This month's map from GfK GeoMarketing illustrates the Europeans' average purchasing power or consumer potential for 2009 / 2010 at the level of 2-digit postcodes.
GfK GeoMarketing has just published its annual update of the study "GfK Purchasing Power Europe", which measures the regional avaible incomes of the population of each municipality and postcode area in Europe
(Source: GfK GeoMarketing).
Europeans have approximately 8 trillion (8 million millions) euros of income available for consumer purchases in 2009. This figure includes government pay-outs such as unemployment benefit, child benefit and pensions. This corresponds to an average purchasing power of €11,699 per inhabitant for the 41 countries under review. Purchasing power levels vary significantly according to region. For example, Norwegians enjoy a per capita income of €20,535, while Bulgarians command on average only €2,850 per person. The east-west divide remains clearly discernible: Efforts among central and eastern European countries to close the gap between themselves and Western Europe markedly decelerated in 2009 due to the economic downturn. The ranking sequence of countries in Western Europe has also changed. For example, Slovenia now outpaces Portugal with a per capita purchasing power of approximately €10,060. Despite the improvement, this figure still lies €1,600 below the European average.
About the study
Purchasing power is a measure of per capita disposable income (including any received state benefits) after the deduction of taxes. The study indicates annual per person purchasing power levels in euros and as an index value. GfK purchasing power figures reflect the nominal disposable income, meaning that the values have not been adjusted for inflation. The study draws on statistics on income and tax levels, government benefits and forecasts by economic institutes. The GfK purchasing power study does not take into account regional cost-of-living variations or recurring monthly deductions from disposable income such as rent, mortgage payments and contributions to private retirement funds and insurance policies. GfK GeoMarketing also provides additional studies examining the Purchasing Power available for retail as well as the actual regional retail turnover.
