A regular three-monthly poll by the National Statistical Institute (NSI) has found that consumer confidence in Bulgaria in July 2024 improved compared with April, the seventh consecutive poll to find an increase.
In July 2024, the total consumer confidence indicator increased by 5.6 percentage points in comparison with April, the NSI said on August 7.
Consumer confidence rose both among those living in cities and in rural areas, by 4.5 and 8.8 percentage points, respectively, the NSI said.
Consumers saw the general economic situation in Bulgaria over the past 12 months as having improved.
They were more positive in their views of the financial situation of their households.
They did not foresee a change in Bulgaria’s unemployment rate in the next 12 months. Separately, on August 1, European Union statistics agency Eurostat said that unemployment in Bulgaria in June was 4.5 per cent.
The NSI said that consumers continued to hold that over the past 12 months, consumer prices had increased, but saw that increase at a lower rate than they had in April. Their expectations regarding inflation were “less intense,” the statistics institute said.
Consumers were slightly more positive about the possibility to make household savings.
They were slightly more positive about the possibility of undertaking major spending, such as purchases of durable goods, buying or building a home, and home improvements over the coming 12 months.