Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating Drops 6.4 Points to 90.7 – Now 45% of Australians Believe they are Worse Off than 12 Months Ago
| Article No. 766 -
June 06, 2008 |
The June Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating is 90.7, down 6.4 points from May and a massive 31.6 points below the June 2007 result of 122.3.
This latest result is the lowest Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating since December 1991!
Driving this fall in Consumer Confidence is the increased number of Australians who say they and their family are financially worse than this time last year - 45% (up 10% from May and 20% from January). Only 22% (down 6% from May) of Australians believe that they and their family are financially better off than this time last year.
Fewer Australians expect “good times” financially in the next 12 months - 22% (down 4% from May and 16% since January). 39% of Australians (steady since May, but up 14% since January) expect “bad times” financially in the next 12 months.
Looking further into the future, 26% of Australians (down 3% since May and 9% since January) believe we’ll have good times during the next 5 years. Similarly, 26% believe we will have “bad” times in the next 5 years (steady from May, and up 8% since January).
The number of Australians saying now is a bad time to buy major household items is 38% (up 3% since April and up 18% since January) while 33% (down 1% from April and down a significant 19% since January) say now is a good time to buy major household items.
Now, 31% (down 1% from April and 8% since December) expect their family to be financially better off in a year, and 31% (up 4% from April and 15% since January) of Australians say that they and their family expect to be worse off in a year.
Gary Morgan says:
"Australians’ views of the economy and their own personal financial situations continue to deteriorate as the latest Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating of 90.7 shows — the lowest result recorded since December, 1991.
“The large jump in Australians (now 45% of us, up 20% this year) saying that they and their family ARE worse off than last year shows that the dual impact of high interest rates and rising oil and food prices is hurting people and could well lead to a continuing downturn in economic conditions.
“The record high prices of petrol around the country, and the highest interest rates for nearly 12 years, at 7.25%, are putting a squeeze on consumer’s wallets. Added to this, concerns about inflation are making Australians more worried about the future.
“The Reserve Bank (RBA) acknowledging the distress in the community, again did not raise interest rates at its meeting earlier this week, June 3. The RBA should be dropping interest rates at its next meeting in July before the Australian economy enters a recession Australians don’t need.”
This month’s Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating is based on 1,081 face-to-face interviews conducted Australia-wide with men and women aged 14 and over on the weekend of May 31 and June 1, 2008.
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
|
Monthly Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating Figures |
|
Year |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Yearly Average |
|
1973 |
|
|
119.2 |
|
|
117.0 |
|
|
108.4 |
|
|
103.8 |
112.1 |
|
1974 |
|
|
103.2 |
|
|
95.6 |
|
|
90.6 |
|
|
92.2 |
95.4 |
|
1975 |
|
|
114.0 |
|
|
104.2 |
|
|
100.8 |
|
|
103.0 |
105.5 |
|
1976 |
113.6 |
|
107.0 |
110.2 |
|
107.0 |
105.6 |
|
108.0 |
108.8 |
101.2 |
|
107.7 |
|
1977 |
104.2 |
|
98.6 |
101.6 |
|
103.8 |
99.4 |
|
105.0 |
104.4 |
109.4 |
|
103.3 |
|
1978 |
119.2 |
|
114.8 |
110.8 |
|
109.6 |
101.6 |
|
91.2 |
104.4 |
103.6 |
|
106.9 |
|
1979 |
110.2 |
|
106.2 |
109.4 |
|
92.6 |
90.2 |
|
99.4 |
97.6 |
98.8 |
|
100.6 |
|
1980 |
98.8 |
|
100.8 |
97.4 |
|
101.6 |
98.2 |
|
104.4 |
109.8 |
106.4 |
|
102.2 |
|
1981 |
113.4 |
|
111.8 |
101.8 |
|
100.8 |
95.0 |
|
92.4 |
98.2 |
98.0 |
|
101.4 |
|
1982 |
92.4 |
|
91.8 |
93.6 |
|
92.2 |
80.4 |
|
84.6 |
81.2 |
75.2 |
|
86.4 |
|
1983 |
87.8 |
|
97.4 |
96.0 |
|
95.4 |
98.2 |
|
100.6 |
106.4 |
113.2 |
|
99.4 |
|
1984 |
124.6 |
|
120.8 |
120.8 |
|
115.6 |
116.6 |
|
118.2 |
117.8 |
114.6 |
|
118.6 |
|
1985 |
114.8 |
|
110.2 |
99.4 |
|
98.0 |
100.8 |
|
106.8 |
107.8 |
94.8 |
|
104.1 |
|
1986 |
105.4 |
|
103.8 |
94.6 |
94.8 |
91.6 |
79.8 |
79.8 |
78.8 |
89.8 |
85.6 |
88.8 |
90.3 |
|
1987 |
90.4 |
88.0 |
86.8 |
90.8 |
91.8 |
93.4 |
98.6 |
96.4 |
94.8 |
104.0 |
87.2 |
93.0 |
92.9 |
|
1988 |
100.4 |
98.8 |
103.6 |
106.2 |
104.0 |
104.0 |
107.6 |
108.2 |
112.4 |
108.8 |
104.2 |
105.8 |
105.3 |
|
1989 |
105.0 |
94.6 |
88.4 |
88.4 |
87.4 |
72.8 |
73.0 |
78.8 |
82.0 |
79.0 |
81.0 |
80.0 |
84.2 |
|
1990 |
101.6 |
95.6 |
83.4 |
88.3 |
84.7 |
83.1 |
79.6 |
83.9 |
75.6 |
71.4 |
73.1 |
71.3 |
82.6 |
|
1991 |
78.5 |
85.4 |
85.0 |
87.2 |
87.7 |
88.6 |
98.1 |
95.2 |
93.3 |
95.8 |
91.1 |
83.0 |
89.1 |
|
1992 |
93.6 |
95.9 |
96.2 |
105.4 |
101.6 |
97.7 |
95.4 |
96.9 |
96.8 |
101.2 |
93.6 |
92.9 |
97.3 |
|
1993 |
100.8 |
100.4 |
105.9 |
102.3 |
102.2 |
96.2 |
96.6 |
100.8 |
90.2 |
103.5 |
111.9 |
108.5 |
101.6 |
|
1994 |
120.5 |
127.5 |
125.7 |
127.7 |
125.2 |
128.0 |
127.6 |
123.8 |
123.6 |
124.6 |
118.1 |
118.0 |
124.2 |
|
1995 |
112.3 |
112.4 |
113.9 |
114.7 |
112.0 |
112.4 |
110.2 |
115.5 |
111.7 |
116.2 |
114.3 |
111.9 |
113.1 |
|
1996 |
116.7 |
119.1 |
123.7 |
121.5 |
118.8 |
117.8 |
112.3 |
114.4 |
113.2 |
111.3 |
113.4 |
113.2 |
116.3 |
|
1997 |
119.2 |
115.1 |
116.2 |
112.5 |
114.2 |
115.5 |
110.7 |
111.7 |
112.4 |
112.8 |
111.6 |
110.6 |
113.5 |
|
1998 |
117.8 |
116.0 |
114.9 |
110.2 |
114.4 |
109.8 |
107.6 |
111.1 |
111.0 |
113.9 |
114.2 |
114.7 |
112.8 |
|
1999 |
122.1 |
121.8 |
122.5 |
119.6 |
122.5 |
122.2 |
118.2 |
122.8 |
122.3 |
119.6 |
122.8 |
122.2 |
121.6 |
|
2000 |
122.3 |
119.9 |
112.9 |
116.6 |
112.0 |
108.7 |
114.8 |
119.1 |
115.8 |
115.6 |
110.3 |
112.3 |
115.0 |
|
2001 |
119.9 |
109.5 |
106.2 |
103.6 |
107.4 |
108.6 |
115.3 |
116.4 |
120.9* |
106.8 |
109.4 |
113.3 |
111.4 |
|
2002 |
124.8 |
123.0 |
122.3 |
123.2 |
124.0 |
116.4 |
123.4 |
119.9 |
122.1 |
117.2 |
114.0 |
109.6 |
120.0 |
|
2003 |
122.5 |
113.4 |
109.9 |
120.8 |
127.0 |
122.4 |
123.2 |
122.4 |
123.2 |
121.2 |
124.2 |
120.4 |
120.9 |
| 2004 |
126.0 |
126.8 |
130.4 |
124.4 |
125.0 |
125.6 |
128.9 |
127.6 |
126 |
128.9 |
124.8 |
125.5 |
126.7 |
| 2005 |
133.2 |
132.0 |
121.5 |
119.4 |
119.5 |
118.8 |
116.8 |
120.6 |
114.3 |
105.4 |
110.6 |
117.7 |
119.2 |
| 2006 |
124.3 |
124.5 |
124.4 |
120.1 |
106.8 |
115.1 |
118.1 |
103.7^ |
108.6 |
115.8 |
111.5 |
117.4 |
115.9 |
| 2007 |
123.9 |
123.8 |
120.7 |
124.3 |
122.5 |
122.3 |
126.8 |
125.2 |
118.2 |
126.2 |
124.9 |
126.8 |
123.8 |
| 2008 |
118.6 |
115.8 |
109.5 |
100.1 |
97.1 |
90.7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
105.3 |
|
|
|
Monthly Average |
111.5 |
111.8 |
109.0 |
108.0 |
108.8 |
105.4 |
105.3 |
108.8 |
105.1 |
107.0 |
105.2 |
106.1 |
106.9 |
* The Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating for September 15/16, 2001, conducted by telephone, was 102.3.
^ 84 of the 107 Western Australian interviews were conducted by telephone on August 9/10 due to a recent Southern WA Cyclone |
Results for the Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating* for the component questions over the more recent surveys are as follows: |
|
2008 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interviews |
1,027 |
994 |
1,176 |
1,121 |
1,186 |
1,081 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Q1 Would you say you and your family are better-off financially or worse off than you were at this time last year? |
|
Over the past year |
better off |
33 |
35 |
30 |
29 |
27 |
22 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
worse off |
25 |
25 |
30 |
34 |
35 |
45 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
QUESTION 1 difference |
8 |
10 |
0 |
-5 |
-8 |
-23 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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 |
39 |
40 |
39 |
37 |
32 |
31 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
worse off |
16 |
17 |
17 |
22 |
27 |
31 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
QUESTION 2 difference |
23 |
23 |
22 |
15 |
5 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Q3 Thinking of economic conditions in Australia 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 |
38 |
36 |
32 |
25 |
26 |
22 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
bad times |
25 |
30 |
30 |
37 |
39 |
39 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
QUESTION 3 difference |
13 |
6 |
2 |
-12 |
-13 |
-17 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Q4 Looking ahead, what would you say is more likely, that in Australia as a whole, we'll have continuous good times during the next five years of so - or we'll have bad times - or some good and some bad? |
|
|
good times |
35 |
37 |
33 |
29 |
29 |
26 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
bad times |
18 |
20 |
20 |
24 |
26 |
26 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
QUESTION 4 difference |
17 |
17 |
13 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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 |
52 |
46 |
39 |
33 |
34 |
33 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
bad time to buy |
20 |
23 |
29 |
35 |
36 |
38 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
QUESTION 5 difference |
32 |
23 |
10 |
-2 |
-2 |
-5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating |
118.6 |
115.8 |
109.5 |
100.1 |
97.1 |
90.7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* The Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating is 100.0 plus the simple unweighted average of the difference between the percentage of respondents who give a favourable and those who give unfavourable answers to five key questions.
|
Results for the Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating* for the component questions over the more recent surveys are as follows: |
|
2007 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interviews |
1,077 |
1,251 |
1,115 |
1,150 |
1,215 |
1,016 |
937 |
929 |
1,053 |
1,084 |
1,077 |
1,006 |
|
Q1 Would you say you and your family are better-off financially or worse off than you were at this time last year? |
|
Over the past year |
better off |
36 |
34 |
35 |
36 |
34 |
34 |
37 |
40 |
33 |
40 |
37 |
38 |
|
|
worse off |
25 |
26 |
26 |
24 |
27 |
25 |
27 |
23 |
27 |
21 |
24 |
20 |
|
QUESTION 1 difference |
11 |
8 |
9 |
12 |
7 |
9 |
10 |
17 |
6 |
19 |
13 |
18 |
|
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 |
41 |
46 |
39 |
42 |
41 |
39 |
44 |
44 |
39 |
45 |
42 |
44 |
|
|
worse off |
16 |
15 |
15 |
13 |
14 |
16 |
14 |
13 |
15 |
12 |
12 |
12 |
|
QUESTION 2 difference |
25 |
31 |
24 |
29 |
27 |
23 |
30 |
31 |
24 |
33 |
30 |
32 |
|
Q3 Thinking of economic conditions in Australia 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 |
44 |
44 |
41 |
43 |
46 |
45 |
48 |
43 |
40 |
44 |
45 |
47 |
|
|
bad times |
21 |
21 |
21 |
19 |
19 |
19 |
17 |
20 |
23 |
16 |
16 |
13 |
|
QUESTION 3 difference |
23 |
23 |
20 |
24 |
27 |
26 |
31 |
23 |
17 |
28 |
29 |
34 |
|
Q4 Looking ahead, what would you say is more likely, that in Australia as a whole, we'll have continuous good times during the next five years of so - or we'll have bad times - or some good and some bad? |
|
|
good times |
37 |
37 |
36 |
37 |
35 |
34 |
38 |
38 |
34 |
37 |
39 |
39 |
|
|
bad times |
17 |
20 |
21 |
19 |
19 |
19 |
16 |
16 |
20 |
16 |
16 |
14 |
|
QUESTION 4 difference |
20 |
17 |
15 |
18 |
16 |
15 |
22 |
22 |
14 |
21 |
23 |
25 |
|
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 |
57 |
56 |
52 |
53 |
52 |
54 |
58 |
51 |
50 |
49 |
50 |
47 |
|
|
bad time to buy |
17 |
16 |
16 |
15 |
17 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
20 |
19 |
21 |
22 |
|
QUESTION 5 difference |
40 |
40 |
36 |
38 |
35 |
38 |
41 |
33 |
30 |
30 |
29 |
25 |
|
|
|
Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating |
123.9 |
123.8 |
120.7 |
124.3 |
122.5 |
122.3 |
126.8 |
125.2 |
118.2 |
126.2 |
124.9 |
126.8 |
|
|
* The Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating is 100.0 plus the simple unweighted average of the difference between the percentage of respondents who give a favourable and those who give unfavourable answers to five key questions.
|
Results for the Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating* for the component questions over the more recent surveys are as follows: |
|
2006 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interviews |
1,062 |
1,163 |
1,125 |
1,165 |
1,149 |
1,144 |
1,215 |
1,132 |
1,085 |
1,069 |
1,161 |
1,208 |
|
Q1 Would you say you and your family are better-off financially or worse off than you were at this time last year? |
|
Over the past year |
better off |
31 |
35 |
34 |
34 |
30 |
32 |
32 |
30 |
32 |
32 |
35 |
36 |
|
|
worse off |
26 |
25 |
25 |
27 |
35 |
30 |
31 |
34 |
32 |
27 |
27 |
24 |
|
QUESTION 1 difference |
5 |
10 |
9 |
7 |
-5 |
2 |
1 |
-4 |
0 |
5 |
8 |
12 |
|
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 |
42 |
44 |
45 |
43 |
37 |
41 |
40 |
35 |
38 |
39 |
39 |
41 |
|
|
worse off |
14 |
14 |
14 |
16 |
22 |
19 |
19 |
26 |
21 |
16 |
19 |
13 |
|
QUESTION 2 difference |
28 |
30 |
31 |
27 |
15 |
22 |
21 |
9 |
17 |
23 |
20 |
28 |
|
Q3 Thinking of economic conditions in Australia 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 |
41 |
44 |
42 |
41 |
32 |
38 |
42 |
29 |
34 |
38 |
33 |
39 |
|
|
bad times |
21 |
21 |
20 |
25 |
34 |
26 |
25 |
38 |
32 |
26 |
31 |
24 |
|
QUESTION 3 difference |
20 |
23 |
22 |
16 |
-2 |
12 |
17 |
-9 |
2 |
12 |
2 |
15 |
|
Q4 Looking ahead, what would you say is more likely, that in Australia as a whole, we'll have continuous good times during the next five years of so - or we'll have bad times - or some good and some bad? |
|
|
good times |
36 |
35 |
34 |
34 |
30 |
29 |
33 |
29 |
30 |
32 |
28 |
33 |
|
|
bad times |
20 |
20 |
19 |
23 |
25 |
24 |
23 |
27 |
28 |
24 |
28 |
23 |
|
QUESTION 4 difference |
16 |
15 |
15 |
11 |
5 |
5 |
10 |
2 |
2 |
8 |
0 |
10 |
|
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 |
64 |
59 |
58 |
55 |
45 |
51 |
57 |
46 |
45 |
50 |
49 |
45 |
|
|
bad time to buy |
12 |
14 |
13 |
15 |
24 |
17 |
16 |
27 |
23 |
19 |
22 |
23 |
|
QUESTION 5 difference |
52 |
45 |
45 |
40 |
21 |
34 |
41 |
19 |
22 |
31 |
27 |
22 |
|
|
|
Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating |
124.3 |
124.5 |
124.4 |
120.1 |
106.8 |
115.1 |
118.1 |
103.7 |
108.6 |
115.8 |
111.5 |
117.4 |
|
|
* The Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating is 100.0 plus the simple unweighted average of the difference between the percentage of respondents who give a favourable and those who give unfavourable answers to five key questions.
|
Results for the Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating* for the component questions over the more recent surveys are as follows: |
|
2005 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interviews |
1,141 |
1,250 |
1,181 |
1,074 |
1,092 |
1,070 |
1,038 |
1,077 |
1,033 |
1,114 |
1,003 |
1,083 |
|
Q1 Would you say you and your family are better-off financially or worse off than you were at this time last year? |
|
Over the past year |
better off |
36 |
36 |
35 |
32 |
34 |
32 |
31 |
36 |
32 |
32 |
31 |
34 |
|
|
worse off |
21 |
21 |
24 |
26 |
28 |
24 |
30 |
27 |
30 |
32 |
30 |
27 |
|
QUESTION 1 difference |
15 |
15 |
11 |
6 |
6 |
8 |
1 |
9 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
7 |
|
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 |
47 |
46 |
44 |
43 |
42 |
41 |
41 |
40 |
39 |
39 |
35 |
40 |
|
|
worse off |
11 |
11 |
15 |
15 |
15 |
16 |
20 |
16 |
21 |
26 |
20 |
17 |
|
QUESTION 2 difference |
36 |
35 |
29 |
28 |
27 |
25 |
21 |
24 |
18 |
13 |
15 |
23 |
|
Q3 Thinking of economic conditions in Australia 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 |
50 |
39 |
38 |
36 |
35 |
35 |
42 |
36 |
28 |
32 |
41 |
|
|
bad times |
14 |
15 |
23 |
26 |
24 |
25 |
27 |
23 |
28 |
39 |
32 |
23 |
|
QUESTION 3 difference |
38 |
35 |
16 |
12 |
12 |
10 |
8 |
19 |
8 |
-11 |
- |
18 |
|
Q4 Looking ahead, what would you say is more likely, that in Australia as a whole, we'll have continuous good times during the next five years of so - or we'll have bad times - or some good and some bad? |
|
|
good times |
41 |
41 |
36 |
33 |
33 |
30 |
30 |
32 |
30 |
25 |
28 |
31 |
|
|
bad times |
14 |
13 |
16 |
22 |
21 |
23 |
22 |
24 |
25 |
29 |
26 |
26 |
|
QUESTION 4 difference |
27 |
28 |
20 |
11 |
12 |
7 |
8 |
8 |
5 |
-4 |
2 |
5 |
|
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 |
61 |
58 |
50 |
53 |
55 |
55 |
61 |
57 |
52 |
50 |
53 |
53 |
|
|
bad time to buy |
11 |
11 |
18 |
14 |
14 |
12 |
14 |
14 |
14 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
|
QUESTION 5 difference |
50 |
47 |
32 |
39 |
41 |
43 |
47 |
43 |
38 |
29 |
35 |
35 |
|
|
|
Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating |
133.2 |
132.0 |
121.5 |
119.4 |
119.5 |
118.8 |
116.8 |
120.6 |
114.3 |
105.4 |
110.6 |
117.7 |
|
|
* The Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating is 100.0 plus the simple unweighted average of the difference between the percentage of respondents who give a 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.
|
Sample Size |
Percentage Estimate |
| |
40%-60% |
25% or 75% |
10% or 90% |
5% or 95% |
|
1,000 |
±3.2 |
±2.7 |
±1.9 |
±1.4 |
|
1,500 |
±2.6 |
±2.2 |
±1.5 |
±1.1 |
|