Monthly consumer confidence survey 

CAMME

The aim of this consumer survey, named CAMME in France, is to collect information on consumer behaviour and expectations in terms of expenditure attitudes and savings.

This survey is carried out each month by the Member States of the European Union.

It also measures cyclical trends as perceived by households (changes in prices, etc). The CAMME survey thus contributes to the evaluation of the French economic outlook.

This survey permits us to calculate the consumer confidence indicator. This analysis is frequently commented on in the media using the household confidence indicator.

The monthly consumer confidence survey is part of a system set up by INSEE in 1958 to gather household opinions on certain economic indicators, to study intentions to purchase household equipment and French vacations.

Initially, the survey was carried out half-yearly, and then from 1965 four-monthly.

In 1972, the survey was conducted on a identical basis within the European framework. Since that date, the European Commission has set up an European system for business and consumer surveys to which the Member States of the European Union now contribute.

In January 1987, the survey became monthly and was renamed Camme. Its questionnaire is a repeat of the cyclical part of the four-monthly survey, adapted to European demand.

In 2003, the CAMME survey was restructured with the following three aims:

• to adapt the questionnaire to new European requirements;

• to improve upstream and downstream statistical processing;

• to modernise computerised processing.

At the heart of the system, the "economic situation" module is the one in which the main changes have been introduced, with in particular two quantitative questions on prices: a quantified opinion in percentage terms on the evolution of prices over the last twelve months and over the next twelve months.

This module is structured around an "opinion on the general economic situation in France" section and an "opinion on the household's economic situation" section.

Voir la documentation

Survey

Monthly