Personal consumption is under control

CONSUMING WISELY: A QUESTION OF BALANCE

While consumption may be marred with a negative image and described in disparaging terms, Europeans believe they have a degree of control over it. With an average score of 5.3 out of 10, they feel that they consume neither too much nor too little, but just the right amount, like shrewd strategists making carefully considered spending choices. No country scores less than 5 out of 10, with the Romanians and British standing out for their propensity to make more purchases. Age and living environment are two factors that make a significant difference to the results. Younger people and city dwellers consider themselves to be bigger spenders (Fig. 6).

ALL EXPENSES ARE UNDER CLOSE CONTROL

This balanced approach to consumption is matched by people’s very high overall level of satisfaction with their ability to control their expenditure in all areas. Indeed, 8 out of 10 Europeans, and in some cases even more, consider themselves to have good or excellent control over every type of expense put to them (Fig. 7). This is also an area in which the expertise of older individuals wins out over the enthusiasm of the young. Likewise, having a higher income makes it easier to establish such control.

A SENSE OF PRIDE IN CONTROLLING SPENDING

The ability to shrewdly manage one’s consumption budget is widely seen as a source of pride. It is no surprise to find that the feeling of being able to manage one’s budget dominates the ranking (83%), particularly in Italy, Sweden and Portugal (Fig. 8). Older consumers are more likely to take pride in expertly managing their expenses.

The knowledge that one is taking advantage of bargains or good deals receives a comparable score (82%), again with a bias towards the aforementioned countries and age category.

Consuming responsibly and treating oneself obtain similar scores (77%), proving that, in the eyes of Europeans, the two are not incompatible and can coexist as part of a consumption strategy that consumers can be proud of. This is just one of the dualities this study reveals, more on which later. The Italians and Portuguese place the most value on responsible consumption, while the Swedes, French and Italians are once again the most focused on pride and enjoyment.

A MULTIFACETED APPROACH

While the inflation crisis appears to be firmly behind us, Europeans continue to view price as one of the main components of sensible, well-managed consumption (Fig. 9). 6 out of 10 state that they take price into account before making a purchase, a figure even higher than a decade ago. This is particularly true in France and Italy, but also in Belgium and the UK. The over-50s are significantly more likely than younger people to pay attention to price.

The ability to manage one’s consumption also depends on factors that add different, but equally important, nuances to the picture. Indeed, 6 out of 10 Europeans want more personalised services. This focus on service – to which we will return subsequently – is a significant development of the last decade. It has been driven chiefly by the rapid growth of e-commerce and by marketing that uses powerful algorithms to better cater for the needs of consumers, and even to anticipate or create them, by offering perfectly tailored offers, financing solutions and tools.

The third highest priority of consumers is health (57%), a result partially rooted in the impact of Covid-19, which has had a lasting effect on behaviours and consumption alike. A previous edition of L’Observatoire Cetelem spotlighted the development of contactless technology. By placing health near the top of the list, and environmental issues not far behind, Europeans confirm the importance they place on these issues, and probably irreversibly so. If we bear in mind the recent public health crisis, it is no surprise to observe that health is very important to the over-50s and those who live in big cities.