With gas prices down 31 percent since June 2014 and oil prices were around $85 a barrel, American Consumer Confidence has improved, going up 12 percentage points year over year, New York-based Nielsen reports.

My mother always taught me to plan my shopping lists around the weekly sale ad. By checking what types of meat, produce and consumer packaged goods (CPG) items are on sale, I can plan ahead for meals and snacks that will give me the best bang for my buck.

When it comes to food and beverages, nothing tops taste, according to a study released by the Corn Refiners Association (CRA), Washington, D.C. Completed in part by market research firms Nielsen, New York, and Mintel, Chicago, Sweetener360 examines the thoughts and actions of six distinct consumer lifestyle segments, the association says.

Consumer product goods (CPG) manufacturers continue to navigate the whims of undecided consumers, some of whom feel more optimistic about the economy while a similar-sized group expect continued deterioration of economic and personal financial health, according to Susan Viamari, editor of SymphonyIRI’s Times and Trends report. The Chicago-based market research firm released its “CPG 2011 Year in Review: The Search for Footing in an Evolving Marketplace” report that finds that consumers plan to continue their current path of frugality and conservatism this year.