Survey Shows Majority of French 'Tightening their Belts'
A recent poll reveals that 82% of French citizens have reduced their spending, while 65% believe that their purchasing power has decreased. Read the full article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
A significant majority of French citizens report that they are cutting back on their spending, feeling the pinch of diminished purchasing power, as indicated by a new poll from French research firm Elabe.
The poll, released on Thursday, reveals that 82% of participants are “tightening their belts,” with 29% indicating they are doing so “a lot” and 53% stating they are doing so “a little.” Only 18% reported not feeling the need to cut back.
Additionally, the survey found that 65% of respondents believe their purchasing power has diminished in recent months, including 27% who feel it has decreased a lot and 38% who think it has decreased a little. Meanwhile, 22% claimed their purchasing power has “remained the same,” while 13% reported an increase.
Elabe also noted that the percentage of respondents experiencing a significant drop in purchasing power is 13% lower compared to the inflation peak in November 2022.
In another finding, despite a decrease in inflation, 74% of those surveyed have not observed any slowdown in daily price increases. Furthermore, 30% reported regularly exceeding their credit card limits over the past year, with 14% doing so monthly and 16% several times a year.
Trust in major political figures to alleviate financial strain is notably low. Only 18% of respondents expressed confidence in President Emmanuel Macron to help improve purchasing power, while Marine Le Pen, a prominent figure in the right-wing National Rally party, and Edouard Philippe, the former prime minister now leading the center-right Horizons party, both received 34% support.
The Elabe poll was conducted among 1,001 residents over 18 in metropolitan France.
As of December 2024, France’s inflation rate was recorded at 1.3%, a sharp decline from 4.9% in 2023 and 5.2% in 2022, based on data from the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. This reduction has been linked to the stabilization of energy and food prices.
Looking ahead, France’s economic growth is anticipated to slow, with the Bank of France projecting a growth rate of 0.9% for 2025, down from a previous estimate of 1.2% amid political instability.
In December 2024, Prime Minister Michel Barnier resigned following a no-confidence vote triggered by his attempts to pass the 2025 budget, which aimed to reduce the public deficit from 6.1% to 5% of GDP. This initiative faced backlash from both right-wing and left-wing factions, ultimately leading to the government’s collapse.
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
The poll, released on Thursday, reveals that 82% of participants are “tightening their belts,” with 29% indicating they are doing so “a lot” and 53% stating they are doing so “a little.” Only 18% reported not feeling the need to cut back.
Additionally, the survey found that 65% of respondents believe their purchasing power has diminished in recent months, including 27% who feel it has decreased a lot and 38% who think it has decreased a little. Meanwhile, 22% claimed their purchasing power has “remained the same,” while 13% reported an increase.
Elabe also noted that the percentage of respondents experiencing a significant drop in purchasing power is 13% lower compared to the inflation peak in November 2022.
In another finding, despite a decrease in inflation, 74% of those surveyed have not observed any slowdown in daily price increases. Furthermore, 30% reported regularly exceeding their credit card limits over the past year, with 14% doing so monthly and 16% several times a year.
Trust in major political figures to alleviate financial strain is notably low. Only 18% of respondents expressed confidence in President Emmanuel Macron to help improve purchasing power, while Marine Le Pen, a prominent figure in the right-wing National Rally party, and Edouard Philippe, the former prime minister now leading the center-right Horizons party, both received 34% support.
The Elabe poll was conducted among 1,001 residents over 18 in metropolitan France.
As of December 2024, France’s inflation rate was recorded at 1.3%, a sharp decline from 4.9% in 2023 and 5.2% in 2022, based on data from the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. This reduction has been linked to the stabilization of energy and food prices.
Looking ahead, France’s economic growth is anticipated to slow, with the Bank of France projecting a growth rate of 0.9% for 2025, down from a previous estimate of 1.2% amid political instability.
In December 2024, Prime Minister Michel Barnier resigned following a no-confidence vote triggered by his attempts to pass the 2025 budget, which aimed to reduce the public deficit from 6.1% to 5% of GDP. This initiative faced backlash from both right-wing and left-wing factions, ultimately leading to the government’s collapse.
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
