The ability of Portuguese families to honor their financial commitments on time has deteriorated significantly over the last year. According to the most recent report European Consumer Payment Report (ECPR) 2025published by Intrum, the percentage of consumers who claims to pay all invoices on time fell from 85 in 2024 to just 77% in 2025. This decline of eight percentage points signals a break in financial resilience and suggests that the capital “cushion” of Portuguese families has been exhausted in the face of a scenario where the increase in the cost of living and the stagnation of wages are suffocating domestic budgets.
The study, released as part of World Consumer Day, highlights worrying data on liquidity management: 46% of Portuguese people admit to having used a credit card in the last six months to pay current bills or basic expenses. This use of credit is no longer an option for extraordinary consumption, starting to function as an extension of the salary to guarantee daily survival.
Luís Salvaterra, general director of Intrum Portugal, highlights that the data shows “significant pressure”, noting that even consumers who usually meet deadlines “are increasingly facing challenges in managing unexpected expenses”.
The causes of debt: the weight of the essential
Intrum’s analysis identifies what can be designated as the “Bermuda Triangle” of debtrevealing that the causes of debt are not the result of poor management or luxuries, but rather the suffocating pressure on basic needs. In this scenario, the increase in the cost of living appears as the main villain for 50% of respondents, focusing mainly on food and energy. Added to this factor are unforeseen events, such as medical or family emergencieswhich affect 43% of families, and the stagnation of wages for 34% of the population, whose income simply did not stretch enough to keep up with inflation.
Lack of liquidity at the time of payment is the reason given by 40% of those who are late, although 27% also point to “forgetfulness” as a factor — a symptom that experts often associate with mental stress caused by financial precariousness and the difficulty in managing limited budgets.
Regional and generational disparities
On a generational level, the differences are striking. Generation X, with 74% of responses, is the age group most affected by inflation and the increase in the cost of living. However, it is Generation Z, which demonstrates the greatest treasury fragility and lack of immediate liquidity: 59% of young people admit that any unexpected cost today is enough to put them into default.
The study by Intrum, a leading European company in the credit management services sector, with a presence in 20 markets, shows that financial pressure is not felt in the same way throughout the national territory. In the Autonomous Regions of Madeira and the Azores, complaints about the cost of living reach a national peak, affecting 71% of consumers. In contrast, Alentejo appears to be the most vulnerable area to unforeseen events, with 82% of respondents pointing to unexpected expenses as a direct cause of debt, while in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area the main frustration is the mismatch between salaries and cost of living, a reality for 56% of local consumers.
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