Consumer trust slightly improves but Romanians still pessimistic about country's economic future

Romanians' views of their financial situations have a slightly rosier tint this year compared to 2011, found a recent survey by GfK. 61 percent of Romanians interviewed in February this year think their financial situation is worse than a year ago, when the ratio was of 68 percent. But they stay pessimistic when it comes to the country's economic performance, even if the ratio is down last year. In 2012, 76 percent of those interviewed think the economy is not going well, down from 85 percent last year. Half of those questioned do not foresee an improvement in the economic situation in the coming period.

Opinions and expectations on personal financial evolution in the next 12 months are split. Around 40 percent believe revenue will stay the same, while 37 percent expect it to drop. There were only slight improvements in this area this year. “Romanians continue to be careful with their money. Even though indicators about inflation and trust in the stability of jobs show an increasing level of optimism, numbers on availability to save haven't got better compared to last year,” said Andi Dumitrescu, general manager of GfK Romania. The vast majority of Romanians believe this is not the best time to save money – 8 out of 10, while a whopping 84 percent don't think they will put money aside in the coming 12 months. Concerning perception of inflation, around three quarters of the population believe prices were higher in February this year compared to the same month of 2010. Around 67 percent expect prices to go up during this year at the same pace as they have so far. All these have an impact on the intention to buy long term consumer goods: only one in ten Romanians shows willingness to do so in the next 12 months. The Consumer Trust Barometer survey, co-financed by the European Commission and created monthly by GfK Romania includes data from 1,000 people interviewed every month. editor@romania-insider.com (photo source: Sxc.hu)