What Worries the World – January 2023

The cost-of-living concern remains at two-fifths (40%) after years of continual rises. Indicating that November 2022 may have been the peak of inflation concern.

Our monthly What Worries the World survey explores what the public thinks are the most important social and political issues, drawing on more than ten years of data to place the latest scores in context. This wave was conducted between December 22^nd – January 6^th, 2023.

Key findings

• Last month saw no movement in concern for inflation and this month also saw no change. Peak inflation may have hit in November 2022.
• Still, inflation is the top global worry for the tenth month in a row: 40% say it is one of the top issues facing their country today.
• 12 countries - Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Poland, Saudi Arabia, The US, and Turkey - cite inflation as their top worry. This is up from 11 in December.
• Across all countries, worry about inflation is followed by poverty & social inequality (31%), unemployment (27%), crime & violence (26%) and financial & political corruption (24%) which together make up the top five global worries.
• Climate change falls to eighth, with worry about taxes rising 1pp, in our list of 18 worries remaining with a global average of 16% choosing it as a concern.
• Coronavirus concern is at the highest levels since August 2022 after increasing by 2pp. This time last year it was the top global concern with 35%.
• Six in ten (60%) believe their country is heading in the wrong direction, a 2pp dip from December 2022, rising to 88% in Argentina and 83% in South Africa.

Jan 2022 v Jan 2023 highs & lows

Right/wrong direction

• High score: Saudi Arabia 81% (’22) v Saudi Arabia 96% (’23)
• Low score: Peru 16% (’22) v Argentina 12% (’23)

Inflation

• High score: Argentina 53% (’22) v Argentina 69% (’23)
• Low score: Sweden 4% (’22) v India 22% (’23)

Climate change

• High score: Australia 32% (’22) v Australia 32% (’23)
• Low score: Peru 2% (’22) v Argentina/Israel 3% (’23)

Covid-19

• High score: South Korea 58% (’22) v Malaysia 37% (’23)
• Low score: Colombia 16% (’22) v Israel 1% (’23)

Poverty & social inequality

• High score: Brazil/Colombia 43% (’22) v Indonesia 45% (’23)
• Low score: US 17% (’22) v Saudi Arabia 15% (’23)

Crime & violence

• High score: Sweden 66% (’22) v Chile 60% (’23)
• Low score: Poland 3% (’22) v Hungary 3% (’23)

Financial & political corruption

• High score: South Africa 56% (’22) v South Africa 56% (’23)
• Low score: Sweden 9% (’22) v France Sweden 7% (’23)

Inflation

Concern about inflation is unchanged compared to December (40%). However, it is still the number one concern – as it has been for the last ten months. The concern is 2pp lower than in November, suggesting worry about rising prices may have peaked.

This month's score is 20pp greater than the start of 2022 and a further 31pp greater than January 2021. Turkey (60%) has experienced a sharp rise of 8pp since December. Argentina (69%) and Poland (67%) are still top and have both increased by 4pp.

This month, 12 nations (Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Poland, Saudi Arabia, The US, and Turkey), have inflation as the single biggest concern.

Climate change

One in six (16%) say climate change is one of the biggest issues affecting their country, with no change from December and only +1pp from January 2022.

Australia is first this month (32%), ranking as the third biggest concern for the country. The Netherlands (28%) has increased by 1pp whereas Germany (27%) has fallen by 2pp and France (25%) has dropped by 1pp.

Climate change is also the Netherlands’ and Germany’s third biggest concern behind poverty and social inequality and inflation.

Israel is now ranked joint last with Argentina (both 3%). In January 2022, Israel was at 9%, Argentina was at 2%.

Coronavirus

The percentage mentioning Coronavirus as a worry has increased by 2pp this month. This is the highest it’s been since August 2022. In January 2022, over a third (35%) globally ranked it as a top concern, topping our list.

Japan (33%) had previously been the most concerned nation until this month. Despite Japan increasing 2pp, Malaysia is now top after surging by +18pp since December. It is now Malaysia’s third biggest worry. Other countries in the area have increased too. India (26%) has moved +11p and South Korea (21%) has risen +5pp.

In Japan, it’s more of a worry than inflation and is third behind poverty and social inequality and taxes. Last month seemed to have been a blip for Brazil (-6pp) and Peru (-8pp).

Poverty & social inequality

Almost one in three (31%) globally are worried about poverty & social inequality. The same level as last month.

Indonesia (45%) has seen a slight increase this month (+1pp) and remains the most concerned. Hungary and Thailand (both 42%) are in second and third. Turkey (38%) has risen 5pp and the Netherlands fell 9pp. Argentina has also dropped by 5pp.

Brazil, Belgium, Thailand and the Netherlands are the countries where inequality is the top concern.

Saudi Arabia has the lowest level of worry about inequality (15%), followed by the US, where 19% say it is a concern. Israel was previously the fifth least concerned but has risen 7pp to 31%.

Focus on the economy

Globally, there has been a slight uptick in the proportion of people describing the economic situation in their country as “good”, up 2pp from last month to 36%.

Two countries have had double-digit rises in their “good” economic score this month: Malaysia (+10) and the Netherlands (+10). Thailand (+9) and Mexico (+8) follow with the next largest month-on-month increases.

Meanwhile, Sweden has had the largest decrease from last month, down 7pts to 35%, a new lowest ever score. India (-5), South Africa and Belgium (both -4) follow.

A 7pp increase in the proportion of Italian’s describing their current economic situation as “good” has also led Italy to equal its highest ever score (32% in October 2021).

About this study 

Ipsos’ What Worries the World survey tracks public opinion on the most important social and political issues across 29 countries today, drawing on over 10 years of data to place the latest scores in context.

20,570 online interviews were conducted between 22 December 2022 and 6 January 2023 among adults aged 18-74 in Canada, Israel, Malaysia, South Africa, Turkey and the United States, 20-74 in Indonesia and Thailand, and 16-74 in all 21 other countries.