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NIQ Global Intelligence plc

10/23/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/23/2026 00:27

Consumer Confidence plunges 11 points to -24 in October

Drop of this magnitude not seen since July 2016 Brexit vote

London ( October 23, 2026) - GfK's long-running Consumer Confidence Index was down 11 points to -24 in October. All measures decreased compared to last month's announcement. These are the latest findings from 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 has been an extraordinary collapse in consumer confidence in October, down 11 points to -24. The last time we saw an 11-point drop was in July 2016, following the Brexit vote. In recent years, only the onset of the COVID pandemic saw a larger fall (down 25 points). While all measures are lower, the two largest decreases are in expectations for the wider UK economy in the coming year and the intention to make major purchases, both slumping by 14 points. With no single major economic event driving the decline, and with weakness seen across the full spectrum of income, age and gender demographic groups, these are damaging findings given the UK government's priority of economic growth. The measures on personal finances looking back 12 months and ahead a year are also down, by seven and eight points respectively. Relentless cost-of-living pressures, against an international backdrop of unresolved regional conflicts that are themselves contributing to domestic inflation now at 3.5%, appear to have swept aside the nascent optimism we saw following the appointment of a new UK prime minister this summer. Headline consumer confidence is now back to the level seen in April, May and June of this year and the summer's buoyant mood has evaporated. The speed of this deterioration is alarming."

GfK Consumer Confidence Barometer powered by NIM - UK Measures - October 2026
The Overall Index Score was down 11 points to -24 in October. All measures decreased compared to last month's announcement.

Personal Financial Situation
The index measuring changes in personal finances over the last 12 months has decreased seven points to -10. This is five points lower than October 2025.

The forecast for personal finances over the next year is down eight points at -3. This is six points lower than this time last year.

General Economic Situation
The measure for the country's general economic situation over the last 12 months has decreased by 12 points to -48. This is six points worse than a year ago.

Expectations for the general economic situation over the coming 12 months have declined by fourteen points to -36. This is six points below October last year.

Major Purchase Index
The Major Purchase Index fell 14 points to -22 in October, down ten points from October last year.

Savings Index
The Savings Index is up one point to +28, one point lower than this time last year. This measure is commented on but not included in the Overall Index Score.

Ends
Please source all information to the GfK Consumer Confidence Barometer powered by NIM
Press contact: For further details or an interview, please contact Greenfields Communications:
Lucy Green E: [email protected] T +44 (0) 7817 698366
Stuart Ridsdale E: [email protected] T +44 (0) 7790 951229

The data in the GfK Consumer Confidence Barometer (CCB), powered by NIM, is collected by GfK. The CCB has been published jointly by GfK and the Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions (NIM), the founder of GfK, since October 2023.
This month's survey was conducted among a sample of 2,003 individuals aged 16+ in the UK.
Quotas are imposed on age, sex, region, and social class to ensure the final sample is representative of the UK population
Interviewing was conducted between October 1^st and October 14^th.
The figures in the GfK CCB powered by NIM have an estimated margin of error of +/-2%.
The Overall Index Score is calculated using underlying data that runs to two decimal points.
The press release dates for the remaining months of 2026 (all dates fall on a Friday) are: October 23rd, November 20th and December 18th.
Any published material must include a reference to the GfK Consumer Confidence Barometer, e.g. 'Source: GfK Consumer Confidence Barometer powered by NIM'.
This study has been running since 1974. Back data is available from 2006.
The table below is an overview of the questions asked to obtain the individual index measures:

Personal Financial Situation (Q1/Q2)	This index is based on the following questions to consumers: 'How has the financial situation of your household changed over the last 12 months?' 'How do you expect the financial position of your household to change over the next 12 months?' (a lot better - a little better - stay(ed) the same - a little worse - a lot worse)
General Economic Situation (Q3/Q4)	This index is based on the following questions to consumers: 'How do you think the general economic situation in this country has changed over the last 12 months?' 'How do you expect the general economic situation in this country to develop over the next 12 months?' (a lot better - a little better - stay(ed) the same - a little worse - a lot worse)
Major Purchase Index (Q8)	This index is based on the following question to consumers: 'In view of the general economic situation, do you think now is the right time for people to make major purchases such as furniture or electrical goods?' (right time - neither right nor wrong time - wrong time)
Savings Index (Q10)	This index is based on the following question to consumers: 'In view of the general economic situation do you think now is?' (a very good time to save - a fairly good time to save - not a good time to save - a very bad time to save) (Commented on but not included in the Index Score)

About the GfK Consumer Confidence Barometer powered by NIM

There is no other consumer research project with the longevity, rigour, and reliability of GfK's Consumer Confidence Barometer (CCB). Each month since January 1974, it has provided a snapshot of how UK consumers feel about the crucial economic topics today and their outlook for the next 12 months. It has provided insight into the UK's thinking through boom and bust, the Brexit vote, and, most recently, the coronavirus pandemic. The CCB data collected by GfK has been published jointly with the Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions (NIM) since October 2023. NIM is the founder of GfK.

GfK. Growth from Knowledge.

For over 90 years, we have earned the trust of our clients around the world by solving critical questions in their decision-making process. We fuel their growth by providing a complete understanding of their consumers' buying behavior, and the dynamics impacting their markets, brands and media trends. In 2023, GfK combined with NIQ, bringing together two industry leaders with unparalleled global reach. With a holistic retail read and the most comprehensive consumer insights - delivered with advanced analytics through state-of-the-art platforms - GfK drives "Growth from Knowledge". For more information,

Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions (NIM)

The Nuremberg Institute for Market Decisions (NIM) is a non-profit research institute at the interface of academia and practice. NIM examines how consumer decisions change due to new technology, societal trends or the application of behavioral science, and what the resulting micro- and macroeconomic impacts are for the market and society as a whole. A better understanding of consumer decisions and their impacts helps society, businesses, politics, and consumers make better decisions with regard to "prosperity for all" in the sense of the social-ecological market system. NIM is the founder of GfK. For more information, visit www.nim.org/en and LinkedIn.

About NIQ

NielsenIQ (NYSE: NIQ) is a leading consumer intelligence company, delivering the most complete and trusted understanding of consumer buying behavior and revealing new pathways to growth. By combining an unmatched global data footprint and granular consumer and retail measurement with decades of AI modeling expertise, NIQ builds decision systems that help companies turn complex data into confident action.

With operations in more than 90 countries, NIQ covers approximately 82% of the world's population and more than $7.4 trillion in global consumer spend. Through cloud-based platforms, advanced analytics and AI-driven insights, NIQ delivers The Full View™-helping brands and retailers understand what consumers buy, why they buy it, and what to do next.

For more information, please visit www.niq.com.

Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer

This press release includes forward-looking statements that reflect NIQ's current expectations and projections about future market trends and consumer behavior. These statements are based on available information and reasonable assumptions but are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ. NIQ does not undertake to update these statements, except as required by law.

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NIQ Global Intelligence plc published this content on October 23, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 23, 2026 at 06:27 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]