After January's slump, February brought a breath of fresh air with all five measures of the Index on the rise, lifting the overall score to a still chilly -20. The star of the show? Consumers' outlook on their personal finances for the coming year, which jumped a cheerful four points! Views on personal finances over the past 12 months also got a three-point boost, matching the uplift in opinions on the general economy over the same period. But hold onto your hats – despite these sunny spells, the economic forecast remains stormy, with views on the economy still deep in the negative zone and lower than a year ago. Join NIQ’s Neil Bellamy and the ever-curious Lucy Green as they dive into the digits, dissecting differences by age group and income level in their regular segment, Data Guru Corner.

2025 kicked off with the Overall Index Score down five points. All five measures that form the Index dropped, with particularly steep falls in consumer views on the wider UK economy, both looking back a year (down 7 points) and at what’s in store for the next 12 months (8 points lower). NIQ’s Neil Bellamy and moderator Lucy Green review the scores and their underlying causes. In the first Data Guru Corner of the year, they discuss why an index is used to measure confidence and explain it is calculated. With the strict sampling methodology consistent since 1974 at the launch of the Consumer Confidence Barometer, this dataset provides valuable historical comparisons to understand levels of confidence over the last five decades.

December was one of the quieter months this year with consumer confidence up just one point to -17, five points higher than this time last year. In this final podcast of the year, moderator Lucy Green and GfK’s Neil Bellamy discuss December’s results and what they tell us about consumer sentiment. As December is a key month for retail, there’s a review of the Major Purchase Index in the context of GfK’s Black Friday point-of-sales data in key categories. In Data Guru Corner, Neil looks at average scores over the year, discussing the variance in each measure and the volatility of key metrics. We never predict what is going to happen, but we do review confidence levels going into 2025.  

All indicators up in November. Something changed in November as consumer confidence rose three points to -18. Moderator Lucy Green asked GfK’s Neil Bellamy discuss the measures that feed into the topline figure and how last month’s Budget might have impacted the results. In particular, the Major Purchase Index rose five points and we ask if this is normal pre-Black Friday and the holiday season, or is something else happening? In Data Guru Corner Neil analyzed the results by party allegiance which provide some insights into November’s improvement.

Key future indicators on personal finances and purchase intentions edge up as general economic situation falls. A drop of one point in consumer confidence to -21 dragged the overall index score back to a low not seen since March 24. Moderator Lucy Green asked GfK’s Neil Bellamy to dig deeper into the five measures that make up the overall Index score and explain what is happening. In Data Guru Corner Neil shared fascinating – and rarely published - data examining confidence by party allegiance. Consumers appear despondent this month – how will the imminent Budget change that? Tune in for an analysis of November’s results.

Key future indicators on personal finances, economy and purchase intentions all sharply lower   September’s results put a halt to the steady improvements in consumer confidence that GfK had been recording since March this year. We saw a sharp fall of seven points in the headline figure, bringing it back close to the -19 recorded in January. GfK’s Neil Bellamy talks through the reasons for the falls in indicators on personal finances, the economy and purchase intentions. In our regular feature, Data Guru Corner, we analyse the results by age group and income level, highlighting a massive gap between the highest and lowest earners.    2024 marks 50 years of the UK Consumer Confidence Barometer. There is no other consumer research project with the longevity, rigour and reliability. Get the report now >>

The Overall Index improved by one point to -13 Anyone expecting a significant leap in confidence levels following July’s general election result and England’s football team reaching the Euro 2024 final will be disappointed by this month’s results. GfK’s Neil Bellamy and moderator Lucy Green discuss the topline and measure-level results, especially the positive uptick on the Major Purchase Index. In our regular Data Guru Corner, we look at the top concerns the new government will want to address – the NHS takes the number one slot, surpassing ’having enough money to live right and pay the bills’.   2024 marks 50 years of the UK Consumer Confidence Barometer. There is no other consumer research project with the longevity, rigour and reliability. Get the report now >>

These are the last results before the general election on July 4th GfK’s Neil Bellamy and moderator Lucy Green discuss the June 2024 results. For the third month running the Index has increased, this time by three points to -14, the highest level it has been since November 2021. With an election imminent, in Data Guru Corner we discuss if there has been any change in confidence scores by party allegiance since the election announcement.     2024 marks 50 years of the UK Consumer Confidence Barometer. There is no other consumer research project with the longevity, rigour and reliability. Get the report now >>    

Consumer confidence, the use of credit since covid and the influence of sustainability on purchase behaviour In this episode of Thinking Ahead, Hannah Olley, a Senior Insights Manager in our UK Retail Market Intelligence team tackles three questions asked at our most recent breakfast event. Each is an important topic, from current levels of consumer confidence and the impact on spending patterns, to the changing face of credit and its users, to the growing importance of sustainability in Tech and Durables markets. Tune in for the latest intelligence.

In this episode of Thinking Ahead, GfK’s Neil Bellamy and moderator Lucy Green discuss the May 2024 results. These were in before the announcement of a July 4th General Election. The overall Index score rose two points to -17, driven by significant jumps in the outlook for our personal finances and general economic situation. With an election weeks away, Data Guru Corner focuses on how party allegiance impacts consumer sentiment. 2024 marks 50 years of the UK Consumer Confidence Barometer. There is no other consumer research project with the longevity, rigour and reliability. Get the report now >>

In this episode of Thinking Ahead, GfK’s Neil Bellamy and moderator Lucy Green discuss the April 2024 results of UK Consumer Confidence Index. The overall Index score rose two points to -19, an encouraging development. People’s view of their own personal finances in the next 12 months held steady and the other four measures that make up the Index increased by between two and four points. There is a lot of ground to make up to get us nearer to the 50 year index average of -10, but the measures are moving in the right direction for now. In Data Guru Corner we discuss regional data and analyses.   January 2024 marks 50 years of the UK Consumer Confidence Barometer. There is no other consumer research project with the longevity, rigour and reliability. Get the report now >>

GfK Consumer Life is returning to explore what consumers feel, think, need, and ultimately expect from brands today. Drawing on rich, industry-standard trends data, experts from GfK Consumer Life will look at what’s driving consumers, and what your brand can do to connect now and succeed in 2024.  In this episode, we'll talk about:  Technology saga – Leveraging our evolving relationship   Post Gen Z - Gearing up for Gen Alpha If you missed it, part one covered the fundamentals & sustainability! 

In this episode of Thinking Ahead, GfK’s Neil Bellamy and moderator Lucy Green discuss the March 2024 results. The overall Index score remained at -21 this month with no move from February. There was some positive news in the view of our personal finances in the next 12 months, which rose two points. However, the Major Purchase Index fell two points and the Savings Index declined by four points. The improvements in the overall Index seen most months last year have now vanished. Neil explains what these scores mean and the impact of the March 6th Budget on them. March’s Data Guru Corner focuses on sampling. Tune in!   January 2024 marks 50 years of the UK Consumer Confidence Barometer. There is no other consumer research project with the longevity, rigour and reliability. Get the report now >>

GfK Consumer Life is returning to explore what consumers feel, think, need, and ultimately expect from brands today. Drawing on rich, industry-standard trends data, experts from GfK Consumer Life will look at what’s driving consumers, and what your brand can do to connect now and succeed in 2024.  In this episode, we'll talk about:  Focusing on the fundamentals - Getting back to brand basics  The sustainability boost - The circular economy gains momentum  In part two, we'll talk all things tech & gen alpha! 

One-quarter of all UK mobile phones sales in 2023 were for second-hand or refurbished handsets  Explore the dynamic shift in consumer behaviour within the UK mobile phone market in 2023, where a significant 25% of all mobile phones purchased were either second-hand or refurbished, up from the 19% in 2021. Join Lizzie Bailey and Chris Purnell, experts from GfK UK, as they unravel the intriguing statistics that underpin this trend.In this episode of the Thinking Ahead podcast, we delve into the motivations behind the surge in used and refurbished phone acquisitions. Gain valuable insights into the demographics of those opting for pre-owned devices and discover the driving forces behind their choices. Is it solely influenced by price considerations, or are environmental concerns playing a role in shaping this shift? Tune in now to unravel the nuanced layers of this evolving consumer landscape. If you want to find out more, click here to read our press release. 

The Consumer Confidence Index took a knock in February, dropping two points to -21, with all but one of the measures that make up the topline score down. Our expert Neil Bellamy explains what’s happened and why the Personal Financial Situation metric remained at zero. In our regular feature, Data Guru Corner, he looks back over 50 years of data to evaluate how long it takes consumer sentiment to recover from a slump, and what this might suggest for a recovery this election year. 

Discover the pulse of the automotive industry in our latest podcast episode, where we unpack the Future of Mobility report from GfK AutoMobility™. From electric vehicle demand to consumer preferences, we dive into key questions shaping the market. Tune in as we explore brand resonance, EV adoption hurdles, and the future of autonomous vehicles. Gain actionable insights for your 2024 business strategies in just a few minutes. 

The Living with Technology report explores how consumer tech sentiment, usage, and adoption have shifted and continue to evolve amid major disruptions. In this episode, we sit down with GfK VP-CMI Veronica Chen to talk about the technology trends marketers should consider for the year ahead.  The sudden acceleration of the digital lifestyle during COVID lockdowns sent the sales of electronics and adoption of streaming services soaring. Then purchases slowed as consumers re-entered the "real" world and prioritized experiences over possessions. And the introduction of ChatGPT last fall was met with both record-speed adoption and deep concerns.

In this episode of Thinking Ahead, GfK’s Neil Bellamy and our moderator Lucy Green, discuss the January 2024 results of UK Consumer Confidence Barometer. With the main Index at -19%, UK consumers have started the year feeling positive. Neil explains what’s special about January and whether optimism is usual in the first month of the year. We focus on the Personal Financial Situation metric which reached zero after 24 consecutive months of negative scores. Delving into the results by income level tells a more nuanced story. In our regular feature, Data Guru Corner, Neil explains how the Index is composed, and why it is used to report confidence levels in the UK.   

Our CMO Outlook series does a deep dive on GfK's CMO Outlook report! The series covers several areas including sustainability, technology & AI, long-term brand building and more.   In this episode, we sit down with GfK's Managing Director, Consumer Insights to explore the sustainability realm of the report and how global marketers are setting the course for growth.    600+ marketing leaders shared their take on the state of marketing today, as part of our CMO Outlook Survey — the largest global study of its kind. We’ve distilled their insights here to give you granular coverage into key opportunities, trends, and challenges shaping the landscape across multiple regions and industries.  To learn more about how CMOs are driving change in an evolving world, access the full report.