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Study: The main preoccupation of the Romanians is inflation
After waves of increased prices and the breaking out of the war in Ukraine, the perceptions as well as the behaviour of the Romanians have changed significantly. A new study made by AHA Moments together with Rethink Romania shows that the last eight months (September 2021 – April 2022) have influenced significantly the attitude the Romanians have towards their country.
Thus, the main preoccupation of the Romanians during this period is connected to inflation, as they worry most about their daily expenses. They adopt a cautious behavior to surpass this period, choosing to consume less, finding promotions or preferring cheaper brands – from goods to fuel or utilities.
At the same time, the Romanians consider that during the last eight months the quality of their life has decreased, most affected being those over 55, as well as those with average or low income.
Preoccupations connected to inflation are manifested in a smaller measure with the population with high income, the Pareto public (top 20% of the Romanians from the point of view of income, those who generate 43% of the annual income).
This has two explanations: the first is connected to the fact that higher income makes them less affected by the price increases. The second explanation is connected to the profile of these people, who are perseverant, ambitious, optimistic, seeing issues as challenges which ask for solutions, being oriented to the solution of the situations in their life.
The list of worries includes the war, but this is secondary at present, as the people have got used to the idea and do not consider war as a direct threat at the address of Romania.
The events of the last months had a great impact on the attitude of the Romanians towards their country –they wouldn’t recommend it to others as a country where you could live, while for themselves they are less sure that they should stay here.
‘From September 2021 to April 2022, things have changed quite a lot. And there is no surprise, as we know how troubled the beginning of this year has been. The main worries of the Romanians are connected to inflation, and they have as a measure –thrift- they reduce consumption, they look for promotions or cheaper brands. By comparison to war, which does not affect Romania directly or the pandemics, which is perceived as being practically ended, inflation is a reality, which the Romanians feel every day in the prices for consumption goods, fuel or energy’ stated Mihai Barsan, member of Rethink Romania.
‘The perception of Romania has changed dramatically, it has become in eight months a country which is not attractive to its inhabitants.The idea of emigration is taken into account more seriously than in September last year, and those who wanted to stay in Romania are no longer so sure of that. But the most worrying is that the first who want to leave the country are young people aged between 18 and 24. That is why the Rethink Romania mission is so urgent: our country needs a clear project, for the next thirty years, which should involve actively the whole energy and creating force of this country, from the business environment to the civil society, experts, the academic environment and the political one’ said Dragos Anastasiu, the chairman of Rethink Romania.
The study was made on a sample of 900 people, in April 2022, aged 18 to 55, from all regions of the country, in rural and urban environment, internet users.