Case Study: Nielsen uncovers COVID-19 consumer insights to guide retailers with Talkwalker

Nielsen analyzes consumer trends and social data to decode life

Nielsen, working with Talkwalker social listening, set out to decode how COVID-19 reshaped consumer behavior so retailers and manufacturers could respond faster. The challenge was translating rapidly evolving, high-volume social signals and real-world retail data—especially during India’s intense March–May conversation spike—into clear, actionable insights amid supply‑chain strain and changing shopping habits.

They combined Nielsen Retail Measurement with Talkwalker social intelligence to map six consumer thresholds (from proactive health buying to a “new normal”), three accelerators (technology, local sourcing, quality/efficacy) and three exit scenarios (Rebound, Reboot, Reinvent). Monitoring ~82M social mentions and hashtag trends yielded concrete guidance—emphasize trust and product safety, promote local supply‑chain transparency, and invest in contactless, tech‑enabled solutions—while flagging lasting shifts toward hygiene, e‑commerce and remote/contactless lifestyles for businesses to plan around.

Nielsen