According to a recent survey by the opinion research institute Forsa, 58 percent of respondents reported having to restrict their daily lives due to ongoing price increases, while 41 percent stated that their behavior had not changed significantly. The survey, commissioned by RTL Deutschland, gathered data from 1,005 individuals on April 24th and 27th.
The financial pressure due to rising costs is particularly affecting younger individuals (under 30) and those with lower household incomes (under €2,500 net).
When respondents stated they were cutting back, they typically addressed multiple areas of spending. The most common measure was reducing expenditures when eating out, cited by 76 percent of those affected. Other key areas seeing cuts include new purchases and groceries, both reported by 69 percent of respondents, and fuel costs, which saw 65 percent reduction.
Furthermore, the survey revealed limits on lifestyle spending. Nearly 59 percent of citizens reported saving on energy consumption, while 57 percent curtailed travel or vacations, and 55 percent reduced spending on leisure activities.