Global Scans · Consumer · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Technology will become the new sales assistant, always on, always friendly, always delivering. Consumers will co-create and create products to their exact needs. Brands will have to focus on seizing mobile moments on apps that already have consumer's attention. Instantly explore below how lifestyles, buying behaviors and attitudes are changing and where you fall short in the battle to win consumers hearts and minds.

• [New] The FDA has long recommended that consumers not drink unpasteurized or raw milk because of the possibility that it may harbor germs that can pose serious health risks. CNN
• [New] Beyond the healthcare industry, Cognizant and Microsoft will prioritize applications across industries such as retail and consumer goods, financial services, life sciences, manufacturing and communications and media. News | Cognizant Technology Solutions
• [New] Because qPCR findings do not represent actual virus that may be a risk to consumers, the FDA is further assessing any positive findings through egg inoculation tests, a gold-standard for determining viable virus. FDA
• [New] O2 Recycle gives consumers (on any mobile network) the opportunity to recycle mobiles, laptops and gaming consoles in return for cash. Virgin Media O2
• [New] Further geopolitical tensions - including a possible reescalation of the war in Ukraine - could constrain cross-border flows of food, fuel, and fertilizer, causing additional price volatility and undermining business and consumer sentiment. IMF eLibrary
• [New] New offers like Ubisoft's Uplay + gaming flat rate or technical innovations like Google Stadia's game streaming platform might attract even more casual gamers and revolutionize the way consumers play video games in general. Statista
• [New] By 2026 generative artificial intelligence will significantly alter 70% of the design and development effort for new web applications and mobile apps. Celonis
• [New] Only an EU-level approach will ensure that all member states are treated equally in respect of mobility of young people to the UK. Sky News
• [New] China could emerge stronger in the coming years with new generations of solutions, improved services, and consumer products featuring highly innovative specificities. Awaz Multimedia and Publications
• [New] Nearly 80% of consumers in the U.S. agree that nutritious foods are good for health and can reduce the risk of illness and disease. Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.
• [New] The delay of Model 2 efforts creates the risk of no new vehicle in Tesla's consumer lineup for the foreseeable future, which would put continued downward pressure on its volume and pricing for many more years, requiring downward earnings estimate revisions for 2026+. Yahoo News
• [New] New Zealand's consumer prices rose in line with forecasts in the first quarter but domestically driven inflation remained surprisingly strong, prompting markets to push back the expected start of interest rate cuts. BusinessToday
• [New] Business and consumer confidence remain particularly weak which could lead to more unemployment and financial stress than expected while structural challenges facing the economy in China remain a concern given its importance for the global economy and for New Zealand's trade. IC Markets | Official Blog
• [New] 65% of consumers surveyed plan to make dietary changes to improve their health and wellbeing over 2025, which is a 3 percentage point increase over the last survey in 2021. FoodNavigator-USA.com
• [New] Just like OpenAI's ChatGPT trains on human language input to come up with new text, AI models trained on biological sequences could design novel proteins, predict cancer growth, and create other useful consumables. Time
• [New] Macroeconomic factors, such as economic downturns or changes in consumer behaviour, could affect demand for CVS's services and products, posing potential risks to its financial performance and stock price. Seeking Alpha
• [New] Cotton production in India is projected to reach 7.2 million tonnes by 2030, driven by increasing demand from consumers. India Brand Equity Foundation
• [New] Challenges finding enough repair technicians threatens to further stifle demand in the UK, where consumer uptake has stagnated for the better part of two years. Fortune
• [New] Citigroup's profit topped analysts' estimates as corporations tapped markets for financing and consumers leaned on credit cards - signs that a prolonged period of elevated interest rates will benefit big banks. American Banker
• [New] The commitment to create a series of ads that will unfold over the next two years - across the UK, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand - has been a 12-month project to create content that can connect with consumers across a wide variety of traditional and digital channels. FinExtra
• [New] The next five years will bring significant changes to the ways we engage with technology, predicting a shift akin to the industry shakeup that saw the rise and fall of former mobile giants. elblog.pl
• [New] With almost 5 billion mobile phone users in the world, health care providers and researchers are realizing the potential of using mobile technologies, such as mobile phones, portable computers, and personal digital assistants, for health services. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] The robust growth will be driven by strong public and private sector investment demand, as well as a gradual improvement in consumer demand. Mint

Last updated: 25 April 2024