Powering a trusted, high‑frequency view of U.S. consumer intent
Bain & Company partnered with Dynata to create the Consumer Health Index (CHI)—a continuously updated, high‑frequency measure of U.S. consumers’ intent to spend, save, and use debt. In market since 2017, the CHI delivers an early, reliable read on consumer behavior across income groups, helping Bain and its clients navigate economic uncertainty with confidence.
The Challenge
Traditional consumer confidence indicators often lag behavior and are heavily influenced by news cycles and macro narratives. Bain needed a direct, near‑real‑time view of consumer intent that could surface early inflection points, remain consistent over time, and integrate with broader macroeconomic analysis.
The Dynata Solution
Dynata powers the Consumer Health Index with:
- Weekly surveys, rolled up monthly for seasonally adjusted reporting
- High‑quality, first‑party respondents at national scale
- Income‑based segmentation to reveal uneven consumer impact
- A flexible yet stable methodology designed for long‑term tracking
This approach delivers both timeliness and rigor—without sacrificing trend integrity.
The Results
- Earlier visibility into shifting consumer behavior, including savings pressure and rising debt reliance
- Clear insight by income tier, supporting more targeted client strategies
- High credibility with senior decision‑makers, driven by simple, behavior‑based questions
- A resilient, cost‑effective tracking model that performs across economic cycles