Consumers at the gate of optimism

Consumer confidence produced a sudden rise in one of Hungary’s most important FMCG export markets, the Czech Republic: the index reached 97 points in the 4th quarter of 2015. The 14-percentage point growth – compared with Q1 2015 – was the biggest in Europe. Since consumers are considered to be optimistic from 100 points, we can say that the Czechs just have to cross the threshold now.

In Q1-Q3 2015 like-for-like FMCG value sales were up 2.7 percent and volume sales improved by 2 percent in the Czech Republic. Before this period volume sales had been declining for 3 years. Tamás Rausch, business development consultant of Nielsen told our magazine that 57 percent of Czech consumers view their personal financial situation positively in the 12 months to come and 53 percent are optimistic about their job prospects. What is more, 47 percent of them think the time is right to buy what they want or need. The European averages of the same ratios are 41 percent (personal finances), 32 percent (job prospects) and 35 percent (willingness to buy).