GfK: Consumer Confidence Rose By Three Points In May

GfK’s long-running Consumer Confidence Index increased by three points to -20 in May. All measures were up in comparison to last month’s announcement. These are the current findings of the GfK Consumer Confidence Barometer (CCB) powered by NIM. The CCB has been published jointly by GfK and the Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions (NIM), the founder of GfK, since October 2023.

Neil Bellamy, Consumer Insights Director at GfK, an NIQ Company, says: “There’s an improvement across all five key indicators in May, led by two forward-looking findings. The measure for personal finances looking ahead for the next 12 months has moved out of negative territory, increasing by five points to + 2. There’s a similar improvement in how consumers see the coming year’s general economy, with a four-point boost to -33. It’s also worth noting the three-point rise in the measure on major purchases for big-ticket items such as furniture or electrical goods, with May’s score of -16 marking the highest level seen since the end of 2024. Have consumers taken comfort from the Bank of England’s May 8th quarter-point base-rate cut? And have they breathed a tiny sigh of relief since April when the sudden turbulence of the Trump Tariffs was prompting dire warnings of economic damage and a return to inflation? Those dangers – especially the issue of inflation – have not disappeared but the consumer mood in the UK does appear to have improved a little.”

GfK Consumer Confidence Barometer powered by NIM — UK Measures – May 2025
The Overall Index Score increased by three points to -20 in May. All measures were up in comparison to last month’s announcement.

Image : GfK

Personal Financial Situation
The index measuring changes in personal finances during the last year is up three points at -7; this is three points better than May 2024.

The forecast for personal finances over the next 12 months is up five points to +2; this is five points worse than this time last year.

General Economic Situation
The measure for the general economic situation of the country during the last 12 months is up one  point to -46; this is seven points worse than in May 2024.  

Expectations for the general economic situation over the next 12 months have gone up by four points to -33; this is 16 points worse than May 2024.

Major Purchase Index
The Major Purchase Index is up three points at -16; this is 10 points better than this month last year.

Savings Index
The Savings Index has dropped two points to +28 in May; this is one point better than this time last year.

Source : GfK / Nielsen

Image : DragonImages / iStock / 1215683452

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