Shopper Intelligence

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- VNU Marketing Information yesterday unveiled new services at Consumer 360, the educational and networking event for the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry. Consumer 360 is sponsored by ACNielsen U.S. and Spectra, both units of VNU and part of the VNU Marketing Information Group.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. and SAN FRANCISCO -- ACNielsen U.S. and SPINS yesterday said they would jointly expand SPINSscan Conventional, an information service tracking sales of natural and organic products across grocery, drug, and mass merchandise retail outlets.

SCHAUMBURG AND CHICAGO, Ill. -- Best-selling authors Malcolm Gladwell and Seth Godin, along with AARP c.e.o. William Novelli, will headline the 2005 Consumer 360 conference, the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry's premier educational and networking event hosted by ACNielsen U.S. and Spectra, both units of VNU.

CHICAGO -- Spectra and ACNielsen U.S., both part of the VNU Marketing Information group, yesterday announced the launch of Category ShareCast, a Spectra service powered by the ACNielsen Homescan consumer panel that provides consumer packaged goods retailers with a "new approach" to measuring and building shopper loyalty. The service is designed to provide retailers with a better understanding of their share of each shopper's total category-specific spending while identifying opportunities to capture more of that spending.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. - With the expansion of its U.S. Homescan consumer panel, ACNielsen is offering a new service that quantifies the impact of shoppers' attitudes on their loyalty to specific chains and stores, the company announced yesterday.

NEW YORK - The New York-based Conference Board today said its Consumer Confidence Index rose to 83.8 in May from 81 in April. Analysts had projected an index reading of 84.

LOS ANGELES - Hispanic households in Los Angeles, home to the largest population of Hispanics in the United States, are much less likely to belong to a grocery store frequent shopper program than non-Hispanics, according to new research from ACNielsen U.S.

WASHINGTON, D.C. and SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Consumers still conduct their primary shopping at supermarkets, but feel they save more money and receive better value while being tempted to buy more items when shopping at warehouse club stores and supercenters, according to a new consumer poll.