Downbeat consumers may spark Vat shortfall

The Government may be hard-pressed to meet its Vat revenue target this year because few consumers are sharing the robust feel-good factor that the huge GDP growth numbers might suggest, an author of the latest snapshot of spending sentiment has said.

Consumers were still missing the feelgood feeling from the recovery which means politicians should be wary over the timing and the campaign messages if an election is called this year, the survey by KBC Bank and the Economic and Social Research Institute showed.