Consumer confidence falls back slightly

Consumer confidence fell marginally to 14 in July. In June, the index stood at 18. Despite this minor setback, consumer confidence remains high relative to the preceding years. On average, pessimists marginally outnumbered optimists over the past two decades. The long-term average stands at -3.

Consumers were considerably less optimistic about the growth of the Dutch economy than a month ago. Consumers were noticeably less optimistic about the economic situation in the past twelve months than in June, when they were very positive. Consumers’ opinions on the economy in the twelve months to come also deteriorated slightly in July.

Consumers’ willingness to buy remained virtually unchanged in July. This indicator is based on the question whether it is the right time to buy expensive items and on consumers’ opinions about the financial situation of their own household. The number of consumers who actually think it is the right time to buy expensive items has slowly risen since the end of 2005. Just like in the previous months, consumers were a bit more optimistic about their own financial situation in the twelve months to come. They were not so positive about their own financial situation in the past twelve months. Consumers’ opinions on this subject deteriorated marginally.

Consumer confidence, seasonally adjusted