Consumer survey - October 2026

In October 2026, the total consumer confidence indicator drops by 6.9 percentage points compared to its July level (from -25.7% to -32.6%) (Figure 1), which is due to the decreased confidence among both urban and rural inhabitants - by 5.3 and 11.0 percentage points, respectively.

Figure 1. Consumer confidence indicator

The total assessment of the development of the economic situation in the country over the last 12 months and their expectations over the next 12 months (Figure 2) are more pessimistic in comparison with the previous survey, as a result of which the balance indicators decrease by 10.9 and 12.1 percentage points, respectively. Compared to July, their assessments and expectations about the changes in the financial situation of their households are also more negative (Figure 3).

Figure 2. Expectations about the general economic situation in the country over the next 12 months

Figure 3. Expectations about the financial situation of households over the next 12 months

In October, the consumers’ assessments about the change of the consumer prices over the last 12 months are more unfavourable (the balance indicator increases by 6.6 percentage points) (Figure 4). However, the inflation expectations over the next 12 months are less intense.

Figure 4. Assessment about inflation over the last 12 months

Concerning the unemployment in the country, the forecasts are for certain reduction of the personnel over the next 12 months, as according to the urban population, it is going to be with a higher rate (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Unemployment expectations over the next 12 months

The present economic situation in the country is assessed by the majority of the consumers as unfavourable for savings. Their attitude regarding the intensions of making expenditures for major purchases of durable goods^[1] (Figure 6) and ‘home improvements’ over the next 12 months is also negative.

^[1] When commenting on the replies regarding the purchases (expenditures), one has to take into account that the questions are asked on a quarterly basis, although these purchases (expenditures) are to be made by the consumers over a longer period of time. That is why it is normal for the prevailing values of the balances of opinions to be permanently situated in the negative zone of the graphs. However, for the purpose of economic analysis, it is important to consider the direction of the development of balances of opinions as indicators of positive or negative change.

Figure 6. Intentions of making major purchases of durable goods over the next 12 months

Methodological notes

The survey is part of the harmonized program of the European Union for business and consumer surveys and it is representative of the population aged 18 and older.

The object of the survey are the persons aged 18 and older; the sampling method is random, clustered, and proportional to the population by region, incl. urban/rural inhabitants (154 clusters with 8 persons per cluster). The interviewing method is face-to-face. The questionnaire contains standardized questions about the financial situation of households, the general economic situation, inflation, unemployment, savings, intentions of making major purchases of durable goods or purchasing/building a home, or buying a car. The proposed variants of answers give an opportunity to arrange them from optimistic, through neutral, to pessimistic. The balance of opinions is calculated as a difference between the relative shares of positive opinions and the relative shares of negative opinions, as there is one specification: the strong positive opinions and the strong negative opinions are given a coefficient of 1, and the more moderate positive and negative opinions - a coefficient of 0.5.

The survey results are used to capture the direction of change of surveyed variables, incl. that of consumer confidence level, which gives an opportunity to analyze the tendencies in the development of public opinion on significant economic phenomena.

According to the Joint Harmonised EU Programme of Business and Consumer Surveys, the consumer confidence indicator is an arithmetic mean of the balances of the assessments and expectations about the financial situation of households, expectations about the general economic situation in the country and the intentions to make major purchases of durable goods.