The Croatian National Bank has launched the implementation of the Household Finance and Consumption Survey (HFCS). The survey is conducted every three years: since 2010 in the EU and since 2017 in the Republic of Croatia, as part of a joint initiative of the European Central Bank and the EU national central banks. All euro area countries and some other European Union countries – the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary – participate in the survey.
The survey collects data on households’ financial position, including data on their assets, savings, consumption, income and financial liabilities.
Ipsos d.o.o. agency was hired to carry out the field part of the survey, which runs from September 2026 to February 2027.
In Croatia, the survey will cover 4,000 households selected using a random selection method from the 2021 Census of Population, Households and Dwellings database. Participation in the survey is voluntary, and the collected responses are an important contribution to creating a reliable picture of the financial position of households in the Republic of Croatia and to preparing economic analyses and making decisions important for the economy and the financial system.
The data collected will be used exclusively for statistical, analytical and scientific research purposes, among other things, for:
- better understanding of households’ financial position and financial behaviour;
- assessment of household savings, indebtedness and assets levels;
- adopting economic policy measures, maintaining financial stability and consumer protection;
- international comparisons;
- expert and scientific analysis and research at national and European level.
The questionnaire contains standardised questions used in all participating countries and a small number of questions tailored to national needs.
A household as a whole is asked about:
- consumption and financial behaviour;
- real estate and other non-financial assets;
- financial assets and savings;
- loans and other financial liabilities;
- gifts and inheritance.
Individual household members are asked about:
- basic socio-demographic characteristics;
- employment and labour status;
- income;
- pension rights.
Questions about employment, income and pension rights are asked to household members over the age of 16.
The method used in interviewing is CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interview), which implies a face-to-face contact with an interviewer from Ipsos agency. Upon coming to a household, interviewers prove their identity by presenting an official identity card and they use a laptop to record the replies provided by respondents.
The Croatian National Bank guarantees the confidentiality of the collected data by implementing a series of procedures and in accordance with the laws governing the protection of personal data at the level of the Republic of Croatia and the European Union.
Data will be collected by Ipsos agency and submitted to the Croatian National Bank for further statistical analysis. The results are published in aggregate form only, which prevents the identification of individual persons or households.
The results of the surveys conducted thus far are available on a collective basis, individually by countries and in total for the euro area on the website of the European Central Bank, while the results of previous surveys for Croatia are published on the website of the Croatian National Bank.