2010, the most pessimistic year of the last decade for Romanians, GFK study shows

Newsroom 17/01/2011 | 12:37

The previous year has been marked as the most pessimistic in the last decade, with an annual index of -54, according to the Consumer Confidence Barometer, developed by GFK Romania for the European Commission. However, December has brought a bit more optimism in the Romanians’ perception, in spite of the year’s general trend.

More than two thirds of Romanians stated that their family’s financial situation has worsened in the last twelve months, against only six percent regarding it as better. On what concerns financial perspectives, over half Romanians believe that they will worsen, 20 percent more than in December 2009.

Moreover, 87 percent of respondents reckon that the economy’s general state has been in a state of regression, compared to 2009. Only for 1.5 percent of Romanians, the situation has shown signs of improvement in 2010, while hopes for 2011 are not too high either, with only 8 percent showing signs of optimism.

Inflation has also been on a negative trend, with 72 percent of respondents expecting a price increase in 2011. A little more optimism was shown on what concerns unemployment, with figures in December 2009 and 2010 looking almost identical, of around 80 percent pessimists, compared to higher figures registered in November and January 2010, of around 85 percent.

Times of crisis have not made Romanians thriftier, however, as 80 percent of respondents consider this not a good time for saving, while over 26 percent Romanians state that they’re in debt, the highest percentage in 7 years, with only 12 percent managing to save.