Consumer confidence weak in May 2025 – expectations of own economy bright

Consumer confidence in areas of residence and population groups

In May 2025, consumer confidence in the economy was strongest in Greater Helsinki (CCI -5.4) and weakest in Eastern Finland (-12.4). Of the socio-economic groups, students were now most optimistic (0.3). Pensioners had the gloomiest expectations concerning economic development in May (-17.7).

Women (-11.2) still described economic development in May as clearly gloomier than men did (-5.7). More detailed information is available in the figures and database tables.

Consumers' own and Finland's economy

In May, consumers' views on their own economy at present weakened compared to April. However, expectations concerning one's own economy in 12 months' time already rose to a bright level. However, views on Finland's economic development were ever more blurred in May.

Compared to one year ago, consumers' views on their own economy brightened slightly in May, while their expectations concerning Finland's economy darkened slightly in a year.

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As many as 30 per cent of consumers thought in May that their own economy was weaker than one year ago. Twenty-four per cent of consumers regarded their own economy stronger than in the previous year. Sixty-five per cent of consumers thought in May that Finland’s economic situation was worse than one year earlier, and only seven per cent saw it as better.

In May, only 19 per cent of consumers believed that Finland’s economic situation would improve in the coming twelve months, while 42 per cent of them thought that our country’s economy would deteriorate. More than before, 31 per cent of consumers believed in May that their own economy would improve and 16 per cent of them feared it would worsen over the year.

Unemployment and its threat

Consumers' expectations concerning the development of the general unemployment situation in Finland stayed pessimistic in May. Fourteen per cent of consumers expected that unemployment would decrease over the next year, and over one half, 57 per cent believed it would increase.

Employed consumers, that is, wage and salary earners and self-employed persons, reckoned in May that their personal threat of unemployment or lay-off was high. Only four per cent of employed persons believed that their personal threat had lessened and 28 per cent thought the risk had grown. On the other hand, 39 per cent of employed persons felt in May that they were not threatened by unemployment or temporary lay-off at all.

Consumer prices

In May, consumers' estimates of the inflation at the time of the survey and concerning price changes in one year's time fell slightly but stayed high.

Consumers estimated in May that consumer prices have risen by 5.0 per cent from May last year and would go up by 4.1 per cent over the next year. Altogether 66 per cent of consumers thought that consumer prices have risen much or fairly much over the year, and over one half or 55 per cent of them expected prices to rise at least at the same rate over the coming months as well.

Financial situation, saving and raising a loan

In May, the time was still regarded very poor – despite slight recovery – for taking out a loan and unfavourable also for saving. Thirty-three per cent of consumers regarded the time favourable for taking out a loan and 42 per cent considered saving worthwhile. However, intentions to raise a loan were on the usual level in May. Fifteen per cent of consumers were planning to raise a loan within one year.

Consumers' assessment of their own financial situation was slightly weaker in May than the long-term average. Consumers estimated that their saving possibilities would still be similar to usual in the coming months. Fifty-six per cent of households had been able to lay aside some money and 72 per cent believed they would be able to do so during the next 12 months.

Spending and intentions to make large purchases

In May, the time was no longer considered as unfavourable for buying durable goods as for a long time. Only 15 per cent of consumers still thought the time was favourable for making expensive purchases.

Consumers’ intentions to spend money on durable goods in the next 12 months shrank even more in May. In May, 12 per cent of consumers estimated that they would increase and 40 per cent would reduce their spending on durable goods over the next 12 months.

In May, slightly more than usual were planning to buy a car within 12 months. By contrast, fewer consumers than usual had plans to buy a dwelling or make renovations to their dwelling.

In May, 15 per cent of consumers were either definitely or possibly going to buy a car within the next 12 months. Eleven per cent of consumers considered buying a dwelling or building a house. Fifteen per cent of consumers were planning to spend money on renovating their dwelling during the next 12 months.

Data set for the statistics

The Consumer Confidence Survey is carried out with a self-filled web questionnaire and by telephone interviews. Answers are mainly given by means of answer options.

In May 2025, a total of 1,202 persons participated in the Survey and the response rate was 56 per cent. The majority, or 82 per cent, of the responses came from the web questionnaire.

The consumer confidence indicator (CCI) is the average of the balance figures of its components: own economy now, own economy in 12 months, Finland's economy in 12 months and own intentions to buy durable goods in the next 12 months.

EU results

The (seasonally adjusted) survey results concerning economic expectations for all EU countries are released monthly on the European Commission website.