Poland about their finances. What are the conclusions from the research?

The 50th edition of the “Consumer Signals” survey by consulting firm Deloitte was conducted. This shows, among other things, that more than half of respondents are still unprepared for unexpected costs, and less than 30%. (-3 percentage points compared to November) are concerned about their ability to make upcoming payments.

Poland about their finances

The percentage of people who expect their personal income to increase over the next twelve months is 44%. (2 percentage points more than in November) and 37 percent of Poles expect their financial situation to improve (+1 percentage point). On the other hand, persistently high inflation is affecting the mood of Polish residents. The current rate of price growth means that 37 percent respondents, almost the same number as in the previous month, are concerned about the state of their savings. In addition, three-quarters of respondents expect a dynamic increase in the prices of the most purchased products, representing an increase of 20 percentage points, it was reported.

– The results of the latest edition of the Consumer Signals survey show that, on the one hand, the percentage of people who are concerned about their financial situation has decreased slightly. On the other hand, many consumers are still predicting further price increases. This means that the pace of wage growth, combined with a simultaneous decline in inflation, had a positive impact on consumers’ ability to meet their current financial obligations. At the same time, the feeling of uncertainty about the near future remains high – said the leader of services for the financial sector in Poland, managing partner of the risk management department in Poland and the Baltic countries, Deloitte Przemysław Szczygielski, quoted in the press release. .

Will we see price increases?

Asked about the expected level of alcohol and tobacco prices in the coming weeks, 65 percent of respondents, up 10 percentage points from November, said they expected growth in this area. At the same time, Poles seem more optimistic when it comes to fuel costs. Compared to the previous month, the percentage of people predicting rising prices for gasoline, diesel oil and gas has fallen by 8 percentage points. and is 68 percent, in turn 70 percent respondents by 2 percentage points. more than in November, assumes a further increase in food prices. The same number of respondents expect an increase in the cost of household utilities (gas, electricity, fuel oil, etc.), which represents a decrease of 4 percentage points. on a monthly basis.

Concerns about future price levels concern not only Poland, but also other countries. The highest percentage of residents fearing further cost increases was recorded in Spain (83%), South Africa (82%) and France (80%). At the other end of the scale of inflation concerns are the United Arab Emirates (64%), Saudi Arabia (60%) and China (40%), it was also indicated.

“The last month of 2023 was a period of strengthening of the Polish zloty against the dollar, which in turn promoted reductions in fuel prices at gas stations. This phenomenon could have improved the mood and expectations of Polish consumers regarding future price levels, but recent geopolitical events will not remain without an impact on the cost of raw materials. Taking into account the increased demand for energy in winter, energy prices may increase in the coming weeks,” Szczygielski concludes.

The latest version of the survey was conducted at the end of December 2023. It was the 50th edition carried out worldwide and the 41st in which Polish consumers participated. In total, Deloitte experts surveyed residents of 19 countries, excluding Poland, these were citizens of: Saudi Arabia, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Netherlands, Spain, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, South Africa , South Africa Korea, Italy, Great Britain, the United States and the United Arab Emirates.