2022, a black year for purchasing power? Before the inflationary “tsunami” announced by Michel-Edouard Leclerc, the French already felt that they had lost purchasing power in recent months. According to a survey by Elabe* for BFMTV, almost three quarters (73%) already feel that their purchasing power has deteriorated (+16 points in one year).
No category of the population seems spared this time. This feeling of degradation is felt by managers/intermediate professionals (76%, +22 points) as well as employees/workers (73%, +19 points), those under 35 years of age (67%, +25 points) and those of 65 years and over (73%, +10 points).
With the increase in prices, the vast majority of the French must deprive themselves. 85% of those surveyed say they have to “tighten their belts”, including 30% a lot and 55% a little.
More and more resignations
A sentiment shared by a large majority of French people in all categories of the population: 79% of executives and 91% of the working classes find themselves in this situation. But it is the popular categories (41% say you have to “tighten your belt a lot”), those between 25-49 years old (41%) and politically Marine Le Pen voters (47%) who are especially affected.
This strong pressure on purchasing power thus provokes a series of resignations. For economic reasons, 51% of French people say they are giving up shopping and going out (+19 points in one year). Nearly one in two (48%, +13 points) admit to skipping vacations or weekends.
More worryingly, a growing number of French people say they have to give up essential expenses. Thus, more than a third have given up buying certain food products (39%, +13 points) and adequately heating their home (37%, +12 points). In terms of health, on the other hand, if 17% say they have to abandon treatment, this proportion remains stable compared to last year.
The executive judged harshly
Regarding the purchasing power measures adopted by the government in recent months, 47% (+8 points from September 28, 2022) of the French believe that they do not improve the situation at all in terms of purchasing power , 44% (-4 points) that go in the right direction but are insufficient and 8% (-4 points) that allow real improvement.
Although the government wants to gradually move towards specific help, the majority of those surveyed want the measures to affect all households. 61% of the French share this opinion. On the contrary, 39% believe that these measures and aid should be directed more towards those who need it most.
If only 28% of the French trust Emmanuel Macron and the government of Elisabeth Borne to fight against the rise in prices, they do not agree on a political personality to fight against the rise in prices. None of the main opposition figures gains the trust of more than three French people out of 10. Marine Le Pen (30%) is clearly ahead of Jean-Luc Mélenchon (20%), the leaders of LR (20%) and Eric Zemmour (14%).
*Sample of 1,000 people representative of residents of mainland France over 18 years of age interviewed online from November 8 to 9, 2022. The representativeness of the sample was ensured according to the quota method applied to the following variables: gender, age and profession of the interviewee after stratification by region and agglomeration category
Source: BFM TV
