GfK: Record level in Romanians’ propensity to buy | Progresiv
According to the GfK survey regarding the consumption climate in Europe at the end of the first quarter of 2017, consumer expectations in Romania rose to 18.3 points, a level as good as the one achieved in October 2015. A year ago, the indicator was still at 3.3 points. As a result, Romanians have a much more optimistic picture of the future than 12 months ago. 
Expectations of income in Romania are within this positive trend, rising sharply to 33.7 points at the end of the quarter. This is the highest value recorded since the country was first included in the consumer climate survey, in May 2001. Due to a steady decrease in unemployment in recent years, Romanian consumers expect higher incomes.
In line with their revenue growth expectations, Romanians are also ready again to make higher purchases that exceed their daily needs. At 16.4 points, the willingness to buy recorded at the end of March had the highest value since September 2006.
The positive consumer outlook continued in the first quarter of 2017 not only among Romanians, but also among Europeans. After the highest level from January 2008, registered at the end of December 2016, by January, the consumer climate for the 28 EU countries increased by two more points, to 19.9, standing at 18, 9 in March.
Regarding the different expectations regarding the economic situation and the incomes and indicators for the availability to buy, there were significant differences in the individual analyzes of the surveyed countries. These can be attributed to different economic development and the labor market situation. The influence of predominant pan-European themes such as Brexit, the nationalist parties advance, the new US government and the war in Syria did not, therefore, equally affect the development of indicators in all countries.
