# In France, the decline in purchasing power and the high cost of living late 2026 > Late October 2026, households with incomes near the median wage testify to the burden of fixed expenses, while several analyses return to the decline in purchasing power. INSEE indicates that inflation reaches 3.4% year-on-year in October, driven by energy. Faced with rising prices, consumers adapt their purchases, turn to food destocking, promotions, anti-waste products and second-hand goods, and some reduce their spending for Halloween. The Director General of INSEE estimates that this purchasing power crisis is not unprecedented, while a mobilization against the high cost of living takes place. A challenge consisting of delaying turning on the heating is also circulating on social media. **In brief**: Ongoing story bringing together 12 events nationwide, followed from 27 October 2026 to 1 November 2026. 21 articles from 12 sources (economy); last updated on 1 November 2026 at 09:24. - Status: ongoing - Category: Economy - Place: Nationwide - First detected: 27 October 2026 at 08:30 - Updated: 1 November 2026 at 09:24 - Web page: https://acturadar.com/en/stories/201-in-france-the-decline-in-purchasing-power-and-the-high-cost-of-living-late-2026 ## Coverage angles The three sides cover the same economic news (inflation at 3.4%, decline in purchasing power, mobilization against the high cost of living) but differ in angle: the left focuses on brands' commercial strategies, the center on macroeconomic data and household testimonies, the right on structural causes and consumer adaptation solutions. **Common ground** - Inflation reaches 3.4% year-on-year in October 2026, after 3.1% in September, according to INSEE - Price increases are driven by energy - Consumers adapt their purchases in the face of the high cost of living - A mobilization against the high cost of living takes place in late October **Differences** - The left emphasizes the marketing strategies of candy manufacturers for Halloween, an angle absent from the other sides - The right insists on social and employer contributions as a cause of the purchasing power decline, an element not mentioned by the left and the center - The center explicitly cites the Director General of INSEE and his analysis on the non-unprecedented nature of the crisis, absent from the other sides ## Timeline (12 events) ### 27 October 2026 — [Constrained expenses weigh heavily on household budgets](https://acturadar.com/en/events/1521-constrained-expenses-weigh-heavily-on-household-budgets.md) Fuel, housing, energy: some French people with incomes close to the median wage testify to the heavy burden of constrained expenses and cut into leisure and pleasure purchases. 1 sources, 2 articles · Nationwide ### 28 October 2026 — [Why French purchasing power is declining](https://acturadar.com/en/events/2640-why-french-purchasing-power-is-declining.md) Analysis of the causes behind the erosion of household purchasing power: rising compulsory expenses and social and employer contributions, a central theme of the 2027 campaign. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 28 October 2026 — [Haribo accused of inflating prices for Halloween](https://acturadar.com/en/events/3008-haribo-accused-of-inflating-prices-for-halloween.md) An analysis by Que Choisir shows that candy prices are falling overall, but that limited-edition Halloween products are being sold at much higher prices. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 29 October 2026 — [Food discount stores attract customers amid rising prices](https://acturadar.com/en/events/4467-food-discount-stores-attract-customers-amid-rising-prices.md) Amid a cost-of-living crisis, food discount chains, which have around 300 outlets in France, are attracting more and more consumers. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 30 October 2026 — [Inflation reaches 3.4% year-on-year in October 2026](https://acturadar.com/en/events/4646-inflation-reaches-3-4-year-on-year-in-october-2026.md) According to INSEE, consumer prices would increase by 3.4% year-on-year in October 2026, driven by acceleration in energy prices. 7 sources, 8 articles · Nationwide ### 30 October 2026 — [High cost of living weighs on French Halloween spending](https://acturadar.com/en/events/4751-high-cost-of-living-weighs-on-french-halloween-spending.md) Faced with declining purchasing power, the French could reduce their Halloween spending, worrying industry professionals. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 30 October 2026 — [French people multiply strategies to reduce the cost of their groceries](https://acturadar.com/en/events/4895-french-people-multiply-strategies-to-reduce-the-cost-of-their-groceries.md) Faced with rising food prices, French consumers are adopting promotions, store brands and anti-waste products to reduce their spending. The sector has adapted to these new behaviors. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 31 October 2026 — [Le directeur de l'Insee analyse le recul du pouvoir d'achat des Français](https://acturadar.com/en/events/5566-le-directeur-de-l-insee-analyse-le-recul-du-pouvoir-d-achat-des-francais.md) Fabrice Lenglart, directeur général de l'Insee, estime que la crise du pouvoir d'achat n'est pas inédite, alors que celui des Français devrait reculer pour la deuxième année consécutive en 2026. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 31 October 2026 — [Le pouvoir d'achat des Français en baisse, analyses et perspectives](https://acturadar.com/en/events/5831-le-pouvoir-d-achat-des-francais-en-baisse-analyses-et-perspectives.md) Alors qu'un nouveau samedi de mobilisation contre la vie chère se tient, les médias font le point sur la baisse du pouvoir d'achat des Français et ses perspectives. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 1 November 2026 — [Le défi « pas de chauffage avant décembre » refait surface sur les réseaux sociaux](https://acturadar.com/en/events/6157-le-defi-pas-de-chauffage-avant-decembre-refait-surface-sur-les-reseaux-sociaux.md) Un défi consistant à repousser l'allumage du chauffage circule sur les réseaux sociaux, porté par les préoccupations liées au coût de l'énergie. 1 sources, 2 articles · Nationwide ### 1 November 2026 — [Face à la vie chère, les Français se tournent vers la seconde main et les invendus](https://acturadar.com/en/events/6181-face-a-la-vie-chere-les-francais-se-tournent-vers-la-seconde-main-et-les.md) Vêtements d'occasion, paniers d'invendus, location d'objets : les plateformes comme Vinted et Too Good To Go gagnent de nouveaux adeptes à mesure que la vie chère pèse sur les budgets des ménages. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 1 November 2026 — [Comment les fabricants de bonbons poussent les dépenses des familles à Halloween](https://acturadar.com/en/events/6192-comment-les-fabricants-de-bonbons-poussent-les-depenses-des-familles-a-halloween.md) Malgré des prix en baisse par rapport à l'an dernier, les industriels du bonbon parviennent à faire dépenser davantage aux familles, en particulier pour Halloween. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide --- Cite as: Acturadar, “In France, the decline in purchasing power and the high cost of living late 2026”, https://acturadar.com/en/stories/201-in-france-the-decline-in-purchasing-power-and-the-high-cost-of-living-late-2026 Methodology: https://acturadar.com/en/methodology