Scottish Consumer Sentiment Indicator: 2025 Quarter 2
An official statistics publication.
The latest results for consumer sentiment in Scotland based on a quarterly survey of households’ current sentiment and future expectations of economic performance, household finances and attitudes to spending.
Results Breakdown
Composite Indicator
In Q2 2025, the Consumer Sentiment Indicator fell by 2.5 points to -8.9 indicating a weakening in sentiment over the quarter.
The weakening in sentiment over the quarter was relatively broad based across the five sub-indicators.
The largest falls were in the net balances of the current sub-indicators with economic performance down 3.9 points, attitude to spending down 3.6 points and the household financial security indicator down 2.5 points.
The expectation sub-indicator for economic performance also fell over the quarter (down 2.4 points) however the expectation indicator for household financial security was unchanged.
Figure 2: The fall in the Consumer Sentiment Indicator in the second quarter of 2025 was relatively broad based across the sub-indicators.
|
Results (Net Balances) |
Latest Quarter (Q2 2025) |
Previous Quarter (Q1 2025) |
Change between Q1 2025 and Q2 2025 |
|
Consumer Sentiment composite indicator |
-8.9 |
-6.5 |
-2.5 |
|
Current indicators |
|
Empty cell |
Empty cell |
|
(a) Economy performance |
-4.8 |
-1.0 |
-3.9 |
|
(c) Households’ finances |
-10.4 |
-7.8 |
-2.5 |
|
(e) Attitude to spending |
-22.8 |
-19.2 |
-3.6 |
|
Expectation indicators |
|
Empty Cell |
Empty Cell |
|
(b) Economy performance - next 12 months |
-1.6 |
0.7 |
-2.4 |
|
(d) Households’ finances - next 12 months |
-5.0 |
-5.0 |
0.0 |
|
Note: The consumer sentiment indicator score is the average of the net balances for each question topic. The net balance is the difference between the percentage of respondents reporting an improvement and those reporting a weakening. Scores are subject to rounding therefore differences in scores over the quarter may not sum. |
|||
Economic Performance
The Economic Performance indicators reflect how respondents consider Scotland’s economy is currently performing relative to 12 months earlier and how they expect it will be performing in 12 months’ time relative to current performance.
Figure 3: The current and expected economic performance indicators fell over the quarter.
Consumer Sentiment, economic performance indicators, quarterly net balance, Q2 2013 to Q2 2025
The net balance of Scotland's current economic performance indicator in Q2 2025 was -4.8, implying that households, on balance, consider current economic performance to be weaker than 12 months ago. Furthermore, current economic performance sentiment weakened over the quarter by 3.9 points and by 9.6 points compared to Q2 2024.
The net balance of Scotland’s expected economic performance indicator was -1.6, implying that households, on balance, expect economic performance to weaken over the next 12 months. Furthermore, expected economic performance sentiment weakened by 2.4 points over the quarter and by 21.1 points compared to Q2 2024.
Household Finances
The Household Finances indicators reflect how secure respondents consider their current household financial position to be relative to 12 months earlier and how secure they expect it to be in 12 months’ time relative to its current position.
Figure 4: The current households’ finances indicator fell over the quarter, while the expected households’ finances indicator was unchanged.
Consumer Sentiment, household finances indicators, quarterly net balance, Q2 2013 to Q2 2025
The net balance of the current household financial security indicator was -10.4 in Q2 2025, implying that households, on balance, consider their current financial conditions to be less secure than 12 months ago. Furthermore, sentiment on current household financial security weakened by 2.5 points over the quarter and by 6.1 points compared to Q2 2024.
The net balance of the expected household financial security indicator was ‑5.0 in Q2 2025, implying that households, on balance, expect their future household finances will become less secure over the next 12 months. Sentiment on expected household financial security was unchanged over the quarter but weakened by 8.6 points compared to Q2 2024.
Household Spending
The Household Spending indicator reflects how relaxed respondents currently feel about spending money relative to 12 months earlier.
Figure 5: The attitudes to spending indicator fell over the quarter.
Consumer Sentiment, attitudes to spending, quarterly net balance, Q2 2013 to Q2 2025.
The net balance of the current attitudes to spending indicator was ‑22.8 in Q2 2025, implying that households, on balance, feel less relaxed about spending money than 12 months ago. Furthermore, attitudes to spending sentiment weakened by 3.6 points over the quarter and by 11 points compared to Q2 2024.
Contact
economic.statistics@gov.scot