Statista

People in Latin America and South Africa are especially sensible to the problem of poverty in their societies. In a survey by Statista Consumer Insights, between half and two thirds of respondents picked the problem when choosing major domestic issues from a list 20 as part of the survey. This places poverty in the top 3 biggest issues identified in the countries by participants. Interestingly, several European countries also regard poverty as a major issue at home. In France, 45 percent of respondents named it among major issues, while that number was 42 percent in Italy, 44 percent in Finland and 40 percent in both Spain and the Netherlands. This still placed poverty among the top 6 most named issues in these nations. In Asia, emerging economies regarded the topic very differently. In India, 38 percent named it among the most important issues (rank 3), while in China, it was ranked 11th at just 12 percent - the lowest in the survey. In the United States, 37 percent said that poverty was among the most important issues in the country - rank 5.

Looking for a dose of positivity? Explore our Good News format, showcasing data with uplifting impacts. 

The number one reason to “cancel” a brand – or at least boycott or protest them - is the mistreatment of animals. Animal cruelty was named as the (joint) top reasons why consumers would give up on a brand in three out of four countries included in a special survey by Statista Consumer Insights. 43 percent of the more than 3,000 U.S. respondents said they would give companies mistreating animals the boot, ahead of racism and human rights violations at 42 and 40 percent, respectively. UK and German respondents saw things similarly, with the exception that Germans considered the mistreatment of animals and human rights abuses as similarly damning and also rated environmental concerns higher than their English-language counterparts. Japanese respondents, on the other hand, were most concerned about products harmful to health, inapproriate advertising and corruption within a company. 13 percent of U.S. respondents said they had boycotted a brand before over practices seen as unethical. 21 percent said they had spoken with their friends about their concerns around a brand, while 25 percent said they had posted about these concerns on social media. While 86 percent of Americans in the survey named a reason they found good enough to boycott or otherwise attack a brand over their business practices, 49 percent said that they had actually never done so before.

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On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on imports of passenger cars, light trucks and automobile parts, saying that excessive imports of both threaten America's industrial base and thus pose a threat to national security. The tariffs, scheduled to go into effect on April 3, will apply to hundreds of billions worth of imports, as passenger cars and automotive parts are among the country's main imports. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, passenger car imports amounted to $214 billion last year, with auto parts adding another $197 billion to the equation. While cars imported from Canada and Mexico will be partly exempt from the tariffs depending on the share of American parts used in each model, the new levies will still deal a significant blow to both countries' automotive industries, which have been deeply intertwined with the U.S. car industry for decades thanks to free trade agreements like NAFTA and USMCA. Last year, the United States imported around $3.27 trillion worth of goods, with Mexico, China and Canada accounting for more than 40 percent of that total. Among the top imported goods are cars, car parts, pharmaceuticals and all kinds of technology, be it smartphones, computers or semiconductors. Experts have warned that all of these products would likely become significantly more expensive if the Trump administration went through with its tariff plans.

The EU has long been the world’s largest exporter of plastic waste, much of which was shipped to non-EU countries—primarily China until 2018. However, that year, China implemented its "National Sword" policy, banning the import of several types of waste, including plastics. This led to a sharp decline in EU-27 plastic waste exports to China, dropping from 1.4 million metric tons in 2015 to less than 400 metric tons by 2023. As a result of these restrictions, overall plastic waste exports from EU member states have fallen by nearly 60% since peaking in 2014. Following China’s ban, Turkey became the leading destination for EU plastic waste, followed by Malaysia. To further tighten regulations, the EU has agreed to prohibit plastic waste exports to non-OECD countries, including Malaysia, starting in mid-2026.

U.S. trade representatives are visiting India this week for talks as the Trump administration's reciprocal tariff deadline on April 2 is looming large. At the same time, Reuters reported Tuesday that India was open to cutting tariffs on more than half of U.S. imports as part of a trade deal both countries have been negotiating. India is charging very high tariffs on foreign goods, much exceeding - for example - the tariffs that the United States levies on Indian imports. Reciprocal tariffs, as threatened by Trump, would therefore increase tariff burdens for Indian companies exporting to the U.S. by a lot. Some observers think that even if a deal is not cut before April 2, India could be exempt for the time being as talks are underway. As a first phase of the deal, India would "substantially" lower the tariffs it charges on $23 billion worth of incoming U.S. goods (equal to 55 percent of imports). India charges especially high tariffs on agricultural goods, automobiles, precious metals and textiles, data analyzed by Reuters shows. At the moment, the weighted average tariff rate of India is 12 percent, while it is 2.2 percent in the United States. This places India among the countries with the highest tariff rates in the world. While these numbers change when looking at U.S.-India trade due to the specific categories exchanged, the burden on the U.S. is still much higher than vice versa. Despite India sending goods to the U.S. which are worth more than double those that the U.S. is shipping to India, both countries paid a comparable amount of tariffs in 2024.

Air fryers have found a place in the kitchens of modern, convenience-oriented households. From students and young professionals to busy parents, many people appreciate the ease and speed they offer. For some, it's about saving time; for others, it's a small step towards healthier eating without giving up comfort food. Air fryer users tend to value simplicity, flexibility and tools that fit into a fast-paced lifestyle. The trend reflects a change in the way people cook - quickly, efficiently and without much effort. For more consumer insights, click here: https://lnkd.in/eXidY9h8

For the second time, TIME and Statista have published the annual “America's Top GreenTech Companies” list. This study spotlights the companies driving the transition to a greener future in the United States. To be considered, a company must be headquartered in the U.S and focus primarily on developing and providing green technologies, products, or services that help mitigate or reverse the impact of human activities on the environment. The study is built on three key pillars: positive environmental impact, innovation drive and financial strength. Statista gathered and scrutinized data for over 4,300 companies through desk research, online application forms, and collaborations with data and market intelligence companies. More information can be found here: https://lnkd.in/ernFXqH5 BETA TECHNOLOGIES Apeel meati™ TAE Technologies, Inc Impossible Foods

Yesterday was Equal Pay Day in the United States, meaning that women would have to work all the way through 2024 and up to March 25, 2025 to reach the same average salary that their male counterparts would earn in a year. This equates to women having made on average 83 cents for every dollar that men earned in 2024. The U.S. Census Bureau conducted research between 2005 and 2019 to gain more insight to why this gap exists, comparing male and female earnings for graduates of similar educational programs. The institution analyzed data from respondents who completed their secondary certificate and those who completed bachelor’s programs over 15 years and then estimated the size of the earnings gap at each level, as well as the three factors that could have contributed to it. Differences in the choice of major, occupation and industry are key factors in the gender wage gap across all education levels. For bachelor's graduates, field of study also played a big role, while for certificate holders, it was hours worked. Almost a third of the gap is unexplained, however.