Consumer confidence in the UK has risen to its highest level for 18 months according to research by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), but there is still a major concern about jobs.
 
 
The BRC's latest Consumer Confidence Index is now up to 75, after hitting an all-time-low of 65 in April. Nearly one in four people believes job prospects will be ÔÇ£badÔÇØ over the next 12 months, however.
 
The confidence figure is still weak, but the increase indicates that more people are feeling positive about their own situation.
 
Nevertheless, the BRC believes that many consumers will see a long, slow climb out of recession. "Half of consumers believe we'll still be in recession in a year's time," said BRC chief Stephen Robertson. "More than half are worried about jobs and their own finances and that will hold back full scale retail recovery well into next year."
 
The recession has caused many consumers to change their lifestyle, with some saying they plan to continue with their new spending patterns when the economy recovers.
 
Saving on household costs was one of the strategies employed by consumers, with people buying fewer clothes and cutting down on takeaways.
 
Saving on gas and electricity was another strategy followed by households watching their budgets. More than half of consumers say they will continue to try to save on gas and electricity after the recession ends.
 
However, research shows that shoppers are noticing that inflation is slowing and concerns over food bills, utility bills and fuel prices are all down on 12 months ago.
 
 
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