Inflation overtakes COVID-19 as the world’s biggest worry – Poll
Nearly everyone in the world is worried about inflation as the concern about the economic situation of things has risen for 11 straight months, according to a recent survey.
Key findings from Ipsos’s What Worries the World survey showed that 37% of people in 27 countries around the world cited inflation as one of the top issues facing their country today.
According to the survey, two in three people (64%) believe their country is heading in the wrong direction, rising to 92% in Peru. Eight in ten people also say their country is heading in the wrong direction in Argentina (85%) and South Africa (81%).
How global concerns have changed
Worry about inflation is followed by worry about poverty & social inequality (31%), unemployment (28%), crime & violence (27%), and financial or political corruption (24%), which round out the top five global worries.
Concern about Coronavirus has fallen even further this month, down four points to 12% and 10th position: the lowest score recorded since it entered the survey.
The survey also pointed out that Covid-19 is not a number one concern in any of the 27 countries surveyed, and this is despite being the top global worry just four months ago in February 2022.
Inflation
On Inflation, the survey noted that June marks the third month that inflation has occupied the top spot in the list of the world’s worries. Worry has risen a further three points this month, and now almost one in four say that it is one of the top issues facing their country (37%).
“There have been month-on-month increases in the level of concern in 20 out of the 27 countries surveyed, with the largest increases in Malaysia (+15 points) and South Africa (+9),” the report stated.
Coronavirus
According to the survey, coronavirus concerns have fallen for the 11th consecutive month, down a further four points this time, to 12%. It now occupies the tenth place, between concern about education (15%) and immigration control (11%).
This month’s score is the lowest ever recorded level of concern about Coronavirus since it entered What Worries the World in April 2020 with a score of 63%.
Countries heading in the right direction?
Across 27 nations, 64% on average say that things in their country are on the wrong track, while 36% think they are heading in the right direction.
Overall, Saudi Arabia remains the country where the largest proportion of people say the country is heading in the right direction.
