Large Majorities of U.S. Adults Expect Gas and Heating Prices to Rise
Harris Poll shows 40 percent of vehicle owners cut other expenses because of gas prices; OPEC, oil companies and government share blame
ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 25 -- High gasoline prices have caused 40 percent of U.S. adults who own or lease a vehicle to cut back on their spending on other goods or services, and the majority of the public expects gas prices to go even higher. Two-thirds (68%) of all adults think that gas prices will be higher at the end of the summer than they are now. And even greater numbers are pessimistic about heating prices next winter; fully 80 percent of the public expects those costs to be higher. However, the public is not sure who is mainly to blame for increased fuel prices, with blame spread more or less equally among the U.S. government, oil companies and OPEC and other foreign oil producers.
These are some of the results of a new Harris Poll of 1,160 U.S. adults surveyed online by Harris Interactive(R) between May 4 and 10, 2005.
The findings of this Harris Poll include:
- Most people (68% of adults) expect gasoline prices to increase over the
summer, only 11 percent expect them to fall.
- Fully 80 percent of adults expect heating prices will be higher next
winter compared to last winter and only four percent think they will be
lower.
- On average, adults who own or lease a vehicle report that they are
spending approximately $84.00 a month more than they were spending on
gasoline last year. This comes on top of a reported increase of almost
$94.00 in monthly spending on gasoline between 2003-2004(1).
- 40 percent of all adults who own or lease vehicles, over 70 million
people(2), say they have cut back on their purchases of other products
or services to pay the increased price of gasoline.
- The public is divided as to who is mainly to blame for higher fuel
prices between those who blame OPEC and other foreign oil producers
(32%), oil companies (31%) and the U.S. government (27%).
- While hardly anyone (1%) thinks the automobile industry is mainly to
blame, most people (76% of adults) criticize the manufacturers for not
moving fast enough to build cars that consume less gasoline.
TABLE 1
HOW MUCH MORE SPENT ON GAS IN LAST MONTH -- COMPARED TO SAME TIME LAST YEAR
"In the last month, how much more, in dollars, do you think you spent on
gasoline than you did last year at this time?"
Base: Adults Who Own or Lease a Vehicle
May 2004* May 2005
% %
$0 - $25 36 30
$26 - $50 35 34
$51 - $100 18 22
Over $100 10 13
Mean (average) $93.80 $84.10
Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding.
* May 2004 results are from The Harris Poll(R) #37, May 26, 2004,
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=466
TABLE 2
WHETHER CUT BACK ON OTHER PURCHASES TO PAY FOR INCREASED PRICE OF GASOLINE
"Have you cut back on any products or services in order to pay the increased
price of gasoline?"
Base: Adults Who Own or Lease a Vehicle
May 2004* May 2005
% %
Yes 40 40
No 60 60
* May 2004 results are from The Harris Poll(R) #37, May 26, 2004,
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=466
TABLE 3 WHETHER AUTO COMPANIES ARE MOVING FAST ENOUGH TO BUILD CARS THAT USE LESS GAS "Do you think that American automobile companies are moving as quickly as they
should to build automobiles that consume less gasoline?"
Base: All Adults
May 2004* May 2005
% %
Yes, moving as quickly as should 11 10
Not moving as quickly 71 76
Not sure/Refused 18 14
* May 2004 results are from The Harris Poll(R) #37, May 26, 2004,
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=466
TABLE 4
WHO IS MAINLY TO BLAME FOR INCREASE IN FUEL PRICES?
"Who do you think is mainly to blame for the increase in fuel prices?"
Base: All Adults
May 2004* May 2005
% %
OPEC and other foreign oil producers 37 32
Oil companies 35 31
U.S. government 23 27
Automotive manufacturers 1 1
Others 4 9
* May 2004 results are from The Harris Poll(R) #37, May 26, 2004,
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=466
TABLE 5
GAS PRICES BY LABOR DAY "Thinking ahead to the end of summer, where do you think gas prices will be by
Labor Day?"
Base: All Adults
May 2005
%
Much/Somewhat higher (NET) 68
Much higher 20
Somewhat higher 48
About the same 22
Somewhat/Much lower (NET) 11
Somewhat lower 10
Much lower *
Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding.
* Less than 0.5%.
TABLE 6
HEATING PRICES THIS COMING WINTER COMPARED TO LAST "Now thinking ahead to this coming winter, where do you expect heating prices
will be, compared to last winter?"
Base: All Adults
May 2005
%
Much/Somewhat higher (NET) 80
Much higher 24
Somewhat higher 56
About the same 16
Somewhat/Much lower (NET) 4
Somewhat lower 3
Much lower 1
Note: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding.
Methodology
The Harris Poll(R) was conducted online within the United States between May 4 and 10, 2005 among a nationwide cross section of 1,160 adults (aged 18 and over), of whom 996 own or lease a vehicle. Figures for age, sex, race, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.
In theory, with probability samples of this size, one could say with 95 percent certainty that the results have a sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points of what they would be if the entire U.S. adult population had been polled with complete accuracy. Unfortunately, there are several other possible sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more serious than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They include refusals to be interviewed (nonresponse), question wording and question order, and weighting. It is impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these factors. This online sample is not a probability sample.
These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
J24152 Q910, Q915, Q920, Q925, Q930, Q935 The Harris Poll(R) #44, May 25, 2005 By Humphrey Taylor, chairman of The Harris Poll, Harris Interactive. About Harris Interactive(R)
Harris Interactive Inc. (http://www.harrisinteractive.com/), the 15th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world, is a Rochester, NY-based global research company that blends premier strategic consulting with innovative and efficient methods of investigation, analysis and application. Known for The Harris Poll(R) and for pioneering Internet-based research methods, Harris Interactive conducts proprietary and public research to help its clients achieve clear, material and enduring results.
Harris Interactive combines its intellectual capital, databases and technology to advance market leadership through its U.S. offices and wholly owned subsidiaries, HI Europe in London (www.hieurope.com), Novatris in Paris (www.novatris.com), and through an independent global network of affiliate market research companies. EOE M/F/D/V.
To become a member of the Harris Poll Online(SM) and be invited to participate in future online surveys, http://www.harrispollonline.com/.
Press Contacts:
Nancy Wong
Harris Interactive
585-214-7316
Kelly Gullo
Harris Interactive
585-214-7172
(1) The Harris Poll #37, May 26, 2004,
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=466.
(2) Based on July 2004 U.S. Census estimate released January 2005
(220,000,000 total U.S. adults aged 18 and over).