New Zealand Consumer Confidence Down Marginally
| Article No. 710 -
December 18, 2007 |
The mid December Roy Morgan New Zealand Consumer Confidence Rating is 126.3 — 0.6 points below the previous result, 1.2 points above the 2007 average of 125.1 and the same as the December average of 126.3.
The small drop in Consumer Confidence is driven predominantly by a decrease in the number of New Zealanders who say the country will enjoy continuous good times over the next five years, down 5% to 45%, while 21% (down 1%) think there will be bad times.
Forty-three per cent (unchanged) of New Zealanders expect good times financially over the next 12 months, compared to 29% (up 2%) expecting bad times.
Forty-nine per cent (up 1%) of New Zealanders say they and their family are better off financially now than they were at this time last year, while 25% (down 3%) think they are now worse off.
Fifty-nine per cent (up 1%) of New Zealanders believe they and their family will be better off financially this time next year, while 16% (unchanged) think they will be worse off.
Finally, 54% (down 1%) of New Zealanders think now is a good time to buy major household items, while 28% (up 1%) think now is a bad time to buy.
Gary Morgan says:
“This Roy Morgan New Zealand Consumer Confidence Rating of 126.3 is identical to the December average and virtually unchanged from the early December result of 126.9.
“Despite 59% of New Zealanders saying that they expect to be better off financially this time next year, a Morgan Poll released last week found that an increased number (24%, up 11%) think 2008 will be a year of economic difficulty.
“There was also a small reduction in the number of New Zealanders (37%, down 2%) who say the next generation will have more economic prosperity than the current generation.”
This Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating was conducted from November 26 — December 9, 2007, across New Zealand by telephone with a cross section of 1,028 people aged 14 and over.
For further information:
Gary Morgan: Office +61 3 9224 5213 Mobile +61 411 129 094
Michele Levine: Office +61 3 9224 5215 Mobile +61 411 129 093

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Monthly Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating Figures |
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Yearly |
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Year |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct* |
Nov |
Dec |
Average |
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2004 |
135.7 |
131.7 |
130.2 |
133.5 |
129.8 |
130 |
134.4 |
132.9 |
133.9 |
135.4 |
135 |
136.1 |
133.2 |
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Beg Oct |
Mid Oct |
Beg
Nov |
Mid Nov |
Beg
Dec |
Mid Dec |
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2005 |
140.9 |
139.1 |
136 |
125.2 |
125.5 |
128 |
127.7 |
125.6 |
126.2 |
121.4 |
121.3 |
121.4 |
119.8 |
121.1 |
117.5 |
126.4 |
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Beg Jan |
Mid Jan |
Beg Feb |
Mid Feb |
Beg Mar |
Mid Mar |
Beg Apr |
Mid Apr |
Beg May |
Mid May |
Beg Jun |
Mid Jun |
Beg
Jul |
Mid
Jul |
Beg Aug |
Mid Aug |
Beg Sep |
Mid
Sep |
Beg Oct |
Mid Oct |
Beg
Nov |
Mid Nov |
Beg
Dec |
Mid Dec |
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2006 |
118.3 |
123 |
111 |
115 |
115.1 |
116.5 |
115.7 |
116.7 |
104.8 |
112.5 |
110.8 |
114 |
115.4 |
118.8 |
112.1 |
113.3 |
115.5 |
123.8 |
123.4 |
124.8 |
124.0 |
123.3 |
128.2 |
127.8 |
117.7 |
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2007 |
^ |
136.8 |
133.8 |
133.7 |
128.8 |
129.7 |
130.5 |
126.6 |
121.6 |
122.5 |
123.2 |
118.7 |
121.4 |
120.7 |
120.5 |
124.3 |
122.7 |
119.8 |
116.0 |
128.0 |
122.7 |
121.0 |
126.9 |
126.3 |
125.1 |
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Monthly Average |
130.9 |
127.4 |
126.1 |
124.7 |
119.4 |
120.8 |
123.1 |
121.5 |
123.7 |
124.3 |
123.9 |
126.3 |
125.6 |
* The Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating was measured twice a month from October 2005.
^ There was only one January 2007 Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rating.
Results for the Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating* for the component questions over the more recent surveys are as follows:
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2007 |
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Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
|
Beg |
Mid |
Beg |
Mid |
Beg |
Mid |
Beg |
Mid |
Beg |
Mid |
Beg |
Mid |
Beg |
Mid |
Beg |
Mid |
Beg |
Mid |
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Interviews |
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^ |
1,956 |
967 |
990 |
1,080 |
1,092 |
938 |
1,084 |
1,072 |
1,195 |
1,040 |
1,001 |
1,054 |
1,077 |
1,003 |
1,036 |
980 |
1,023 |
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Q1 Would you say you and your family are better-off financially or worse off than you were at this time last year? |
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Over the past year |
Better off |
^ |
41 |
40 |
44 |
40 |
43 |
41 |
42 |
41 |
41 |
41 |
37 |
39 |
37 |
40 |
42 |
41 |
40 |
| |
Worse off |
^ |
21 |
23 |
22 |
26 |
23 |
25 |
24 |
26 |
27 |
25 |
30 |
23 |
29 |
23 |
25 |
26 |
27 |
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Question 1 difference |
^ |
20 |
17 |
22 |
14 |
20 |
16 |
18 |
15 |
14 |
16 |
7 |
16 |
8 |
17 |
17 |
15 |
13 |
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Q2 This time next year, do you and your family expect to be better-off financially or worse off than you are now? |
| |
Better off |
^ |
58 |
56 |
56 |
55 |
59 |
57 |
52 |
52 |
52 |
50 |
50 |
48 |
50 |
51 |
52 |
53 |
51 |
| |
Worse off |
^ |
12 |
16 |
13 |
15 |
13 |
15 |
15 |
18 |
16 |
17 |
19 |
18 |
16 |
17 |
15 |
14 |
18 |
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Question 2 difference |
|
^ |
46 |
40 |
43 |
40 |
46 |
42 |
37 |
34 |
36 |
33 |
31 |
30 |
34 |
34 |
37 |
39 |
33 |
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Q3 Thinking of economic conditions in New Zealand as a whole. In the next 12 months, do you expect we’ll have good times financially, bad times or some good and some bad? |
| |
Good Times |
^ |
52 |
51 |
50 |
48 |
45 |
47 |
45 |
38 |
40 |
43 |
40 |
41 |
37 |
33 |
37 |
39 |
39 |
| |
Bad Times |
^ |
18 |
20 |
23 |
28 |
26 |
26 |
28 |
35 |
30 |
30 |
37 |
30 |
34 |
37 |
37 |
32 |
30 |
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Question 3 difference |
^ |
34 |
31 |
27 |
20 |
19 |
21 |
17 |
3 |
10 |
13 |
3 |
11 |
3 |
-4 |
0 |
7 |
9 |
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Q4 Looking ahead, what would you say it is more likely, that in New Zealand as a whole, we’ll have continuous good times during the next five years or so — or we’ll have bad times — or some good and some bad? |
| |
Good times |
^ |
52 |
53 |
51 |
49 |
50 |
54 |
47 |
44 |
45 |
46 |
45 |
46 |
44 |
40 |
47 |
44 |
47 |
| |
Bad times |
^ |
17 |
17 |
23 |
23 |
22 |
20 |
24 |
28 |
28 |
26 |
25 |
24 |
24 |
23 |
22 |
20 |
21 |
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Question 4 difference |
^ |
35 |
36 |
28 |
26 |
28 |
34 |
23 |
16 |
17 |
20 |
20 |
22 |
20 |
17 |
25 |
24 |
26 |
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Q5 Generally, do you think now is a good time — or a bad time — for people to buy major household items? |
| |
Good time to buy |
^ |
66 |
64 |
64 |
63 |
57 |
61 |
58 |
61 |
59 |
57 |
58 |
55 |
60 |
61 |
64 |
56 |
50 |
| |
Bad time to buy |
^ |
17 |
19 |
16 |
19 |
22 |
21 |
20 |
21 |
23 |
23 |
26 |
26 |
22 |
22 |
22 |
28 |
32 |
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Question 5 difference |
^ |
49 |
45 |
48 |
44 |
35 |
40 |
38 |
40 |
36 |
34 |
32 |
29 |
38 |
39 |
42 |
28 |
18 |
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Roy Morgan
Consumer Confidence Rating |
^ |
136.8 |
133.8 |
133.7 |
128.8 |
129.7 |
130.5 |
126.6 |
121.6 |
122.5 |
123.2 |
118.7 |
121.4 |
120.7 |
120.5 |
124.3 |
122.7 |
119.8 |
* The Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating is 100 plus the simple unweighted average of the difference between the percentage of respondents who give favourable and those who give unfavourable answers to five key questions.
^ There was only one January 2007 Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rating.
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2007 |
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Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
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Beg |
Mid |
Beg |
Mid |
Beg |
Mid |
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Interviews |
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1,010 |
985 |
952 |
974 |
958 |
1,028 |
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Q1 Would you say you and your family are better-off financially or worse off than you were at this time last year? |
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|
Over the past year |
Better off |
37 |
43 |
38 |
37 |
48 |
49 |
|
| |
Worse off |
29 |
24 |
27 |
29 |
28 |
25 |
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Question 1 difference |
8 |
19 |
11 |
8 |
20 |
24 |
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Q2 This time next year, do you and your family expect to be better-off financially or worse off than you are now? |
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| |
Better off |
48 |
54 |
49 |
52 |
58 |
59 |
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| |
Worse off |
21 |
16 |
16 |
15 |
16 |
16 |
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Question 2 difference |
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27 |
38 |
33 |
37 |
42 |
43 |
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Q3 Thinking of economic conditions in New Zealand as a whole. In the next 12 months, do you expect we’ll have good times financially, bad times or some good and some bad? |
|
| |
Good Times |
37 |
45 |
40 |
40 |
43 |
43 |
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| |
Bad Times |
36 |
26 |
29 |
27 |
27 |
29 |
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Question 3 difference |
1 |
19 |
11 |
13 |
16 |
14 |
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Q4 Looking ahead, what would you say is more likely, that in New Zealand
as a whole, we’ll have continuous good times during the next five years or
so — or we’ll have bad times — or some good and some bad? |
| |
Good times |
46 |
48 |
44 |
44 |
50 |
45 |
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| |
Bad times |
24 |
19 |
19 |
21 |
22 |
21 |
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Question 4 difference |
22 |
29 |
25 |
23 |
28 |
24 |
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Q5 Generally, do you think now is a good time — or a bad time — for people to buy major household items? |
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| |
Good time to buy |
52 |
57 |
56 |
51 |
55 |
54 |
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| |
Bad time to buy |
30 |
22 |
23 |
27 |
27 |
28 |
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Question 5 difference |
22 |
35 |
33 |
24 |
28 |
26 |
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Roy Morgan
Consumer Confidence Rating |
116.0 |
128.0 |
122.7 |
121.0 |
126.9 |
126.3 |
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*The Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating is 100.0 plus the simple unweighted average of the difference between the percentage of respondents who give favourable and those who give unfavourable answers to five key questions.
Margin of Error
The margin of error to be allowed for in any estimate depends mainly on the number of interviews on which it is based. The following table gives indications of the likely range within which estimates would be 95% likely to fall, expressed as the number of percentage points above or below the actual estimate. The figures are approximate and for general guidance only, and assume a simple random sample. Allowance for design effects (such as stratification and weighting) should be made as appropriate.
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Percentage Estimate |
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Sample Size |
40%-60% |
25% or 75% |
10% or 90% |
5% or 95% |
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1,000 |
±3.2 |
±2.7 |
±1.9 |
±1.4 |
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