Europeans are skipping family visits and medical appointments to pay energy and fuel bills, study finds

The annual survey conducted by Ipsos and Secours populaire français reveals a concerning trend across Europe, where financial instability is increasingly a recurring aspect of daily life. Energy poverty exacerbates this vulnerability, with 29% of Europeans reporting precarious living conditions. A significant majority, 73%, fear they cannot afford fuel costs.

The survey canvassed 10,000 individuals aged 18 and above in France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Moldova, Poland, Portugal, Romania, the United Kingdom, and Serbia. The geopolitical tensions in Ukraine and the Middle East have exacerbated the surge in energy and fuel prices, with Brent crude reaching over $100 a barrel in early September.

Among the surveyed countries, Greeks, Italians, and Portuguese respondents expressed the highest concerns over fuel expenses. Portugal witnessed a record-high fuel price on September 7, the steepest increase in fuel prices in the past four years, and the highest ever for diesel. Over the past year, more than a third of Europeans have resorted to cutting back on essential expenses, such as food and healthcare, to manage their energy and fuel bills.

Among these, Moldovans and Greeks have sacrificed up to three times more compared to those in Germany and the UK.

The immediate impact of fuel costs is evident in lifestyle adjustments. People are forgoing holidays and visits to distant relatives. Even their daily commutes are affected, with one-third of respondents reducing car usage to work. Alarmingly, 23% of respondents have missed medical appointments due to soaring costs. To cope with energy bills, almost seven in ten respondents have implemented various measures, from reducing heating to taking cold showers.

French and Greek respondents are particularly inclined to turn off heating in specific rooms, while Moldovans refrain from using certain appliances.