Every third Greek owes money and cuts consumption

Every third Greek has faced financial difficulties and is forced to reduce their consumption, according to the results of a new survey conducted by Interview. Despair and pessimism caused by the constant change in food prices have become characteristic features of consumer behavior. Survey participants were asked questions about their purchases, especially about their eating habits. Their responses indicate a sharp reduction in the purchase of cheese (caseri, graviera) - a decrease of 77%, beef (75%), feta cheese (73%), olive oil (69%) and fish (67%). It is interesting to note that the consumption of entertainment-related products also decreased significantly: sweets (82% decrease) and alcoholic beverages (76%). On the other hand, the study showed that the consumption of chicken meat increased by 28%, legumes - by 27%, as well as the consumption of vegetable oil (22%) and vegetables (20%) significantly increased. It is obvious that consumers who limit the use of olive oil due to its high cost are turning to other types of oils as a more economical solution. At the same time, the reduction in beef and fish consumption is offset by an increase in chicken and legumes consumption.

In addition, every third Greek (35%) has a bank loan and/or credit card debt (36%). This significant number of citizens face difficulties in managing their expenses. It is interesting to note that 30% of respondents have debts to the tax inspectorate. This indicates that a significant part of Greek citizens are experiencing financial difficulties. However, only 3% have rent arrears, while debts for regular household expenses such as water, electricity and gas bills are more common - 17% of respondents said they owe money. On average, 2.5 people live in each house, while only 1.5 of them contribute income, which means that one person provides for himself and half of his family.

Almost every second Greek (53%) has a negative opinion of 2023, considering it bad, while only 12% consider it good. Nevertheless, one in three (35%) claims that 2023 was the same as the previous one, which suggests that these people did not have significant changes in their daily lives. As for the upcoming year, 62% of citizens express a pessimistic mood: they predict that 2024 will be even more difficult than 2023, and only 15% believe that next year will be better.

These survey results indicate the difficulties faced by Greeks in the field of finance and consumption. It is necessary to find solutions that will help improve the situation and ensure a more sustainable future for all citizens.