british consumers turned slightly more pessimistic in december as high inflation and news about the coronavirus omicron variant clouded the shortterm outlook for both the economy and personal finances gfks consumerconfidence barometer fell to minus 15 in december from minus 14 in november the decline is less steep than the minus 18 consensus forecast from economists polled by the wall street journal three out of the five measures that make up the consumerconfidence barometer decreased in december compared with the previous month while two increased the falls were concentrated in the forwardlooking indicators the data showed the major purchase indexwhich gauges demand among shoppersfell three points signaling that consumers are less inclined to make major purchases during the countdown to christmas gfks client strategy director joe staton said news about the omicron variant could not have arrived at a worse time for festive celebrations he said consumers views on the economy and on their personal finances also worsened slightly in december driven by concerns over the higher cost of living and the prospect of looming interest rate increases inflation in the uk accelerated in november to 51 its fastest annual rate in more than a decade propelled by supplychain disruptions and higher energy costs the bank of england on thursday raised its benchmark interest rate to 025 from 01 for the first time since the pandemic began in an attempt to curb inflation consumer confidence isnt likely to recover soon due to the upcoming pandemicrelated restrictions and high uncertainty mr staton said we end 2021 on a depressing note and it looks like it will be a bleak midwinter for uk consumer confidence possibly with new covid19 curbs and little likelihood of any real uplift in the first months of 2022 he said