Analyzing the mood and concerns of Romanians in 2023 vs. 2022, we can observe that in 2023, Romanians remain just as worried as in 2022, as shown by the latest research from iSense Solutions.

Consumer fears remain high

In the fall of 2023 vs. the fall of 2022, consumers have not relaxed. On the contrary, the stress level has remained just as high, with the main concerns being related to: rising prices for goods and services (85% in 2022 vs. 91% in 2023, a significant increase of +6%), rising inflation (84% in 2022 vs. 87% in 2023), the possibility of an economic crisis (84% in 2022 vs. 85% in 2023). Additionally, in 2023, concerns about job stability (increased from 51% in 2022 to 68% in 2023, +17%) and personal and family safety (increased from 75% in 2022 to 81% in 2023) have significantly increased.

How do Romanians feel during this period?

Post-pandemic, the feeling of loneliness and a lack of connection with others has decreased. In 2022, 56% of Romanians did not feel as connected with friends as before, but in 2023, this percentage has significantly decreased to 51%. Similarly, the percentage of those who feel lonely has decreased significantly, from 39% in 2022 to 34% in 2023.

The decrease in the feeling of loneliness and lack of connection is natural with the pandemic's passing. However, the percentages themselves do not decrease very abruptly and remain high, indicating that we still need time to readjust to social life after the period of isolation and staying at home.

What feelings prevail?

Because Romanians are just as stressed and worried as the previous year, we can see that a visibly predominant feeling in the consumer's life at present is nervousness (43% in 2023 vs. 38% in 2022) and sadness (37% in 2023 vs. 32% in 2022).

Also, due to financial concerns, urban Romanians continue to feel empathy towards their fellow citizens (68% in 2023 vs. 64% in 2022), but the willingness to help has decreased significantly (59% in 2023 vs. 63% in 2022).

As the fears and stress of urban Romanians continue to be high, we can expect these aspects to influence consumer behavior and the choices consumers make in the near future.

These data are part of the iSense Solutions study, Consumer’s Sentiment and Buying Strategies. Samples: 1,000 interviews conducted in September 2022, 518 interviews conducted in September 2023, a representative study for the urban environment in Romania, aged 18-65.