The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that the U.S. government’s economic-stimulus payments are helping to boost consumer spending. 
A new study by two professors at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and the University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business found that a typical family spent 3.5% more on food, medicines, and other daily essentials when the rebates arrived.
The results also show that the rebates boosted consumption of nondurable goods, which excludes large purchases, by 4.1% during the second quarter of 2008.
The study, which used ACNielsen data on consumer purchases — …

Australians feeling the economic pinch are increasingly going online to discuss soaring fuel prices, a recent Nielsen Online study found.  
The study noted that online conversations about fuel price increases shot up by 150% since March 2008, when oil prices hit a record $110 per barrel.  Fuel discussions in online forums continued at high levels throughout the spring, peaking in May and June.
Nielsen found that 13% of those discussing fuel online say they have converted or are considering converting their car’s gasoline engine into a Liquiefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) engine as …

Global consumption of alcoholic beverages grew by 6% from 2006 to 2007, according to a report released Tuesday by Nielsen. 
While growth rates varied significantly by region and within different alcoholic beverage categories, the results show that alcoholic ciders (+14%) and vodkas (+11%) showed the highest growth rates. 
“We are seeing a trend in certain markets, such as Russia and Poland, toward higher consumption of premium brands as consumers in those countries increase their spending power,” Richard Hurst, senior vice president, Beverage Alcohol, Nielsen, noted.  “Many emerging regions are becoming increasingly attractive …

Ad Age reported Monday on the next-generation, in-store digital TV and signage network that Wal-Mart is preparing to unveil.
The story noted that the in-store-media industry is facing new pressure to show its effectiveness, and cited Nielsen’s new Prism system, which measures in-store audiences and sales impact from in-store promotions and media. 
As a charter backer of Prism, Wal-Mart allows Nielsen access to some of its scanner data, AdAge reported.  The goal is to track in-store marketing and media the way traditional media are measured — making it easier to tap media budgets, …

Nielsen announced Monday it will combine consumer personality profiles from Mindset Media with Nielsen Homescan consumer panel data.  The personality profiles will help consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturers and retailers identify specific personality traits that drive consumer purchasing behavior and brand affinity.
For example, the new data might inform a marketer of tooth whitening products that people who are considered “Carefulness 5” in Mindset Media parlance — those who avoid haste and impulse — are 56% more likely to purchase tooth whitening strips than other consumers.  The company could then use that data …

Nielsen announced Thursday that it will join forces with the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) to study travel consumers in India. 
Based on a sample of 2,000 respondents across 10 cities in India and updated annually, the Indian Outbound Travel Monitor will explore the behavior and considerations of Indian travelers when planning for, during, and after a trip abroad. 
The Monitor, which will track travelers’ destination preferences and travel decision-making processes, aims to help tourism professionals identify and optimize growth opportunities in India.
The Indian outbound travel market has expanded by nearly 10% annually …

Ninety-eight percent of Chinese people can name the five Fuwa who will serve as the official mascots of the upcoming Beijing Olympics, according to recent research conducted by Nielsen.
The survey, conducted in late June, also found that the Fuwa are popular in China.  Sixty percent of respondents said they “like” or “really like” them, while more than 20% were neutral, and just 15% said they “dislike” the Fuwa.
Those who recognize the Fuwa also appear to be spending money on official Olympic merchandise featuring their images.  Fifty-seven percent of the respondents …

More than half (55%) of UK consumers are cutting back on food purchases, Nielsen reported Wednesday.  Last year, Nielsen’s Homescan survey found that just a third (36%) of UK consumers were trying to reduce grocery spending.  
Meanwhile, sales at low-cost food retailers are growing.  In the last 12 weeks, Tesco’s sales were up 6.1% over the same time perod last year. Sales at Asda (+8.9%) and Morrison’s (+9.5%) grew by even larger percentages during the same period.
“Shoppers have been making fewer visits to the major supermarkets,” Mike Watkins, Senior Manager, Retailer …

In the U.S., food and gasoline prices are surging — along with unemployment, personal debt, and foreclosure rates.
These are just a few of the economic pressures that have forced U.S. consumers to change the “what, when and how” of their spending, James Russo, Vice President, Food Sector Marketing, Nielsen, writes in the July issue of Nielsen’s “Consumer Insight” online newsletter.
Drawing on data culled from across Nielsen’s global marketing, media, entertainment, and retailing services, Russo demonstrates how consumers and retailers are adapting to the tough economic conditions. His advice for manufacturers …

The Nielsen Company announced Tuesday it has extended its agreement with The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) to provide U.S. consumer marketing information and insights.  Nielsen currently provides marketing information services to P&G in more than 65 countries in Europe, Asia, Latin America, Middle East and Africa.
Under the multi-year agreement, Nielsen will provide P&G with retail tracking, insights on consumer purchase behavior, marketing analytics, and Nielsen Answers™, Nielsen’s technology-based business intelligence solution. 
“P&G chose Nielsen for our technology capabilities, our deep, rich content, our strong focus on process improvement and productivity and …