Poll finds downturn in consumer confidence in Bulgaria

A regular three-monthly poll by the National Statistical Institute (NSI) has found that consumer confidence in Bulgaria in January 2025 was down compared with October.

In January 2025, the total consumer confidence indicator dropped by 7.3 percentage points compared with 2024, because of decreased confidence among both urban and rural inhabitants, by 5.2 and 12.6 percentage points, respectively, the NSI said.

The previous poll found that consumer confidence in Bulgaria in October 2024 was down compared with July, which was a reverse of the the trend that had seen seven consecutive three-monthly polls finding increases in consumer confidence.

The NSI said that the January poll found that consumers’ opinions about the development of the general economic situation in the country over the last 12 months and their forecasts over the next 12 months are more pessimistic in comparison with the previous survey.

Compared with October 2024, their assessments and expectations about the changes in the financial situation of their households were also more negative.

Consumers continued to consider that over the past 12 months, there hads been an increase of the consumer prices.

At the same time, their expectations about inflation in the next 12 months had strengthened.

Regarding unemployment in the country over the next 12 months, the prevailing forecasts were that it would continue to increase.

The January poll found a slight drop in consumers’ attitudes about being able to make major purchases of durable goods in the coming 12 months, the NSI said.

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