• Consumer confidence rises in December
  • First time the index has remained positive for an entire calendar year
  • Shoppers feel positive about their personal financial situation and the general economy over the last year

Consumer confidence was up overall in December as shoppers felt optimistic about their personal finances and the economy throughout the year.

The GfK consumer confidence index increased one point to +2 during the month as three of the five measures used to calculate the index increased and one remained unchanged.

The overall index score of +2 makes 2015 the first time the index has shown positive scores in consumer confidence for an entire calendar year.

Respondents’ confidence in their personal financial situation over the past 12 months was up two points to +3, jumping nine points on December 2014.

Shoppers also felt positive about their personal financial situation for the next 12 months, where the consumer confidence score was up three points to +9, a leap of eight points on last year.

Confidence in the state of the economy over the past 12 months rose by one point to -5 in December, up five points on last year.

Confidence in the economy over the next 12 months remained unchanged from last month at -6 and was the only measure in the index that was down on last year, edging down by one point.

Although down on last month by 2 points, at +7, December’s major purchase index was still up by eight on last year.

GfK head of market dynamics Joe Staton said: “Consumer confidence has remained strong for all of 2015 with an average at +3 for the past 12 months.

“This is the first time since the Consumer Confidence Barometer started in 1974 that the index has remained positive for an entire calendar year.”

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