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Household spending and fiscal support during the pandemic – the role of public perceptions

Author

Listed:
  • Georgarakos, Dimitris
  • Kenny, Geoff

Abstract

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shock posed an enormous challenge to fiscal policy in supporting household consumption. In this analysis, we report the results of a recent study (Georgarakos and Kenny, 2022) on the extent to which the pandemic-related fiscal interventions influenced consumers’ spending behaviour. The study finds that improving public perceptions about the adequacy of fiscal interventions incentivises spending. Importantly, this perceptions channel operates equally strongly for consumers who receive government support and for those who do not. Consumers who view the adequacy of fiscal packages more favourably also expect higher future incomes and easier access to credit, while they do not anticipate an increase in taxes. JEL Classification: D12, E12, H31

Suggested Citation

  • Georgarakos, Dimitris & Kenny, Geoff, 2022. "Household spending and fiscal support during the pandemic – the role of public perceptions," Research Bulletin, European Central Bank, vol. 94.
    • Handle: RePEc:ecb:ecbrbu:2022:0094:
    Note: 483508
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Christelis, Dimitris & Georgarakos, Dimitris & Jappelli, Tullio & Kenny, Geoff, 2025. "Wealth shocks and portfolio choice," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    2. Dimitris Georgarakos & Yuriy Gorodnichenko & Olivier Coibion & Geoff Kenny, 2024. "The Causal Effects of Inflation Uncertainty on Households' Beliefs and Actions," NBER Working Papers 33014, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Yuriy Gorodnichenko & Dimitris Georgarakos & Geoff Kenny & Olivier Coibion, 2025. "The Impact of Geopolitical Risk on Consumer Expectations and Spending," NBER Working Papers 34195, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Georgarakos, Dimitris & Jappelli, Tullio & Kenny, Geoff & Pistaferri, Luigi, 2025. "Labor supply response to windfall gains," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    5. Michael Weber & Bernardo Candia & Hassan Afrouzi & Tiziano Ropele & Rodrigo Lluberas & Serafin Frache & Brent Meyer & Saten Kumar & Yuriy Gorodnichenko & Dimitris Georgarakos & Olivier Coibion & Geoff, 2025. "Tell Me Something I Don't Already Know: Learning in Low‐ and High‐Inflation Settings," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 93(1), pages 229-264, January.
    6. Georgarakos, Dimitris & Kenny, Geoff & Meyer, Justus & van Rooij, Maarten, 2025. "How do rising temperatures affect inflation expectations?," Working Paper Series 3132, European Central Bank.
    7. Zeqiraj, Veton & Gurdgiev, Constantin & Sohag, Kazi & Hammoudeh, Shawkat, 2024. "Economic uncertainty, public debt and non-performing loans in the Eurozone: Three systemic crises," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    8. Nghiem, Giang & Marenčák, Michal, 2025. "Personal Inflation Rates in the Euro Area," VfS Annual Conference 2025 (Cologne): Revival of Industrial Policy 325454, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    9. Ambrocio, Gene & Hasan, Iftekhar, 2022. "Belief polarization and Covid-19," Bank of Finland Research Discussion Papers 10/2022, Bank of Finland.
    10. Sandra Gomes & Nuno Monteiro & Pedro Pires Ribeiro, 2024. "Euro area inflation expectations: A focus on consumers’ expectations," Economic Bulletin and Financial Stability Report Articles and Banco de Portugal Economic Studies, Banco de Portugal, Economics and Research Department.
    11. Meinerding, Christoph & Poinelli, Andrea & Schüler, Yves, 2023. "Households’ inflation expectations and concern about climate change," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • E12 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - Keynes; Keynesian; Post-Keynesian; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H31 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Household

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