The main goal of this survey is to verify the degree of knowledge of Italian consumers about the recent developments, as registered by official statistics, of key economic variables such as GDP growth, inflation and unemployment rate.
In 2015 the share of consumers able to give a figure about GDP growth is 63.7%, while it is 61.9% with reference to the unemployment rate. Concerning the inflation rate the percentage is significantly lower, only 33.9%.
Italian consumers show a quite adequate knowledge of the GDP growth in 2014 resulting partially “optimistic”: +0.1% instead of -0.4% (the figure registered by Istat). Average values for the replies on the unemployment rate are on the other hand above actual values (19.7% compared to 12.7%); for inflation, average values are above the actual figures, +4.5% estimated, while the official value was slightly below zero, -0.1%.
Concerning the most used media to gather economic information, television is reported as the most important channel, being used by 81.1% of respondents, followed by internet (48.8%) and newspapers (46.7%).
More than 6 respondents out of 10 in April 2015 are confident in official statistics about GDP, inflation and unemployment.
For information:
Short-term economic statistics directorate
Alessandra Righi
ph. +39064673.6437
righi@istat.it