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In the past three months, more than half of all households have had their budgets fall, and only less than a tenth of the population have had them up. It is said that savings are mainly made on larger purchases such as furniture or electrical appliances.
Around 1,100 people were interviewed for the survey. The results would show that low-income households in particular are increasingly having to make do with fewer means for their purchases, write the study authors Christoph Teller and Ernst Gittenberger. In 63 percent of all households with a monthly net income of between 1,001 and 2,000 euros, the budget for their purchases has fallen. This applies to households with a monthly income of more than 5000 euros in just over a third of all cases.
Regional differences only show up gradually. According to the study, reluctance to buy is very similar in western and eastern Austria.
No relaxation is to be expected in the near future. “An end to the reluctance to buy is not in sight. Because three quarters of Austrians expect prices to continue to rise. Still not good news, especially for non-food retailers, because it’s easier to save there than with groceries,” says Ernst Gittenberger .
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