
Consumer confidence shows improvement
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Ipsos Pakistan unveiled its latest Consumer Confidence Index Survey on Friday at a press conference held at Movenpick Hotel, Islamabad, marking the completion of one year of the current government. The survey provides key insights into how Pakistanis perceive the country's economic trajectory and their own financial well-being.
Presenting the findings to an audience of senior journalists, economists, academicians, and representatives from both the public and private sectors, Abdul Sattar Babar, CEO and Managing Director of Ipsos Pakistan, highlighted notable improvements across all key consumer confidence indicators. These include country direction, economic conditions, household purchasing comfort, and investment confidence, all of which have shown positive growth compared to the previous year.
Some indicators even recorded their highest-ever positivity levels since Ipsos began tracking consumer confidence in Pakistan. However, despite these improvements, the overall consumer sentiment remains largely negative, reflecting persistent concerns about economic stability and governance.
Babar emphasised that while the data suggests visible progress, a majority of Pakistanis still perceive the economy, job security, and overall country direction as weak. He stressed the need for a coordinated and sustained policy effort to further strengthen public confidence.
Comparing Pakistan's performance to other nations, Babar noted that the country lags significantly behind India and China in consumer confidence levels but remains ahead of Türkiye. This positioning, he said, highlights the structural economic and governance challenges that require long-term attention.
Ipsos conducted the study independently, without external partners or sponsors, ensuring neutrality in its findings. The survey aims to enhance understanding of global and domestic consumer sentiments and their implications.
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