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Economic Hardship Compels Europeans To
Change Lifestyle
1
- Six In Ten Are Reducing Their Heating
Usage, Despite Recent Cold Weather
Half
of the population are wearing more layers or using blankets to avoid high
energy costs while 13% are still not using heating at all
With temperatures
dropping in many parts of the UK over the past week, YouGov has looked into
ways people are attempting to reduce their energy costs by cutting back on
heating usage.
Similarly
to when we asked in October,
three quarters (73%) of the public are cutting back on the amount of gas
and electric they use at home, with six in ten (63%) reducing their heating
usage specifically.
When looking
specifically at those who are ‘struggling financially’ – Britons who
describe themselves as struggling, or unable, to afford their everyday
costs – the share of people cutting back on heating usage rises to eight in
ten (79%).
The most common ways the
public are trying to reduce heating usage include wearing more layers or
using blankets (52%), reducing the temperature on the thermostat (42%) or
reducing the time they have the heating on (42%). People are also being
cautious about heating individual rooms, with a third (34%)
making sure they are closing doors to keep heat in a certain room and one
in five (20%) using fewer rooms in their home. The number of people taking
these steps have all increased since October.
Despite temperatures
dropping below zero in many areas of the country, 13% of Britons say they
are not using their heating at all. This is down from 25% back in October
when temperatures were a lot milder. Amongst those struggling financially,
a quarter (26%) are currently still not using heating at all, down from 44%
two months ago.
(YouGov UK)
December 14, 2022
Source:
https://yougov.co.uk/topics/economy/articles-reports/2022/12/14/six-ten-are-reducing-their-heating-usage-despite-r
2 - 1 In 3 Dutch People Cut Back On Groceries
More
than 1 in 3 Dutch people cut back on groceries. We especially find offers
interesting. We also switch from A-brand to private label and to cheap
basic products to save money. A positive side effect of budget cuts is that
we leave sweets and cakes more often. All this yields money and a good
feeling.
The rising
prices of groceries and other fixed costs areputting the Dutch in
their pockets. The reaction to this is visible: the
Dutch consumer keeps his hand on the cut. For example,the five
Dutch people pay attention to the expenditure, whereby
this is really necessary for one third to be able to make
ends meet. The Dutch are cutting back in different
ways. This way, athird saves on groceries. This is
evident from representative online
research by Motivaction among 1,020 Dutch people, conducted
in October 2022.
Consumers
go for cheaper and replace A-brands for private labels
How does Dutch
consumers tackle austerity? Consumers are opting for cheaper
products in large numbers. For example, eand a quarter of consumers
buy fewer products from A-brands. Eand larger group – a third of
consumers – mainly buys more private
label products. The second way to cut back is to cook more
yourself. Eand a quarter of consumers dive
into the kitchen more
often and are less likely to use convenience
products and ready-made
products. Thirdly, we see a slight decrease in the purchase
of organic products, sustainable products and local products.
Finally, there is one way of cutting back that everyone knows and that
34% also actively use: offers.
Consumers cut
back on unhealthy food and pull the cutting board out
of the closet more often
Although in the
winter months the supermarkets are full
of goodies, from wreaths for the tree to chocolate milk with whipped
cream, a fifth of consumers are cutting
back on unhealthy food this year. We mainly cut
back on sweets and cakes. But ohok the ready
meals, frozen pizzas and other frozen
meals latand we stand more often. At the same
time, there is an increase in the often cheaper,
healthy options such as fresh, uncutn vegetables, dry pasta
and frozenvegetablesn.
Saving
money and feeling good
Dutch and
saving is a well-known combination. We go to the drugstore
for promotions such as 2 for the price of 1, we drive
to the neighboring countries for cheaper
beer and gasoline and on the groceries weet 71% of the
Dutch how they can best save. Besparen provides financialbenefit,
but that is not the only thing. For example, 64% of
consumers get a good feeling from this. To save money, just
under half of consumers visit several supermarkets every week. In
addition, a third of consumers go to a supermarket with
lower prices in order to score the best deals.
(Motivaction
Insights and Strategy)
12 December 2022
Source:
https://www.motivaction.nl/kennisplatform/nieuws-en-persberichten/nederland-bezuinigt-op-boodschappen-voorkeur-voor-huismerken-en-goedkope-basisproducten-neemt-toe
3 - One In Three People In Europe Has Difficulty
Meeting Essential Expenses, In 7 European Countries
The current
inflation tracker: YouGov monthly data on inflation and cost of living in
seven European countries since September 2022
Across Europe,
inflation and the energy crisis are driving up prices. YouGov's inflation
tracker, which has been surveying attitudes towards life situations and
politics in the following seven European countries on a monthly basis since
September 2022, shows how Europeans are coping with price increases:
Germany, France, Great Britain, Spain, Italy, Sweden and Denmark.
About a third (32
percent) of the Europeans surveyed stated in November that they were barely
or not at all able to cover the necessary expenses such as food or heating
costs. If you ask more precisely whether there have been difficulties
buying groceries in the last three months, for example, almost a quarter
(23 percent) of Germans state that they have mostly or always had
difficulties. In Great Britain (15 percent), Denmark (13 percent), Sweden
(15 percent) and Spain (14 percent), this applies to significantly fewer
people. In France (28 percent) and Italy (30 percent), on the other hand,
more people had difficulties. In Italy, respondents are also particularly
likely to find it difficult to pay their rent: four out of ten (40 percent)
Italians say they have difficulties here at least occasionally. In the
other countries surveyed, a quarter (26 percent) make this statement.
Against the backdrop
of rising living costs, six out of ten (62 percent) of respondents in these
seven countries have already made cuts in their usual spending. Respondents
from France (67 percent), Spain (66 percent) and Italy (68 percent) had to
make cuts slightly more frequently, while Germany (59 percent) is slightly
below average with Denmark (59 percent) and Sweden (55 percent). An even
larger proportion of Europeans surveyed expect to make (further) cuts. A
good two-thirds (67 percent) of Germans expect to make (further) cuts in
their spending. This puts Germany in the European midfield. In France (78
percent) and the UK (72 percent), concerns about further restrictions are
particularly high. Denmark (48 percent) has by far the lowest prospects for
restrictions.
Mostly
major criticism of governments in dealing with increased cost of living
Although the
respective governments in the countries surveyed have launched
corresponding programmes to support households and businesses, criticism of
national governments is high. In Germany, about three-quarters of
respondents (74 percent) express criticism and say that the government is
dealing poorly with the cost of living. In particular, respondents from the
eastern German states are critical of the government's handling of the
crisis (77 percent, compared to 73 percent of respondents from the western
states).
Compared to previous
months, however, there was a slight improvement in Germany in November: 78
percent expressed their dissatisfaction with the government in September
and 76 percent in October. The reasons for the slight improvement in the
values could be the various measures adopted by the government – such as
emergency aid through one-off payments for gas and district heating
customers or the adjustment of the tax system to high inflation.
But criticism of the
government is also high in the other countries surveyed in the inflation
tracker. Given the current financial crisis in the UK, it is hardly
surprising that four out of five respondents (80 percent) say the
government is rather poor when it comes to the cost of living. This
is also reflected in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's steadily declining
approval ratings since taking
office in October 2022 and
during his previous role as Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Moreover, only 2 percent of respondents believe there will be an economic
boom in the UK in a year's time, while 70 percent think the country will be
in recession or depression in 12 months.
In Spain (73
percent) and France (69 percent), the majority of respondents also say the
government is dealing badly with the issue. The Danes are the least
critical: In comparison, only 52 percent of respondents express criticism,
while a third (34 percent) state that the government is (rather) dealing
well with the cost of living.
Since
September, satisfaction with government regarding the cost of living in
Italy has risen
The biggest change
compared to previous months can be observed in Italy. Since the new head of
government Giorgia Meloni, leader of the far-right Fratelli d'Italia, took
office, criticism of the government regarding the inflation crisis has
decreased. While in September 82 percent said the government was dealing
badly with the situation, in October it was 74 percent and in November only
62 percent. One in five respondents in Italy currently rates the
government's handling of the cost of living as (rather) good (22 percent).
After the surprising fall of Prime Minister Mario Draghi in July, the
upward trend in government assessments could, among other things, be an
expression of relief over stable government relations. In view of the
rising costs, Meloni had announced at the beginning of November that it
would take on further government debt to financially support families and
companies. Furthermore, the Italian government plans to develop new natural
gas deposits.
(YouGov Germany)
December 13, 2022
Source:
https://yougov.de/topics/economy/articles-reports/2022/12/13/jeder-dritte-europa-hat-schwierigkeiten-lebensnotw
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