English Top > Lifestyle Conditions
The Consumer Confidence Index expresses the "propensity to consume" in the following month, as a percentage score given by respondents on HILL's independent survey panel. Respondents are asked to rate their propensity to consume (i.e. their desire to buy products or use services) in the following month, taking 100 as the maximum propensity to consume. We have conducted these surveys every month since April 1993.
You will need to install Flash on your computer to see this page.
Please click here to download a Flash Player.
Comment
The Consumer Confidence Index for July rose 3.2 points from June to 53.8 points, the highest score for this year and a gain of 1.3 points over July of last year. During a typical year the score will rise in July as summer bonuses are received and the summer holiday season kicks off. However, this was the first time that the score for July gained both on-month and on-year since 2006. The score has now risen on-year for six straight months. The rate of recovery slowed in May and June, but regained a little momentum in July.
Business sentiment in the Bank of Japan’s June Tankan report turned positive for the first time in two years. The government also upgraded its assessment of the economy for the first time in three months in its Monthly Economic Report for June. However, recently there has been an increase in indicators that cast some doubt over the economic outlook. These include the recent worsening of diffusion indexes, the Economy Watchers’ Survey and the unemployment rate. There are concerns that the pace of economic recovery will slow. On the other hand, it has been reported that the number of people planning summer vacations this year (domestic and overseas) will likely return to levels seen before the start of the financial crisis, while department stores, electronics mass retailers and other major retailers have enjoyed better sales this year compared to last year during the period when consumers had received their summer bonuses. These developments point to a brightening environment for consumer sentiment.
It will be interesting to see the score for August during this time of both improving sentiment and concerns about the future economic outlook.
The Consumer Confidence Index for men rose 1.9 points from June to 47.7 points, which was roughly even with the score for July 2009, the lowest score for any July on record. The recovery in sentiment for men has failed to gain much traction, possibly due to lingering concern about market trends such as the stronger yen and falling stock markets. Conversely, the score for women rose 4.6 points from June and 2.6 points compared to July of 2009 to 60.0 points, the highest score for any July since 2000. Sentiment among female consumers appears to have good momentum, having now risen on-year for six straight months. Many women on our panel said that they wanted to spend money on summer bargain sales, travel and leisure. Currently the propensity to spend is clearly stronger among women than men.
A simultaneous survey of lifestyle priorities showed that for men the propensity to spend increased for “medium-sized purchases” and “major (expensive) purchases”, but was flat for “daily (minor) purchases”. For women the propensity to spend increased for “medium-sized purchases”, but decreased for “daily (minor) purchases” and “major (expensive) purchases”.
- Survey Overview
- Target population : males and females aged 18-75
- Sample size : 412 respondents
- Geographical scope : metropolitan region
- Survey method : by mail
-
- *The number of valid responses and age distribution differ according to the responses collected each month.
Reference Indicators Lifestyle Priorities
We ask respondents on HILL's independent survey panel whether they think "they will give priority next month" in eleven different lifestyle areas. The figures show the proportion of respondents who answer "Will give priority" or "May give priority". ("Give priority" indicates the desire to spend time, effort or money on something, or to treat it with priority.)
We have conducted these surveys every month since April 2000.
| Lifestyle Priorities | 2009 Jul. |
Aug. | Sep. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | 2010 Jan. |
Feb. | Mar. | Apr. | May. | Jun. | Jul. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life with your family | 69.5 | 73.8 | 68.0 | 68.6 | 67.3 | 69.2 | 71.8 | 64.4 | 66.8 | 67.7 | 72.5 | 66.6 | 65.6 |
| Personal relationships | 57.3 | 51.6 | 53.9 | 50.2 | 55.4 | 55.1 | 51.0 | 55.8 | 57.7 | 59.6 | 57.8 | 56.6 | 54.8 |
| Work | 58.8 | 51.4 | 56.8 | 59.0 | 60.9 | 60.7 | 55.5 | 56.4 | 58.2 | 60.4 | 58.4 | 57.2 | 58.4 |
| Hobbies and pastimes | 54.5 | 62.7 | 56.4 | 51.6 | 55.3 | 49.8 | 50.0 | 47.3 | 54.3 | 55.2 | 61.2 | 55.0 | 55.0 |
| Recreation and leisure | 53.4 | 66.1 | 49.1 | 43.8 | 44.7 | 38.4 | 40.4 | 44.4 | 49.4 | 51.0 | 59.9 | 44.7 | 50.4 |
| Housework and household affairs | 58.1 | 60.2 | 60.7 | 56.3 | 62.1 | 68.3 | 63.1 | 59.1 | 59.6 | 59.0 | 61.2 | 63.1 | 62.8 |
| Study | 60.9 | 50.6 | 58.9 | 63.7 | 62.6 | 51.6 | 55.1 | 59.4 | 58.5 | 58.6 | 62.3 | 62.1 | 59.4 |
| Health | 85.1 | 85.0 | 88.9 | 88.2 | 90.0 | 88.9 | 88.7 | 90.3 | 86.1 | 85.9 | 86.8 | 90.0 | 84.5 |
| Daily (minor) purchases | 25.9 | 24.8 | 23.6 | 25.0 | 25.7 | 28.3 | 25.9 | 23.2 | 23.7 | 25.9 | 24.2 | 26.3 | 24.9 |
| Medium-sized purchases | 16.9 | 14.3 | 15.1 | 12.3 | 15.8 | 19.1 | 15.3 | 12.3 | 16.0 | 13.1 | 17.9 | 14.7 | 20.0 |
| Major (expensive) purchases | 8.7 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 5.9 | 9.3 | 10.3 | 7.7 | 8.1 | 5.6 | 6.6 | 8.2 | 8.7 | 8.4 |
Reference Indicators Level of Satisfaction
We ask respondents on HILL's independent survey panel to indicate whether they are "Satisfied this month" in relation to five lifestyle areas. The figures show the proportion of respondents who answer "Satisfied" or "Somewhat satisfied".
We have conducted these surveys every month since April 2000.
| Level of Satisfaction | 2009 Jun. |
Jul. | Aug. | Sep. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | 2010 Jan. |
Feb. | Mar. | Apr. | May. | Jun. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Politics | 7.8 | 10.5 | 16.0 | 53.1 | 39.1 | 35.3 | 14.1 | 10.1 | 9.6 | 9.3 | 5.3 | 5.0 | 19.2 |
| Economy | 9.9 | 7.8 | 8.8 | 16.2 | 13.7 | 7.8 | 10.3 | 10.7 | 7.8 | 9.9 | 11.9 | 10.0 | 13.8 |
| Personal security | 33.3 | 24.6 | 25.6 | 35.5 | 32.2 | 26.6 | 29.8 | 34.1 | 34.5 | 33.8 | 33.3 | 34.0 | 35.8 |
| Neighborhood where you live | 68.0 | 67.4 | 68.1 | 70.4 | 69.2 | 66.4 | 68.3 | 67.9 | 70.8 | 72.5 | 70.7 | 71.6 | 73.7 |
| Happenings in society | 17.8 | 17.1 | 17.3 | 29.9 | 26.5 | 15.7 | 20.9 | 18.7 | 27.6 | 21.2 | 20.6 | 16.8 | 29.8 |
- Overview of Lifestyle Priorities and Lifestyle Satisfaction Surveys
- Target population : males and females aged 18-75
- Sample size : 412 respondents
- Geographical scope : metropolitan region
- Survey method : by mail
-
- *The number of valid responses and age distribution differ according to the responses collected each month.
