Lack of progress in tackling issues such as cost of living is fuelling negativity, research shows
A majority of people also expect house prices to be higher in five years’ time, the February Credit Union Consumer Sentiment Survey found.
Consumers are now a little less nervous about the economy, but they are still feeling the pinch on household finances due to higher energy prices and Christmas bills, according to economist Austin Hughes, who oversees the compiling of the survey.
A special set of questions in the survey about the five-year outlook produced some downbeat views.
Consumers forecast a weaker Irish economy in five years’ time. A third of respondents believe their household finances will get worse. The same proportion see their finances getting better, with another third expecting their finances to stay the same.
Those who are most positive about their personal finances are the under 35s, those without debt problems and those on higher incomes.
Two in three consumers see inflation being higher in five years’ time
Negative medium-term assessments were more likely to come from those having difficulty making ends meet, and those aged between 35 and 44.
The age group where negative responses were least prevalent was the under-25s, followed by those aged 65 and over.
Mr Hughes said the responses suggested current problems, such as cost-of-living pressures, were not going away.
Two in three consumers see inflation being higher in five years’ time. Just one in 10 expects lower inflation.
Eight times as many Irish consumers think house prices will be higher in five years’ time compared with those who think they will be lower, the survey shows.
There is a growing consensus among consumers that Irish house prices will be higher than they are today in five years’ time, Mr Hughes said the survey results indicate.
“It could be argued that the widely perceived lack of progress on problems affecting economic and social infrastructure may be encouraging some element of ‘perma-gloom’ about the longer-term growth outlook among a significant cohort of Irish consumers,” Mr Hughes said.
The Credit Union Consumer Sentiment Survey, in partnership with Core Research, shows an index reading of 65.2 for this month.
This is up slightly on the 64.7 figure recorded last month, but still materially weaker than the February 2025 reading of 74.8.
Many employees saw their January pay packets shrink
“While there is little to suggest that they are singing in the rain, Irish consumer sentiment did improve marginally for the fourth month in a row in February,” Mr Hughes said.
“The current reading remains relatively low and points to a continuing lack of confidence on the part of a nervous and, in many instances, cash-constrained Irish consumer.”
Consumers were more negative about their household finances this month than last month, the survey shows.
Mr Hughes said official figures showed inflation had eased marginally in January, but this was largely due to lower energy costs. February saw a rebound in motor and home-heating fuel prices.
“In addition, many employees saw their January pay packets shrink, reflecting the start of pension auto-enrolment,” Mr Hughes said.
“With Christmas credit card bills also falling due of late, it is not at all surprising that Irish consumers were gloomier about their household finances than in January.”
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