After a spurt of enthusiasm when states started to reopen from the coronavirus shutdown, people have become gloomy, increasingly worried about their retirements, summer vacations, and the future.
In the latest “Back-to-Normal Barometer,” conducted to provide consumer insight to businesses and trade groups post-virus, the number of people who believe their best days are ahead has hit a new low.
In the survey, just 47% strongly agree that “the best years of my life are still to come.”
What’s more, only 34% are “extremely confident” they will have enough money to retire in comfort, and 33% strongly agree that taking a vacation 500 miles away from home is a priority in the next year.
The results, now being shared with businesses and provided to Secrets, come as several states are reporting increases in COVID-19 infections, leading to pauses in reopening plans. And it comes as national polls are showing growing dissatisfaction with President Trump.
Rasmussen Reports, for example, issued a poll Friday headlined, “Most Feel Personally Less Safe, Ready to Turn to Biden.” While partisanship plays a big role, Rasmussen said that likely voters, by a 49%-42% margin, feel that Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden “will make America a safer place” to live.
“Americans are witnessing health, economic, and racial crises simultaneously, and concluding the future is pretty scary for not only themselves but also for our whole society,” said Rich Thau, president of Engagious.
Secrets has been following the barometer to gauge America’s mood during the virus pandemic. It is produced by three firms, Engagious, Sports and Leisure Research Group, and ROKK Solutions. ROKK’s Ron Bonjean said the data is used by Main Street and Wall Street in figuring the return to normal after the virus.
Other findings pulled from the report include:
- 38% strongly agree that “before the end of 2020, the unemployment rate will hit its high point and then decline as the economy begins to add jobs.”
- 38% strongly feel that they are “optimistic about the future of our country.” This is down from 55% of respondents who felt the same less than a month ago.
- Only 34% strongly believe that “people will go back to spending freely on luxuries again in 2021.”
- 30% strongly agree that “the country will return to economic growth before the end of the calendar year.”
Said Jon Last, president of the Sports and Leisure Research Group: “After seeing people’s resolve increase from early April, through mid-May, we’ve seen a confluence of factors wreak havoc on consumer confidence about societal issues, and that has been accompanied by a retrenchment in the number of Americans who are willing to re-engage in favorite activities.”
