Pierre Lellouche believes that the company can "pass the buck" in a state that has "greatly helped" the group "when he had problems with Brussels." A similar approach to reprimand respondent last week to PSA Peugeot Citroen, after the revelation of its possible plans to close two factories in France. PSA is not a public company, but it has benefited from state funds during the crisis.

Strategic choice

The political pressure put on Air France is the extent of the challenge: a mégacommande – the first made jointly by Air France and KLM – a hundred long-haul aircraft. The project is described as historic by the leaders of Air France-KLM themselves: it should be in the tens of billions of dollars. The verdict of the direction the company should have to fall shortly after the general meeting in early July.Now, executives of Air France-KLM believe that the announcement will probably be delayed for several weeks, "the time that the discussions become less passionate."

Internally, the political turn taken by the back hurts. Bernard Pedamon, the pilot representative on the board of directors of Air France said he was "surprised and discontented." "These are the strategic choices that can be for an airline. It is a commitment for another twenty years to respond to economic considerations, he says. Currently, we are witnessing the return of our old demons. The days when you could bring in managers office at the head of the company or impose choices of planes is a bygone era. "

Currently, the weight of the two aircraft manufacturers in the fleet of the company tricolor is not identical.On all its long-haul aircraft, Air France totals 63 Boeing against Airbus 35. The company has indeed bought many Boeing 777-300 at a time when Airbus had no exact equivalent. However, all of its medium-haul (or 153 units) are Airbus.

The controversy of recent days is all the more surprising that for several months, officials of the fleet of Air France have expressed their intention to mix Airbus A350 and Boeing 787. "The case studied by our teams for the purchase of these devices are not made on a corner table," says an executive of the company. "We are studying a number of criteria: the choice of engines, the maintenance cost, the impact on our maintenance activity …" considerations rather distant from the campaign themes.

The digital adventure continues for Madame Figaro. This Friday, the magazine will launch the i-mad 2, the second issue of the magazine free interactive proposed on the Apple tablet. A second edition promises to be "ever more chic, shock and surprise."

As with the previous i-mad 2 will use technology developed by Adobe Digital Publishing Suite, a first in France in the world of magazines. This solution, used in particular by Wired magazine in the U.S., will control the process of creating content across a chain of production."A technology that delivers high-impact interactions such as panoramas and 360 degree spins," said a statement.

This month, the magazine will feature interactive "all these women who have the keys change hands" through a selection of articles of Madame Figaro, rich content and interactive videos. This special issue will draw such a portrait of Lady Gaga and propose a new meeting with Georgia May Jagger. Visitors can also explore the rising French actress photos, immortalized by Cedric Klapisch or unpublished portraits by Peter Lindbergh.

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Where can you buy with his mobile phone in France?

In Nice, about 3000 subscribers already use their mobile phones to pay for their tram, their parking, their paper etc.. Nine other cities, including Paris, will follow this year. One testing ground in Europe is likely the London Olympics in 2012 when Samsung and Visa will deploy this type of regulation.

Should we change phones?

Yes, you need a phone (NFC for Near Field Communications) and be equipped with a specific SIM card. The cell phone used in Nice is a Samsung mobile. But all the major manufacturers, Samsung, LG via Nokia, HTC and Rim should propose several models by the end of the year. Google estimates that in 2014, less than half the mobile phones will be equipped with NFC technology.

Should I change to another provider?

No.In France, Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom, NRJ Mobile offers mobile payment. It is always possible to switch from one operator to another. In contrast, Google Wallet does for the moment at Sprint, which owns 11% of the market in the United States electronic check payday advance.

What happens if there is loss or theft of the phone?

This is where the role of the telco is essential. It is he who provides security through the SIM card and customer service. The information contained in the SIM card without contact are encrypted and secure. So nobody can access it.

The Google Wallet Will he land in France?

Yes. The operator Orange was in discussions with Google, with which it has already established a number of partnerships. It should soon have NFC devices running Android.

The State encourages Does the rise of the NFC phone?

Yes.Christine Lagarde, Eric Besson, Rene Ricol announced yesterday the launch of a call for proposals for the NFC, with 20 million euros. Objective: to support the order of 20 to 30 projects of innovative mobile services simplify many everyday actions of the French. "In case of loss or theft, the operators guarantee the security of bank information."

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The natural disaster that shook Japan on March 11 and caused a serious nuclear accident in history, affecting badly the Japanese utility Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO). The company reported a net loss record 11 billion euros (1.25 trillion yen) on Friday morning, well above the 9 billion expected by the Japanese press. It is the worst deficit recorded by a Japanese non-financial group. The earthquake and the tsunami have paralyzed much of its central activity based in Fukushima, a city northeast of the country now known worldwide. For more than two months in fact, at least four of six reactors on the site are stopped. Before the event, Tepco expected a net profit of 1 billion euros.

Another important announcement this morning by Tepco: Masataka Shimizu's resignation.It must be said that his handling of the crisis has been sharply criticized in Japan and the rest of the world. Particularly for its lack of transparency in the first moments following the disaster. He will be succeeded by Toshio Nishizawa, the current CEO of the group.

State utilities and banks to contribute

The future already looks difficult for TEPCO. The operator had to call for help from the Japanese government. In a request sent on 10 May at the Japanese government, the third largest producer of electricity in the Archipelago evokes an immediate need 8.7 billion euros. Very quickly, the Japanese government has responded, putting Tepco under its control and disclose its financial rescue plan."The purpose of this plan is not to bail Tepco, said Friday the Japanese Minister of Economy, but to ensure that victims are compensated properly," he commented.

TEPCO has indeed compensate the 85,000 victims of the nuclear accident payday advance. A bill that could total between 25 and 43 billion euros, according to local press. Thus the state ensures that dip into its funds and requires the efforts of other private electricity companies in the country. Even banks will tighten their belts: they have provided a loan of 1.4 trillion yen (11.7 billion euros) to Tepco are asked to waive a portion of their claims vis-à-vis the operator .

For its part, TEPCO must, of course, participate in a pinch.The group will include transfer of financial assets and properties in order to concentrate its resources on the production and distribution of electricity. In addition, the eight most senior executives of the company will also waive any compensation and personnel managers to ordinary workers, will also undergo substantial pay cuts.

In exchange, Tepco falls again

This Friday morning in Tokyo, the title has finished Tepco small increase of 0.54% before the results are published in the group. Since, in trade-off meeting at the New York Stock Exchange, the action Tepco listed on Wall Street tumbles 9.6% and is only worth 4.45 dollars. So since March 11, the title collapsed by 83%. Investors, cooled the past two months, do not see Tepco bounce soon.While its nuclear activity has melted, the group had to increase production at its thermal power plants to continue to supply the population. However, this has a cost of hydrocarbons, which could cost another 8.7 billion uros on the current tax year.

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All for it! A great stir launched by Laurent Wauquiez triggers an uproar, followed by a double crop, ministerial and presidential primary. But a few days later, means a whole different story. François Fillon Laurent Wauquiez has criticized the "form", but acknowledged the need to "correct" the RSA. And Roselyne Bachelot, who on Monday denounced the "About counter" in the mouth of his government colleague, merely validating the more moderate course, diagnosis shared by all governmental experts: the RSA does not work .

"This system is not perfect and needs improvement. This is a horribly complex. It must be simpler, "said Minister for Solidarity. The Minister of European Affairs has lanced the boil.The initiative is very cavalier but Sarkozyist in mind: to generate debate on a subject which will now cleaving the heart of the presidential election.

Since the Elysee prepares a balance sheet of five years, the RSA is an embarrassment, even if the plate issued by the Presidency of the Republic for the fourth anniversary of the class number of successful reforms. Should he be praised for showing that the government can boast of a true social balance? You run the risk of exasperating his electorate that is notched on all subjects assistantship. Should we criticize, pointing to its shortcomings?

Crisis forces, the RSA is not increased in intensity. Departments have struggled, together, to put in place. The record is disappointing.And Nicolas Sarkozy, who was given carte blanche to Martin Hirsch, came back the promises of the former High Commissioner of Solidarity.

A "disappointment"

Last Friday, Nicolas Sarkozy himself acknowledged before some guests of the evening that the RSA is a "disappointment" because he "does not fulfill the function" for which it was designed. Several employees Elysian find elsewhere, for several days that the RSA was "a bad system." Even Jean Castex, deputy general secretary in charge of social issues, slid in front of several elected officials as the "RSA does not correct the RMI but amplifies it." He likes to cite the example of supermarkets, which are not hiring more part-time because it makes employees eligible for RSA. "As a result, employers have an incentive to pay only partial activities," said Castex.This means that Wauquiez had some support when he opened a gap on this subject.

Now, everyone understands that the assistantship in general, and the RSA in particular, should enter the debate of the presidential election. Whether it is local aid, of individual housing, the earned income tax or unemployment benefits – by far the most generous in Europe, particularly for executives – these benefits will be evaluated. First, during the debate held on this subject by the UMP June 8 Then during the mission's findings Marc-Philippe Daubresse on RSA.

"We have two solutions. Or we're like 80% of the countries that surround us, that is to say nothing, because generalized social benefits are the only true French specificity. Or do we tip of a support system to a delivery system, that is to say, aid in exchange counterparties.Only the second solution seems feasible, there is little confided to Le Figaro a close adviser to the Head of State. The Elysee, who thinks of course the debate of 2012, reflecting on different tracks. For example, the idea of ​​a "welfare reduced based economic growth," says this adviser.

But another near the head of state calls on him "a fierce fight against abuse", without questioning the entire system, on behalf of national cohesion.

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The tax reform of heritage, to remove the tax shield and develop the solidarity tax on wealth (ISF), was discussed Wednesday by the Cabinet. The bill marks the final disappearance of the tax shield, yet highly symbolic as the beginning of the quinquennium of Nicolas Sarkozy, who eventually disappeared under the pressure of repeated criticism from the opposition but also of the majority.

In contrast, the solidarity tax on wealth (ISF) remains in place, but in a lighter version. The reform will indeed allow some 300,000 taxpayers whose assets ranged between 800,000 and 1.3 million euros, to escape this tax.

The government relies on a passage of the bill no later than early July.The text will be submitted to the National Assembly in early June and will be accelerated procedure, which allows only one reading per room. The reform will apply from 1 January 2012.

The tax cap took effect on 1 January 2007. It was capped at the time the taxes (income tax, wealth tax and local taxes) at 60% of revenues. After the arrival of Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysee, the threshold was lowered to 50%.

(With AFP)

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The event is scheduled for Thursday evening at the Defense around 21:45. All skyscrapers are in the dark, while the First Tower, she will illuminate. One way to celebrate the inauguration of the "little one" which with its 231 meters just to rob the place of Montparnasse Tower tallest building in France totally free credit score.

Click on image to enlarge.