Consumer confidence weakest in a couple of years in March 2026

Consumer confidence in areas of residence and population groups

In March 2026, consumer confidence in the economy was highest in Greater Helsinki (CCI -7.6) and lowest in Western Finland (-13.0). Of the socio-economic groups, upper-level salaried employees were least pessimistic (-3.8). In March, unemployed people clearly had the gloomiest expectations concerning economic development (-21.7).

Women (-13.4) still described economic development as clearly gloomier than men did (-9.6) in March. More detailed information is available in the figures and database tables.

Consumers' own and Finland's economy

In March, consumers' image of the entire economy weakened slightly compared to February. Compared to one year ago, views on the economy grew more clearly gloomier.

Views concerning consumers’ own economy at present and expectations concerning their own and Finland's economy in 12 months' time were on a very low level in March.

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Twenty-eight per cent of consumers thought in March that their own economy was worse at the time of the survey than one year ago. Only 22 per cent of consumers considered their own economy better than one year earlier. As many as 71 per cent of consumers thought in March that Finland’s economic situation was now weaker than one year earlier, and only seven per cent saw it as stronger.

In March, 18 per cent of consumers believed that Finland’s economic situation would improve in the coming twelve months, while nearly one half, or 46 per cent of them thought that our country’s economy would decline. In all, 27 per cent of consumers believed in March that their own economy would improve and 20 per cent of them feared it would weaken over the year.

Unemployment and its threat

Consumers' expectations concerning the development of the general unemployment situation in Finland weakened in March and were fairly gloomy. Only 16 per cent of consumers expected that unemployment would decrease over the next year, and over one half, 59 per cent believed it would increase.

Employed consumers reckoned in March that their personal threat of unemployment or lay-off was still very high. Six per cent of employed persons believed that their personal threat had lessened and 30 per cent thought the risk had grown. On the other hand, 35 per cent of employed persons felt in March that they were not threatened by unemployment or temporary lay-off at all.

Consumer prices

In March, consumers' estimates of the inflation at the time of the survey and concerning price changes in one year's time remained nearly unchanged and high.

Consumers estimated in March that consumer prices have risen by 4.7 per cent from last year's March and would go up by 4.1 per cent over the next year. Over one-half of consumers, 53 per cent, thought that consumer prices have risen much or fairly much over the year, and as many as 63 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

As for a long time, the time was regarded very poor in March for taking out a loan and also for saving. Just 24 per cent of consumers regarded the time favourable for taking out a loan and 41 per cent considered saving worthwhile. Still, more consumers than usual were planning to take out a loan in March. Eighteen per cent of consumers were planning to raise a loan within one year.

Consumers' assessments of their own financial situation were slightly weaker in March than the long-term average. Consumers estimated that they would also have fewer saving possibilities than usual in the coming months. In March, good one half or 55 per cent of consumers had been able to lay aside some money and two-thirds of them or 67 per cent believed they would be able to do so during the next 12 months.

Spending and intentions to make large purchases

Regardless of a slight improvement, the time was still regarded as very unfavourable for buying durable goods in March. Only 15 per cent of consumers thought the time was favourable for making expensive purchases.

Consumers’ intentions to spend money on durable goods in the next 12 months stayed low in March. In March, 12 per cent of consumers estimated that they would increase and 39 per cent that they would reduce their spending on durable goods over the next 12 months.

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However, as many consumers as the long-term average considered buying a car within one year in March. Consumers’ intentions to buy a dwelling and to renovate their dwelling were still slightly lower than usual.

In March, 14 per cent of consumers were either definitely or possibly going to buy a car during the next 12 months. Twelve per cent of consumers considered buying a dwelling or building a house. Fourteen 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 March 2026, a total of 1,192 persons participated in the Survey and the response rate was 55 per cent. The majority, 81 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.