Global concern about climate change has taken a back-seat to other environmental issues such as air and water pollution, water shortages, packaging waste and use of pesticides, according to a new Nielsen report.

Ramadan, the month-long period where Muslims pray and engage in reflection, started August 1st, and in Indonesia – the world’s largest Muslim country – a majority of consumers will abstain from eating during the day. But that hardly means Indonesians will spend less on food and beverages; in fact, Nielsen research shows that households actually spend more during the festive season. After sundown, families and friends gather to break the fast at Iftar time, the traditional eating of three dates or sweet snacks and then celebrate with joyous banquets and dinners.

As inflationary concerns continue to mount across Asia Pacific, more shoppers are turning to promotional offers for some respite from the rising prices of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs), according to a Nielsen study on shopper trends. Shoppers in Vietnam and Malaysia were particularly motivated by promotions, followed by shoppers in China.

The Cricket World Cup (CWC) was held this past spring, and much like the Super Bowl in the U.S., it is a must-do event for global advertisers. In addition to its popularity in England, cricket is popular in many parts of Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand, South Africa, India and Pakistan. It draws sponsors from a range of multinational and local companies, from the auto industry to fast moving consumer goods. And for good reason: it is estimated that 1 billion people in 180 territories tuned in to the tournament …

It is undoubtedly a challenging time for Australia’s grocers. Consumer confidence is down due largely to concerns about the economy and rising food prices and utility bills. As a result, shoppers are tightening their belts and looking for ways to make their dollars go further.

Increasing utility bills and rising costs are driving Russian shoppers to watch their grocery budgets more than ever. Fast-moving consumer goods retailers and manufacturers need to recalibrate strategies to adjust to a more price-conscious consumer.

Nielsen data shows that U.S. travelers of all ages are indeed in the midst of the hottest travel season, visiting a variety of travel sites to research and plan their destinations.

With growing concerns about the economy, job prospects and rising costs, South African consumers lost confidence in the second quarter of 2011 to an index level of 86, according to Nielsen’s quarterly online Global Consumer Confidence Survey.

There is no doubt that U.S. store brands benefited greatly from the Great Recession of 2008-2009. The quality of today’s store brand offerings coupled with more value-conscious consumers looking to stretch their dollars ignited a sales boom. In the U.S., private label sales increased 1.8 share points from the end of 2007 to the end of 2008 to reach a 22.3 percent market share.

Global online confidence declined to its lowest level in six quarters to 89 as economic recovery hit a stumbling block and recessionary jitters again reverberated around the world, according to Nielsen’s quarterly Global Online Consumer Confidence Survey.