Three quarters of Portuguese families faced financial difficulties in 2022, with 8% in a “critical situation”, with problems paying all essential expenses, points out the annual barometer of Deco Proteste, released today.
According to the results of the barometer, 74% of families admitted to having faced financial problems on a monthly basis, with 8% claiming to have difficulty paying essential expenses related to mobility, food, health, housing, leisure and education.
Compared to 2021, the difficulty in meeting expenses with food suffered the biggest increase (15%), followed by expenses with housing (5%) and mobility (4%).
The study by Deco Proteste specifies that “the main portions that generate constraints in budgetary management” for consumers relate to car expenses – fuel, maintenance and insurance (67%) –, food – meat, fish and vegetarian alternatives (59% ) –, long vacations – trips and stays (57%) –, dental care (55%) and house maintenance – works, refurbishments (54%).
“The index that measures the financial capacity of families also leaves no room for doubt: in 2022, it reached the lowest value since five years ago – 42,1 (from 0 to 100; in which the higher the number, the greater the capacity financial support to meet monthly expenses)”, he stresses.
In geographical terms, it is in the Azores that the index presents the worst results (37,2), followed by the districts of Vila Real (38) and Aveiro (39,4).
In “greater financial relief” are the districts of Coimbra (47,1) Beja (43,5), Lisbon (43,5) and the Autonomous Region of Madeira (45,1).
Cited in the statement, Deco Proteste's Director of Communication and Institutional Relations considers that "the results of 2022 are not encouraging": "It is clear that there has not been an effective improvement in the living conditions of the Portuguese in recent years and the consequences of the war in Ukraine exposed all the weaknesses of our economy and the economic weakness of most households”, says Rita Rodrigues.
In a more in-depth analysis of the evolution of expenses with food and housing, Deco Proteste – which, for more than a year, has been analyzing the increase in the price of the food basket and the fluctuations in interest rates – finds that, between February 2022 and February this year, the value of the food basket went from 185 euros to 222 euros, an increase of 20%.
“In 2022, 44% of Portuguese families assumed the difficulty of paying bills with food products, a trend that has worsened since 2020, where families in trouble were almost half”, he says.
Detailing that “groceries, meat, fish, vegetables and fruits are the products that consumers are finding it increasingly difficult to put on their tables”, Deco Proteste notes that “more than half of households assume that the rising price is a clear obstacle to your regular purchase”.
As for housing, “the reality of the Portuguese is not a happy one either”: “After interest rates had been in negative territory for months on end, the European Central Bank began its readjustment, further reducing the money that left over at the end of the month for consumers”, he explains.
With the cost of housing in Portugal, whether for purchase or rent, standing out as “one of the highest in Europe”, Deco Proteste says it is “easy to understand why almost half of Portuguese families (44%) admits having difficulties in paying his rent or his loan”.
According to a consumer protection organization, “the economic difficulties experienced by the Portuguese are also reflected in their ability to save”, with almost 75% stating that it is “impossible or almost impossible to extend their income, in order to save money”. even a small amount.”
“We are facing a scenario that is not encouraging for Portuguese families. The uncertainty of the duration of the war and its effects, the absence of measures to protect consumers and the financial crisis that has been suffocating the middle class in the last decade, predict an inauspicious evolution of the quality of life in Portugal”, considers Rita Rodrigues.
Although seeing with “satisfaction the State's concern to intervene and create concrete mechanisms”, the head of Deco Proteste argues that “these have to be quick and structured to help the Portuguese”.
“We recommend that the Government be aware of the reality and the concrete difficulties that the majority of Portuguese people have to face on a daily basis”, he maintains.
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