At A Glance

Noteworthy Characteristics

  • Captures all consumer package goods purchase information, including both Universal Price Code (UPC), as well as non-UPC coded random weight perishable products.
  • Panelists scan all purchases and submit them to Nielsen weekly. Data contribute to an understanding of how consumer behavior drives sales.
  • Provides data on consumer eating and physical activity attitudes.
  • Data indicate whether children are present in household.
  • Panelists are recruited to align with U.S. demographics and ensure accurate representation of the U.S.

Website

http://en-us.nielsen.com/

Purpose

To collect data on purchases by households in the United States (U.S.).

Target Population

Households in the 48 contiguous states.

Conducted

Began in 1980. Ongoing reports updated biannually.

Sponsor

The Nielsen Company

Special Note(s)

See also Nielsen Scantrack®. The James M. Kilts Center for Marketing at Chicago Booth and the Nielsen Company have partnered to make two Nielsen consumer marketing datasets available to U.S.-based academic researchers. Additional information is available at the Chicago Booth School website: https://research.chicagobooth.edu/nielsen/.

Sampling

Sample Design

Stratified probability sampling used to produce national panel based on demographic and geographic targets.

Sample Size

Approximately 100,000 households and 52 markets.

Special Note(s)

Households provide data on products purchased, vendor, and price using handheld scanners.

Key Variables

Demographic

NameMethods of Assessment
Age (female/male head of household)Data are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys
Age (other household members)Data are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys
Appliance ownershipData are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys
Cable televisionData are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys
Education (female/male head of household)Data are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys
Employment (female/male head of household)Data are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys
Hispanic (yes/no)Data are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys
Household incomeData are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys
Length of residenceData are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys
Marital statusData are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys
Number of adults and children in householdData are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys
Number of wage earners in householdData are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys
Occupation (female/male head of household)Data are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys
Own/rent residenceData are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys
Pet ownership (number of dogs/cats owned)Data are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys
RaceData are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys
Relationship to panel member (other household members)Data are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys
Spanish languageData are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys
Type of residenceData are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys
U.S. regionData are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys
Vehicle ownership (car/truck and number owned)Data are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys

Diet-Related

NameMethods of Assessment
Eating attitudesData are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys
Purchase of selected food items with quantity, date, store type, promotion, or sale items Data are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys

Physical Activity-Related

NameMethods of Assessment
Physical activity attitudesData are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys

Weight-Related

NameMethods of Assessment
Weight control activitiesData are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys

Other

NameMethods of Assessment
Consumer views toward corporate advertising targeting childrenData are collected by household scanners and panelist surveys

Data Access and Cost

Data Availability

Obtain data from The Nielsen Company.

Cost

Fee-based.

Special Note(s)

The Nielsen Company is a commercial firm that sells its data.

Geocode/Linkage

Geocode Variable(s)

County, state, metropolitan market area.

Existing Linkages

Nielsen Homescan® data on food prices have been linked to National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data on food consumption and American Community Survey data on neighborhood characteristics using metropolitan market areas.

Selected Publications

General

Einav L, Leibtag E, Nevo A. On the accuracy of Nielsen Homescan data. USDA Economic Research Report No. ERR-69. December 2008.

Einav L, Leibtag E, Nevo A. Recording discrepancies in Nielsen Homescan data: Are they present and do they matter? Quantitative Marketing and Economics 2009;8(2):207-239.

Diet-Related

Harris JM. Using Nielsen Homescan data and complex survey design techniques to analyze convenience food expenditures. Paper presented at the American Agricultural Economics Association Annual meeting, Providence, RI, July 24-27, 2005.

Resources

None noted.