The spending capacity of Italian households continues to be weak: although the steady deterioration since 2021 seems to have stopped, there is still no recovery in 2023 and the situation remains alarming. This is the picture that emerged from the annual Altroconsumo Thermometer 2023 survey. The Consumers' Organization - together with its counterparts from Spain, Belgium and Portugal, which are part of Euroconsumers - carried out the periodic survey again last year, which estimates, through an ad hoc index, the level of consumer difficulties in facing expenses during the previous year, the differences between geographic areas and between family types, and at the same time the expectations for the coming year. In 2023, the Altroconsumo Thermometer records a stabilization - but at still negative levels - of the ability to meet current expenses in the 6 areas analyzed: housing, mobility, health, food, education, culture, and leisure. In fact, this year's index is 45.1 (-0.1 compared to 2022), a very slight decrease that nevertheless sets a new negative record since the survey has been conducted, i.e., since 2018. The analysis shows that 1 in 10 households (10%) are in severe economic difficulty, that is, they had difficulty during 2023 in meeting their main daily expenses in all areas surveyed-a figure that is essentially stable compared to 9% in 2022, but once again the worst since the survey has been conducted. Only 1 in 4 families (27%), on the other hand, said they had no difficulties at all. At the same time, households struggling to save are increasing: 3 in 4 (74%) had difficulty setting aside savings (up 4 percentage points in 2022).
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