More New Zealanders than ever are turning to the internet to shop, according to a new report from Nielsen Online.  Those who shop online grew to 45 percent in the fourth quarter 2008, up from 39 percent for the same period a year before.  The adult online shopping population now stands at a record 1.4 million people out of a total population of about 4.5 million.
The trend towards shopping online cuts across most categories, with the most popular categories being airline tickets, books/magazine, clothing and other travel-related services such as …

Most global consumers agree that their countries have hit recession, but opinion on how long the recession will last remains mixed, Nielsen reported Wednesday.
While 53% of those surveyed by Nielsen think their country has hit a prolonged recession that will last more than 12 months, 18% of consumers, concentrated in a handful of emerging markets, like India, Vietnam, China, and Russia, told Nielsen they expect their countries to be out of recession within the next 12 months.
In contrast, consumers in Japan, Germany, Argentina, Mexico, Turkey, Italy, Taiwan, the U.S., and Spain were the …

Over the next two years, Australians’ liquor preferences are expected to change dramatically – with a new “healthy for me, the planet, uncomplicated and authentic” drinks trend emerging, a Nielsen survey released Thursday found.
“Consumers are demanding more sparkling and Sauvignon Blanc wines, craft beers, and beverages claiming low carbon emissions,” Michael Walton, Executive Director Liquor Services, Pacific, Nielsen, noted. 
Nielsen’s survey also found that while Australian consumers are increasingly skeptical about traditional advertising, many are increasingly won over by word of mouth endorsements.
By 2010, retail sales in the Australian packaged liquor market are expected to increase …

New Zealanders are now more likely to surf the Web via broadband — rather than dial-up service, according to a new report released Tuesday by Nielsen.
The report found that in 2007, 54% of New Zealanders accessed the Internet via broadband — a significant increase that matches improvements in the country’s broadband coverage during the same time period.
Online social networking has also experienced growth in New Zealand, according to Nielsen.  As of the end of 2007, nearly half of all New Zealanders had visited Bebo, the country’s most popular social networking site.  …