Strong economic growth, more affluent populations and changing societies have transformed the way consumers throughout the Asia Pacific region shop for their groceries and other goods.

Through the second half of 2010, the pace of recovery is split between lagging developed economies mired in economic malaise and developing economies that exhibit stronger consumer spending.

Nielsen and the Chinese Economic Monitoring & Analysis Center surveyed shoppers across China and found consumer confidence slowing among those in cities, but steadily increasing among consumers in rural villages.

In many developing markets, inexpensive and available mobile phones serve as a substitute pathway to the Internet. Rapid mobile phone adoption presents “reverse innovation” opportunities for clever marketers who leverage the trend.

Widespread ownership of mobiles is only a fairly recent development in China, but consumers there have fully embraced the technology and in some ways are using it more robustly than their American and European counterparts.

Growth in consumers’ use of social media is changing the media landscape across the world. In Asia Pacific it has become increasingly important for advertisers to understand what is driving this change and leverage its growing popularity.

While global consumer confidence continues the slow but steady climb upward from the lows experienced in the first quarter of 2009, consumer spending is following a similar trajectory.

Global consumer confidence edged up slightly as rising Asian markets were offset by Europe’s growing concerns of an escalating debt crisis according to the Nielsen Global Consumer Confidence Index.

With economic concerns still top of mind, Chinese consumers opt for ‘quality of life’ and ‘ease of transport’ when purchasing a new car, but still want a stylish and sporty design. Now is the time to increase incentives on alternative energy vehicles—consumers are ready for the switch.

Social media usage has seen unprecedented growth in Asia Pacific in the past year and is now one of the most critical trends in the online sector, according to Nielsen’s Asia Pacific Social Media Report.