Belgian news in brief, 4 January 2006

Delhaize cuts prices on 1,000 products

Supermarket Delhaize is to reduce the price of more than 1,000 products this month. Delhaize hopes to satisfy customers in terms of price, the range of products, the range of healthy and fresh food, personnel, the shop and customers service. It is part of the 2006 campaign “Live like you want”.

Online credit card payments more popular

The number of credit card transaction on the internet in Belgium doubled last year compared with 2004. According to Bank Card Company — that administers online Visa and MasterCard payments in Belgium — the public’s faith in the internet is growing. The firm B-commerce is working on safety rating for internet shops. Belgians will also be able to use their Bancontact/MisterCash cards on the internet in the near future.

Record number of nursing students

After years of staff shortages in the health sector, the situation might be about to change with a record number of student nurses this year. Some 21,112 students are currently enrolled in both Francophone and Dutch-speaking nursing education. That number tops the previous record of 19,000 registered at the start of the 1980s.

TV crew guilty over candid camera prank

The producers of the candid camera programme ‘Kan dit?’ on commercial station VTM have been convicted on charges of causing involuntary injury. The case came after three cleaning ladies were tricked at a funeral parlour in Genk. An actor was lying in a coffin, pretending to be dead and the women were asked to remove a key from his coat, but suddenly the body came to life. The women suffered psychiatric problems as a result. Overruling a previous acquittal, an appeal judge has now imposed a suspended sentence on the TV crew.

Subject: Belgian news