Consumers: Inner mood in Germany improves after the federal elections and the investment packages that have been decided, but remains at a low level. This is shown by the monthly consumer climate study that the institutes GfK and Nim presented in Nuremberg. For April 2025, the so -called consumer climate index increases minimally by 0.1 points to -24.5 points.
Saving also increases
While the economic and income expectations and the acquisition tendency increase, an increasing tendency to save prevents more recovery. In March, the savings officer climbs 4.4 points to 13.8 points. This means the highest value since April 2024.
“The elections apparently have some consumers: make pessimism a little dwindling inside. But the high level of savings shows persistent uncertainty,” said Nim consumption expert Rolf Bürkl. “A quick government formation and the adoption of a budget could ensure more planning security and revitalize consumption.”
In March, the income expectations increased by 2.3 points -3.1 points, but remain below the previous year. “It remains to be seen whether the downward trend is stopped,” emphasized Bürkl.
The propensity to purchase, i.e. the willingness to recover larger things, attracts 2.9 points to -8.2 points. It is therefore well above the previous year’s level, but still below the level of the Pandemie Lockdowns from 2020 and 2021.
State debts are fueling economic hope
The economic expectation has improved significantly: it rises by 5.7 points to 6.9 points. Consumers hope: on the inside for economic relaxation. According to the GfK, whether this hope is justified depends on the implementation of the recently decided financial package.
The monthly consumption study is based on the survey of 2,000 consumers on behalf of the EU Commission. The data was collected in the period between February 27 and March 10.