Consumer confidence unchanged

After correction for seasonal effects, consumer confidence remained unchanged in September 2005 compared to the previous month. Dutch consumers are somewhat more positive about the economic climate. Willingness to buy persists at a very low level.

Since the beginning of 2004 consumer confidence has been fairly stable at a low level without showing any signs of recovery as yet.

Consumers’ opinions on the economic climate in September were a bit more positive than in August. Consumers were remarkably confident about the economic situation in the twelve months to come, but their opinions on the economic climate in the past twelve months have hardly changed.

Willingness to buy remained low in September after correction for seasonal effects. In fact, it reached the lowest value since its introduction in 1986. Willingness to buy is based on consumers’ opinions on the financial situation of their own households and on the answers to the question of whether it is the right time to buy expensive items. Dutch consumers’ opinions hardly changed in this respect.

Consumer confidence, seasonally adjusted