A survey has replaced its consumer confidence index with a more practical measure of how long people stare at a price before putting the item back. Early findings suggest the national mood is somewhere between a small sigh and checking the bank app outside.
Economists said households continued to make purchases but increasingly required each one to justify its presence. Decorative cushions face particularly rigorous scrutiny. A third pair of salad servers must now demonstrate either essential utility or a remarkable ability to improve the owner's life.
Shopper Caroline Moss said she was not pessimistic, merely unwilling to pay twelve pounds for a mug that appeared to believe it was an experience. She eventually bought the mug after deciding she had earned it by resisting a candle. The decision will be recorded as restraint in the household accounts.
Retailers are responding with offers designed to make spending feel responsible, including discounts triggered by buying more than intended. The index will track how often consumers say "well, everything’s expensive now" before proceeding anyway. Moss says she is getting better at resisting marketing. She has installed an app that sends her a notification whenever there is an opportunity to prove it.
