In April, consumer confidence in the Netherlands fell from -34 to -37, according to the latest data published by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), the national statistics office. This is the seventh consecutive month of decline and the lowest level recorded in a year and a half. Both the perception of the economic climate and the propensity to purchase are worsening.
According to the CBS, the recovery in confidence, which had reached a record low in October 2022, came to a halt in autumn 2024. Specifically, Dutch consumers were more pessimistic about the general economic situation than in the previous month: the economic sentiment indicator fell from -57 to -61. Both assessments of the economy for the previous twelve months and expectations for the following twelve months are falling.
Willingness to spend also deteriorated slightly, going from -18 to -20. In particular, consumers expressed greater uncertainty about their financial situation, both past and future. Furthermore, April was perceived as unfavorable as March for making major purchases.
At -37, consumer confidence in the Netherlands remains well below the 10-year average of -2000. The all-time high was reached in January 36 with a value of 2022, while the all-time low was reached in September and October 59, with -XNUMX.
The CBS has measured consumer confidence monthly since 1986, based on five key indicators relating to economic perception and household financial situation. The overall score is calculated as the average of positive and negative responses: a perfectly positive balance gives a value of 100, a completely negative one a value of -100.
