Euro introduction in Estonia Ex-Post Citizen...

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This survey was requested by DG ECFIN-R-4: External Communication and

coordinated by Directorate General Communication

This document does not represent the point of view of the European Commission.

The interpretations and opinions contained in it are solely those of the authors.

Flash Eurobarometer

Euro introduction in

Estonia

Ex-Post Citizen Survey

Analytical Report

Fieldwork: January 2011

Report: February 2011

European

Commission

Flash EB Series #309

Euro introduction in

Estonia


Conducted by

The Gallup Organization, Hungary

upon the request of the DG ECFIN-R-4:

External Communication

Coordinated by Directorate-General Communication

This document does not represent the point of

view of the European Commission.

The interpretations and opinions contained in

it are solely those of the authors.

THE GALLUP ORGANIZATION

Flash EB No309 –Estonia Euro Introduction, Ex-Post Citizen Survey Analytical Report

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Table of Contents

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 4

Main findings .......................................................................................................................................... 5

1.1 The success of the changeover ...................................................................................................... 7

1.2 Problems during the changeover ................................................................................................... 8

2. Personal experiences with the euro ................................................................................................ 10

2.1 Handling of euro banknotes and coins ........................................................................................ 10

2.2 Euro coin mini-kits ..................................................................................................................... 12

2.3 Security features .......................................................................................................................... 16

3. Becoming familiar with euro pricing ............................................................................................. 19

3.1 Still thinking in old currency? ..................................................................................................... 19

3.2 Conversion from kroon to euros ................................................................................................. 22

3.3. Understanding the value of the euro .......................................................................................... 23

3.4 The euro calculator ..................................................................................................................... 24

3.5. Usefulness of the dual displays of prices ................................................................................... 25

3.6 The correct implementation of the dual displays of prices ......................................................... 26

4. Concerns about the changeover ...................................................................................................... 27

4.1 Fairness of prices in euro ............................................................................................................ 27

4.2 The euro‟s expected impact on inflation ..................................................................................... 28

5. Information about the euro ............................................................................................................. 30

5.1 Perceived levels of knowledge .................................................................................................... 30

5.2 Sources of information ................................................................................................................ 31

5.3 Quality of information ................................................................................................................ 34

5.4 Further information needs ........................................................................................................... 40

Annex tables ......................................................................................................................................... 44

Survey details ....................................................................................................................................... 76

Survey questionnaire ........................................................................................................................... 78


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Introduction

As of January 1, 2011, Estonia joined the euro area. The present survey on Estonian citizen‟s attitudes

towards the new currency and the changeover process was conducted immediately after the euro‟s

introduction. It therefore captures their immediate reactions on the topic.

In detail, the survey covers the following themes:

Estonians‟ personal experiences

o with using euro banknotes and coins; with converting krooni to euros; with

understanding values in euros

o regarding the dual display of prices: how useful did respondents find this tool, and did

they think the system was implemented correctly

o with euro coin starter kits

General perception of the success of the changeover;

Awareness of the security features of euro banknotes;

Any concerns that price conversions and price rounding would be performed incorrectly;

Concerns about an increase in inflation due to the changeover to the euro;

The preferred sources and channels of information (regarding the changeover);

Citizens‟ feelings about being informed about the euro;

Level of satisfaction with information received from national authorities;

The usefulness of euro spots, ads and the euro calculator.

The results of the current survey are compared to those in the last four countries to become members

of the euro area: Slovakia in 2009, Malta and Cyprus on 1 January 2008, and Slovenia on 1 January

2007. In each of these countries, at the time of the changeover the Directorate-General Economic and

Financial Affairs of the European Commission conducted a Flash Eurobarometer survey in order to

measure citizen‟s perceptions regarding the new currency and its implementation. (Flash EB 259 in

Slovakia, Flash EB 222 in Cyprus, Flash EB 223 in Malta and Flash EB 205 in Slovenia). As the

questionnaires were essentially the same and the data collection periods similar in all four surveys,

direct comparisons between the results can be made.

In addition, the report presents results broken down by various socio-demographic characteristics of

the respondents:

Sex (male; female)

Age (15-24; 25-39; 40-54; 55 +)

Subjective urbanisation (living in an urban area; in the rest of the country)

Occupation (self-employed; employee; manual worker; not working)

In Estonia 1005 interviews were conducted between 16 January and 20 January, 2011. In order to

compensate for the low coverage of the landline telephone samples, a mobile and a face-to-face

subsample were used as well. (Considering previous studies: fieldwork in Slovakia was completed

between the 16th and 20

th of January, 2009, in Malta and Cyprus it took place between February 2 and

February 6, 2008 and in Slovenia between the 29th of January and the 3

rd of February, 2007. In each

country, approximately 1,000 interviews were conducted.) The national samples were representative

of the population aged 15 and over. Smaller discrepancies stemming from sampling procedure were

corrected by a weighting procedure called raking. The sample was weighted for age, sex, region and

economic activity to accurately reflect the parameters of the universe.


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Main findings

Success of Changeover

The vast majority (87%) thought that the changeover happened smoothly and

efficiently, while only 8% thought the contrary. About 4 out of 10 respondents thought the

changeover had been very smooth and efficient (41%).

Only a few respondents in Estonia encountered problems when exchanging kroon cash

into euros or when withdrawing the new currency from banks in the first week of January

2011 (4%), while the large majority did not (95%).

Familiarity with the euro

While about three-quarters (74%) said that it was easy to distinguish and manipulate

euro banknotes, less than half (48%) said the same about coins – these shares were lower

than those measured in Slovakia, Malta, Cyprus and Slovenia shortly after they switched to

the euro. However, in these countries too, respondents usually had more difficulty

familiarising themselves with the coins than the banknotes of the new currency.

Respondents still often referred to the kroon when calculating prices while shopping.

The survey found that, for both special and everyday purchases, an unprecedentedly high

proportion of respondents indicated that they still calculated prices in kroon (54% and 48%,

respectively). Around 3 in 10 respondents had already mentally switched from krooni to euros

when doing everyday purchases (28%) and 19% said they would most often calculate in euros

when making special purchases. About 1 in 5 were just as likely to calculate in krooni as in

euros when doing any kind of shopping.

About 6 out of 10 Estonian respondents found it easy to convert from kroon to euro

(62%), while nearly 3 in 10 thought that this was difficult (29%). Such level of difficulty has

not yet been recorded at earlier post-2002 changeovers. Only 20% thought that conversion

was very easy.

The usefulness of the dual display of prices was uncontested (88% “useful”). Moreover,

more than 8 in 10 (83%) respondents said that the dual displays were mostly or always

correctly implemented.

Asked which of the euro‟s security features they could cite spontaneously, a significant

proportion of Estonian respondents – 3 in 10 (31%) – was unable to name any. Survey

participants were most familiar with the watermark and the security thread, which were

cited by about 4 in 10 (42%) Estonians.

Concerns about the changeover

Almost 6 in 10 (59%) Estonian respondents said that price conversions to euros had not

been fair (at least sometimes). The corresponding share for price roundings was 62%.

A majority (55%) of Estonians thought that the euro will increase inflation in their

country. In contrast, about 2 in 10 (21%) believed that joining the euro area would help

Estonia maintain price stability. A share of 7% expected the adoption of the euro to have no

impact on inflation.


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Information on the euro

A vast majority (87%) felt informed about the new currency, and a quarter described

themselves as very well informed. Men and the self-employed were more likely to feel very

well informed than women or than other occupational groups.

Asked about the source(s) from which they most frequently obtained their information

about the euro, Estonian respondents most often mentioned the media (91%). Commercial

banks were named by approximately 1 in 5 (18%) respondents, followed by the government,

national or regional authorities (15%) and the National Central Bank (12%).

When Estonians were asked which information channel they considered to be the most

efficient, half of them mentioned the television. The Internet and the national information

website on the euro (http://euro.eesti.ee) came in second place (14%). The radio, print media

and publications or brochures were each named by approximately 1 in 10 survey participants

(9%-11%).

When asked which euro-related topics they would like to have more information on, a

significant number of Estonian respondents couldn’t identify any further information

needs (30%). The two most frequently mentioned topics on which Estonians would like to

receive more information were the social, economic or political implications of the euro and

fair rounding.

Euro mini-kits and the euro calculator

Compared with other post-2002 changeovers, Estonians were the least likely to buy euro

coin mini-kits. Almost three quarters (73%) of Estonian respondents said they had not bought

a euro mini-kit before the introduction of the new currency on 1 January 2011, and relatively

many who bought such kits did not actually open it to use the coins (only 43% used these

coins).

As there was one euro calculator available for each household, nearly all Estonians said they

had received one (90%). Over three-quarters found the tool to be useful (78%).

http://euro.eesti.ee/


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1. The Estonian changeover: general assessments

The current survey asked Estonian citizens about their assessment of the changeover and their first

experiences regarding the new money.

1.1 The success of the changeover The vast majority (87%) thought

that the changeover happened

smoothly and efficiently, while only

8% felt the contrary. About 4 out of

10 respondents thought the

changeover had been very smooth and

efficient (41%).

A comparison with other surveys

conducted shortly after switching to

the euro in Slovakia, Cyprus, Malta

and Slovenia shows that Estonians

were slightly less likely to say that the

changeover went smoothly and

efficiently than were Slovaks (91%), Cypriots (93%) and Slovenes (95%). Estonian figures were

closer to that of Malta, where 85% said that the changeover was a success. It should also be noted that

Estonians were the least likely to say that the switch went very smoothly (41% vs. 50%-57% of

others).

Socio-demographic analysis

Men, those aged 25-54, respondents not

living in an urban area and the self-

employed were more likely to be very

satisfied with the changeover than their

socio-demographic counterparts.

For example, 55% of the self-employed

were very satisfied with the currency

switch, compared to 44% of employees,

42% of manual workers and 37% of non-

working respondents.

Furthermore, respondents from rural areas

and the self-employed were less inclined

to say that the changeover was not- or not

at all smooth and efficient (5% of rural

residents vs. 10% of respondents from

urban areas; 3% of the self-employed vs.

9%-10% of other occupational groups).

The success of the changeover

53

55

50

57

41

42

38

35

34

46

4

5

9

5

6

1

0

2

1

2

Slovenia

Cyprus

Malta

Slovakia

Estonia

Q12. Overall, did the changeover to the euro in your view happen smoothly and efficiently, or not?

%, Base: all respondents

Very smoothly and efficiently

Rather smoothly and efficiently

Not smoothly and efficiently

Not at all smoothly and efficiently

DK/NA

The success of the changeover

41

43

40

37

46

44

38

39

48

55

44

42

37

46

46

47

52

43

45

48

46

47

41

45

45

49

8

8

9

9

9

8

8

10

5

3

9

10

9

Total

Gender

Male

Female

Age

15-24

25-39

40-54

55+

Subjective urbanisation

Urban area

Rest of the country

Occupation

Self-employed

Employees

Manual workers

Not working

Very smootly and efficiently

Rather smootly and efficiently

DK/NA

Not- and not at all smoothly and efficiently

Q12. Overall, did the changeover to the euro in your view happen smoothly and efficiently, or not?

%, Base: all respondents, by demography


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1.2 Problems during the changeover

Only a few respondents in Estonia encountered

problems when exchanging kroon cash into euros

or when withdrawing the new currency from banks in

the first week of January 2011 (4%), while the large

majority did not (95%).

Compared to the other countries where the euro had

recently been introduced, only Slovenia showed a

similarly high share of respondents experiencing no

problems (96%). The numbers of those having

problems were equally low: 3% of Slovenes reported

problems when changing tolars for euros.

In comparison, the currency switch in Malta was

more problematic in that 13% of Maltese reported

problems exchanging Maltese liri to euros.


Looking at the various socio-

demographic groups, there were only

insignificant differences.

Manual workers were slightly more

likely to report that they had problems

exchanging Estonian kroon cash into

euro cash (6% vs. 3% of other

occupational groups).

As a next step, Estonian respondents

who had experienced problems when

withdrawing or exchanging money in

the first week after the introduction of

the euro were asked (4% of

respondents, that is, 36 people overall)

about the kind of problems they had

encountered.1

About 4 in 10 (39%) Estonians who

experienced problems said that they had

to wait in long queues at the bank

1 It should be noted that due to this sample size, as well as that of Slovenia (N=32) the following comparisons should be

treated with caution.

Problems with currency exchangein the first week of January?

96

88

85

90

95

1

4

2

2

2

3

8

13

8

4

Slovenia

Cyprus

Malta

Slovakia

Estonia

No DK/NA Yes

Q10. When you exchanged Estonian kroon cash into euro cash or withdrew euro cash with banks in the first

week of January, did you experience any problems?%, Base: all respondents

95

94

95

93

96

94

94

94

96

97

96

94

93

2

2

2

2

2

1

3

2

1

0

1

1

4

4

4

4

4

2

5

3

4

4

3

3

6

3

Total

Gender

Male

Female

Age

15-24

25-39

40-54

55+


Urban area

Rest of the country

Occupation

Self-employed

Employees

Manual workers

Not working

No DK/NA Yes

Q10. When you exchanged Estonian kroon cash into euro cash or withdrew euro cash with banks in the first week

of January, did you experience any problems?%, Base: all respondents, by demography

Problems with currency exchangein the first week of January?


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counters. The second most often mentioned issue was that ATMs (cash dispensers) were (temporarily)

out of order; 27% reported this. A share of 17% said that there had been long queues at the ATMs.

About 1 in 10 (9%) reported that the ATM still issued krooni instead of euros. A third of respondents

mentioned other problems.

During previous changeovers, long queues at counters were always the most commonly reported

problem. However, compared to the surveys conducted in the other four countries that joined the euro

area, the problem was less pronounced in Estonia. In Malta almost 9 in 10 (89%) respondents

complained that they had to wait a long time at bank counters, while in Slovakia and Cyprus

approximately three-thirds said this (74% and 77%, respectively). In Slovenia, 53% of those who

experienced problems when exchanging tolars for euros mentioned that they had to queue for a long

time.

Problems experienced when exchanging krooni/korunas/liri/pounds/tolars or withdrawing euros in the first week of January

Long queues at counters

There was not enough eurocash available at bank

counters

Long queues at ATMs(cash dispensers)

ATMs issued onlykrooni/korunas/liri/pounds/t

olar cash

ATMs were (temporarily)out of order

Other problems

Estonia (N=36)

Q11. What kind of problems did you experience?%, base: those who experienced any problem, by demography

39

13

17

9

27

33

77

11

17

7

12

21

Malta(N=129)

Cyprus(N=77)

53

24

10

7

12

53

Slovenia (N=32)

89

11

15

1

7

19

Slovakia (N=84)

74

9

25

8

31

10

Estonians and Slovaks reported that ATMs were (temporarily) out of order more often (27% and 31%,

respectively) than the Maltese (7%), Cypriots or Slovenes (both 12%). Long queues at ATMs were

most often reported in Slovakia (25%), with Cyprus and Malta showing similar proportions to that of

Estonia (17% and 15%, respectively). In Slovenia 1 out of 10 respondents who experienced problems

mentioned this.

Slovakia, Malta and Cyprus revealed similar shares of respondents who reported that not enough euro

cash was available at bank counters (9%-11%); figures that were close to the Estonian result (13%). A

share of 24% of Slovenes who experienced problems when trying to withdraw euros referred to this

problem.


page 10

2. Personal experiences with the euro

Prior to the changeover, the vast majority of Estonians had seen euros (about 8 out of 10) and

approximately 60% had even used euro cash before (predominantly abroad, see for example Flash EB

3072). This meant that for many citizens the new currency was not completely unfamiliar. A

significant proportion of Estonians, however, would only actually use this currency for cash payments

after 1 January 2011. This section summarises Estonians‟ first experiences with their new money.

2.1 Handling of euro banknotes and coins

Right after the changeover, many Estonian respondents reported difficulties distinguishing and

manipulating euro banknotes and coins – many more than in earlier changeovers. As usual,

respondents tended to feel that banknotes were easier to handle than coins. While about three-quarters

(74%) said that it was easy to distinguish and manipulate euro banknotes, less than half (48%) said the

same about coins. A mere 14% indicated that handling coins was very easy, while one-third had that

opinion about the banknotes (34%) – both figures are a record low for post-2002 changeovers. About

4 in 10 (41%) thought that coins were difficult to handle. In detail, 31% said they were rather difficult

and 10% stated they were very difficult to handle. Furthermore, 11% found that the euro banknotes

were rather difficult to handle and 3% said they were very difficult.

Compared to the results obtained in the four Member States that joined the monetary union before

Estonia – Slovakia, Malta, Slovenia and Cyprus - Estonian respondents reported more difficulties in

handling euro cash directly after the currency‟s introduction.

Looking back, the Cypriots were the most at ease with the euro immediately after its introduction:

nearly all of them felt that banknotes were easy to handle (95%), and 8 in 10 thought the same about

2 http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_307_en.pdf

How easy or difficult is it to distinguish and manipulate euro cash

25

51

36

34

14

44

30

39

30

34

5

1

3

4

8

20

13

18

22

31

6

4

3

9

10

Slovenia

Cyprus

Malta

Slovakia

Estonia

50

71

51

51

34

41

24

37

30

40

2

1

2

5

9

5

3

9

11

11

2

1

2

3

3

Slovenia

Cyprus

Malta

Slovakia

Estonia

Coins Banknotes

Q1/Q2. When you pay cash, would you say that it is: very easy, rather easy, rather difficult or very difficult to distinguish and to manipulate euro coins/banknotes?


Very easy Rather easy Rather difficult Very difficultNeither easy nor difficult, normal DK/NA


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the coins (81%). Seven in 10 (71%) Cypriots even said it was very easy to handle the euro banknotes,

and 1 in 2 (51%) shared that opinion about the coins.


Men were more likely to say they were at ease with handling the new euro banknotes (very easy +

rather easy: 78% vs. 71% of women) and coins (55% vs. 43% of women).

Regarding coins, the difficulties in handling the new currency increased with age: for example, about

six in ten (58%-59%) of the 15-39 year olds thought that it was easy to handle the coins compared to

approximately half (48%) of the 40-54 year-olds and 4 in 10 (38%) of the those older than 54.

Looking at the results for the euro banknotes, the 25-39 year-olds were the most likely to say that they

were easy to handle (82%), compared to 74% of the youngest respondents (15-24 years), 75% of the

40-54 year-olds and 68% of the oldest respondents. The youngest respondents were as likely as the

oldest ones to report difficulties in distinguishing euro banknotes.

The self-employed and employees felt more at ease handling coins and banknotes compared to

manual workers and those not working. Urban dwellers were slightly less likely than those living in

the countryside to indicate that they could easily handle the euro cash.

How easy or difficult is it to distinguish and manipulate euro cash

49

55

43

59

58

48

38

47

52

52

53

49

45

41

35

45

33

35

43

47

41

40

37

39

40

43

Total

Gender

Male

Female

Age

15-24

25-39

40-54

55+


Urban area

Rest of the country

Occupation

Self-employed

Employees

Manual workers

Not working

Coins Banknotes

Q1/Q2. When you pay cash, would you say that it is: very easy, rather easy, rather difficult or very difficult to distinguish and to manipulate euro coins/banknotes?


Easy Difficult

74

78

71

74

82

75

68

73

78

76

80

72

70

14

13

15

16

10

13

16

14

13

15

10

15

16

Total

Gender

Male

Female

Age

15-24

25-39

40-54

55+


Urban area

Rest of the country

Occupation

Self-employed

Employees

Manual workers

Not working


page 12

2.2 Euro coin mini-kits

Compared with other post-2002 changeovers, Estonians were the least likely to buy euro coin

mini-kits. Almost three-quarters (73%) of Estonian respondents said they had not bought a euro mini-

kit before the introduction of the new currency on 1 January 2011; about a quarter said they had done

so (27%).

A majority of respondents (64%) who had not bought a kit said they had not wanted one. One in ten

of these respondents said they would have liked to buy one, but that they simply were not available.

One in two (21%) cited other reasons and a few respondents said they were not aware of the

possibility (5%).

As the graph below shows, among the other countries where the euro had recently been introduced,

the euro mini-kits had been most popular in Malta, where almost half (48%) of respondents purchased

one or more.

Buying euro coin mini-kits and reasons for not buying them

32

32

48

32

27

68

68

51

68

73

Slovenia

Cyprus

Malta

Slovakia

Estonia

54

5

2515

2

Did you buy them? Why not? (one answer)

Q9a. Why did you not buy a euro coin mini-kit?%, base: those who did not buy euro coin

mini-kits before 1st of January 2011

Yes No

49

4 1

43

3

52

5 5

38

0

54

151

29

1

Not aware of the possibility

Not want to do so

No starter-kits available

Other reason

DK/NA

Q8. Did you buy one or more euro coin mini-kits before 1st of January 2011?

%, base: all respondents

64

5 1021

0

Estonians were the most likely to say that they did not want to buy a mini-kit (64% vs. 49%-54% of

others). Although many more, a quarter of Slovaks who did not buy euro coin mini-kits reported that

they had not been available, the respective share in Estonia (10%) was still quite high when compared

with those in Malta, Cyprus (both 1%) and Slovenia (5%). The proportion of those not aware of the

kits – 5% of those who did not buy any – was in line with the best results detected in earlier

changeovers.


page 13


Women, those aged 55 and over, manual

workers, non-working respondents and

urban dwellers were more likely to say

that they had bought the euro mini-kit in

order to prepare for the currency‟s

introduction. For example, 3 in 10

female respondents reported having

purchased a kit before 1 January 2011,

while less than a quarter of men did

(23%). Among the various age groups, 2

in 10 of the youngest respondents (15-24

year-olds) had bought a kit before the

new currency‟s introduction. However,

for the oldest respondents (the over 54s),

this number was 33%.

Concerning the reasons why Estonian

respondents had not bought a euro

mini-kit, young adults (25-39 year-olds)

and employees were more likely to say – compared to their counterparts – that they had had no

interest in doing this. For example, not buying a mini-kit was a deliberate choice for most in the

young adult age group (25-39: 74% of those who did not buy a kit decided that they did not need one).

In general the circumstantial barriers were most frequent in the oldest segment where 7% were

unaware, kits were unavailable for 13%, and 27% mentioned other barriers (not further specified) that

prevented them from purchasing a mini-kit. The non-availability of mini-kits was more often an issue

for respondents in rural areas, the self-employed and manual workers.

Buying euro coin mini-kits

27

23

30

20

24

26

33

29

23

24

26

26

29

73

76

70

79

75

74

67

71

77

76

74

72

71

Total

Gender

Male

Female

Age

15-24

25-39

40-54

55+


Urban area

Rest of the country

Occupation

Self-employed

Employees

Manual workers

Not working

Yes DK/NA No

Q8. Did you buy one or more euro coin mini-kits before 1st of January 2011? %, Base: all respondents, by demography


page 14

Reasons for not buying euro coin mini-kits

Total (N=731)

Gender

Male (n=345)

Female (n=385)

Age

15-24 (n=132)

25-39 (n=183)

40-54 (n=187)

55+ (n=229)


Urban area (n=515)

Rest of the country (n=216)

Occupation

Self-employed (n=48)

Employees (n=235)

Manual workers (n=140)

Not working (n=304)

Not want to do so

Q9a. Why did you not buy a euro coin mini-kit?%, base: those who did not buy euro coin mini-kits before 1 January 2011, by demography

64

66

63

64

74

67

54

64

63

61

69

63

61

5

5

5

6

2

5

7

5

4

0

4

4

7

10

11

9

10

5

11

13

9

13

17

8

14

9

Not aware of the possibility

No mini-kits available

21

19

23

19

19

17

27

21

20

22

19

20

23

Other reason

Utilisation of the mini-kit

Six in 10 Estonians who had bought (one or more) euro mini-kit(s) before the official introduction of

the euro had actually made use of the coins. In detail, a share of 43% of those who bought the kit had

opened it and used the coins, while another 17% had bought more than one kit and used only one (or

some). Almost 4 in 10 (38%) stated that they left the kit untouched and did not use the coins.

Estonians were by far the most likely to keep the kit untouched: in Slovakia and Malta only 14% of

those respondents who bought one or several kits left it unused, in Cyprus the share was 20%.

Estonians were far less inclined to open the kit and use the coins (43% vs. 69%-74% of others).


page 15

Buying euro coin mini-kits and their utilisation

68

68

51

68

73

32

32

48

32

27

Slovenia

Cyprus

Malta

Slovakia

Estonia

14

74

11 2

Did you buy them? Utilise for what? (one answer)

Q9b. What did you do with the mini-kit(s)?%, base: those who bought euro coin

mini-kits before 1 January 2011

YesNo

14

69

170

0 0 0 0

20

74

5 1

Opened the kit and used the coins

Kept the kit untouched and did not use the coins

Bought more than one kit and used only one (or some)

DK/NA

Q8. Did you buy one or more euro coin mini-kits before 1 January 2011?

%, base: all respondents

Not asked in Slovenia

38 43

172


Women were more likely to use the kit (or the kits) they bought than man (64% vs. 52%). Among the

different age groups, the oldest respondents were the least likely to have kept the kit untouched (33%

vs. 41%-43% of others). Furthermore, residents from urban areas were more inclined to actually use

the mini-kits (61% vs. 54% of respondents from rural areas).3

3 Due to the low number of self-employed respondents who had bought the kit, occupational groups are left out of the

analysis.


page 16

Utilisation of the euro coin mini-kits

Total (N=271)

Gender

Male (n=106)

Female (n=165)

Age

15-24 (n=33)

25-39 (n=59)

40-54 (n=66)

55+ (n=112)


Urban area (n=208)


Occupation


Employees (n=82)


Not working (n=122)

Kept the kit untouched and did not use the coins

Q9b. What did you do with the coin mini-kit(s)?%, base: those who bought euro coin mini-kits before 1 January 2011, by demography

38

48

32

43

41

43

33

37

42

56

37

45

34

43

35

47

47

43

41

41

45

35

26

42

45

44

Opened the kit and used the coins

17

17

17

10

16

14

21

16

19

14

19

10

19

Bought more than one kit and used only one (or some)

2.3 Security features

Euro banknotes have several security features that allow people to easily check that they are genuine.

Due to the special printing procedure, the banknotes have a unique feel. Held against the light, the

watermark, the security thread and the see-through number become visible. The front and back of a

genuine banknote feature all three security elements. By tilting the banknote, a shifting image appears

on the hologram in the front; on the back, the glossy stripe (on the €5, €10 and €20 banknotes) or the

colour-changing number (on the €50, €100, €200 and €500 banknotes) become visible.

Asked which of the euro‟s security features they could cite spontaneously, a significant proportion of

Estonian respondents – 3 in 10 (31%) – was unable to name any. Survey participants were most

familiar with the watermark and the security thread, these were cited by about 4 in 10 (42%)

Estonians. After this, approximately a third (35%) of respondents named the hologram, while the see-

through number was mentioned by 2 in 10. A ratio of 17% mentioned the colour-changing number

and 16% the gold-yellow stripe. Finally, roughly 2 in 10 (19%) mentioned other security features of

euro banknotes.


page 17

When a similar survey right after the euro introduction was carried out, respondents in Cyprus and

Slovenia had been far more familiar with the euro‟s security features immediately after its

introduction than respondents in Slovakia or Estonia. The shares of those who had not been able to

name any of the features were 12% in Slovenia, 15% in Cyprus and 25% in Malta, while in Estonia

and in Slovakia the respective shares were 31% and 40%, respectively.

Familiarity with the security features of euro banknotes

Estonia

Q13. Which security features of euro banknotes can you list?%, base: all respondents

42

42

35

20

17

16

19

31

Watermark

Securitythread

Hologram

See-throughnumber

Colourchangingnumber

Gold-yellowstripe

Other

DK/NA

Malta Cyprus Slovenia

40

38

31

21

19

19

7

25

Gold-yellowstripe

Watermark

Securitythread


Hologram

See-throughnumber

Other

DK/NA

74

45

43

39

39

20

3

15

Securitythread

Watermark

Gold-yellowstripe

Hologram


See-throughnumber

Other

DK/NA

71

60

50

41

38

31

23

12

Securitythread

Watermark

Gold-yellowstripe


See-throughnumber

Hologram

Other

DK/NA

Slovakia

47

35

17

13

10

9

8

40

Securitythread

Watermark

Gold-yellowstripe

Hologram

See-throughnumber


Other

DK/NA


page 18

Socio-demographic differences

Women, the oldest respondents, those living in non-urban areas and non-working respondents were

more likely to say that they did not know any security features of euro banknotes compared to their

socio-demographic counterparts. For example, 45% of those aged 55 and older said they did not know

or gave no answer, compared to 16% of the 15-24 year-olds.

Each of the security features was cited less frequently by the oldest respondents. As far as the security

thread was concerned, men, respondents from rural areas, employees and the self-employed were

more likely to know of its existence. Furthermore, men, employees and manual workers were more

knowledgeable regarding the watermark. The hologram was more frequently mentioned by male

respondents, rural residents and the self-employed.

Table 1. Familiarity with the security features of the euro

(%mentioned, by demographic characteristics)

Wat

erm

ark

Sec

uri

ty t

hre

ad

Holo

gra

m

See

-thro

ugh n

um

ber

Colo

ur

chan

gin

g

num

ber

Gold

-yel

low

str

ipe

Oth

er

DK

/NA

Base: all respondents,

%

Total 42 42 35 20 17 16 19 31

Gender

Male 47 45 39 20 18 16 19 26

Female 38 39 31 19 16 16 19 35

Age

15-24 55 50 46 21 18 19 21 16

25-39 48 43 39 22 17 18 24 24

40-54 45 44 38 21 17 16 18 28

55+ 31 35 23 16 15 12 14 45


In an urban area 43 40 34 19 16 17 20 30

In the rest of the

country 42 45 37 22 18 11 16 33

Occupation

Self-employed 39 46 44 18 16 21 24 28

Employee 48 47 39 20 16 17 25 22

Manual worker 48 40 36 23 20 12 15 31

Not working 37 38 29 18 16 15 16 38

Q13. Which security features of euro banknotes can you list?


page 19

3. Becoming familiar with euro pricing

Beyond the practical/physical familiarisation with the new money, its appearance and security

features, citizens will have to become acquainted with a new currency at a more fundamental level,

one that relates to the value of the money. A familiar currency provides a price value system where it

is fairly easy for citizens to know what is cheap and what is expensive. A currency changeover

challenges this stable foundation, and without solid knowledge and cognitive abilities it becomes

rather difficult to compare today‟s prices to those of yesterday or to generally assess prices in

comparison with other known prices from the past. The euro changeover process used various tools to

facilitate this transition, such as a euro calculator. The value of the euro in the old currency

(approximately 16 krooni) has been widely publicised prior to changeover. This section will discuss

the effects of the changeover in this regard.

3.1 Still thinking in old currency?

The survey included the classic Eurobarometer question that has been running since the 2002

changeover in each euro area country. It asks respondents which currency they used as a mental

benchmark when:

a) purchasing special products of „greater value‟, i.e. cars or property; and

b) making everyday purchases.

Surveys in the „original‟ euro area countries have shown4 that while the technical process of changing

a currency can be accomplished in a matter of weeks, mental adaptation might take decades. Another

lesson learnt from these countries is that the level of adaptation very rapidly reaches a plateau (i.e.

about a year after a currency‟s introduction), which will then serve as the baseline for slow

evolutionary progress in the coming years. Curiously, in Cyprus and Malta the follow-up surveys

found that there had even been a decline between January 2008 and the autumn of that year in the

proportion of those who used the euro as a mental benchmark when they were making shopping

decisions on an everyday basis. Against this backdrop, the current Estonian results are particularly

interesting.

The current survey found that, for both special and everyday purchases, a yet unprecedentedly

high proportion of respondents indicated that they still calculate prices in kroon (54% and

48%, respectively). Around 3 in 10 respondents had already mentally switched from kroon to euros

when doing everyday purchases (28%) and 19% said they would most often calculate in euros when

making special purchases. About 1 in 5 said they would be just as likely to calculate in kroon as in

euros when doing their everyday shopping (23%) or when they were purchasing special items (20%).

As the chart shows, Estonians were the most likely to still calculate in their old currency shortly after

the currency switch. Maltese were the least likely to continue using their former currency in

calculations after the changeover: 26% did so when doing everyday shopping and 33% when making

special purchases.

4 i.e. Flash EB 306 has shown that still less than half of those living in the euro area use the euro as the only mental

benchmark for making significant purchases


page 20

Estonia was similar to

Malta, Cyprus and

Slovenia in the sense that

respondents were clearly

more inclined to calculate

in euros when making

day-to-day purchases than

they were to calculate in

the new currency when

buying goods of greater

value.

Socio-demographic

analysis

In Estonia, both for

special and everyday

purchases, women were

more likely to continue to

use the kroon as a mental

benchmark. For example,

51% of female

respondents said they still

referred to the old currency when making everyday purchases, while 44% of men did so.

The most frequently used currency when counting and calculating everyday purchases

Total

Gender

Male

Female

Age

15-24

25-39

40-54

55+


Urban area

Rest of the country

Occupation

Self-employed

Employees

Manual workers

Not working

Most often in euro

Q3. In which currency do you count or calculate most often when you do ...b) common purchases such as day-to-day shopping


28

31

25

27

28

30

27

27

30

33

28

28

27

48

44

51

47

46

51

48

51

41

44

47

48

49

23

23

23

26

25

19

24

21

28

23

24

23

22

Most often in Estonian kroon

As often in euro as in Estonian kroon

The most frequently used currency when counting and calculating ...

19

28

31

33

40

52

33

44

26

50

54

48

41

40

33

26

40

31

47

32

20

23

23

25

24

21

25

24

24

17

... special purchases such as the purchase ofgoods with greater value

... everyday purchases such as day-to-dayshopping









Most often in euroMost often in kroon/koruna/lira/pound/tolarAs often in euro as in kroon/koruna/lira/pound/tolarDK/NA

Malta

Slovakia

Cyprus

Slovenia

Estonia

Q3. In which currency do you count or calculate most often when you do ...%, Base: all respondents


page 21

Looking at the various age groups, the 15-24 year-olds were the least inclined to calculate in euros

when buying goods with greater value (12% vs. 19%-22% of others). No significant differences were

observed concerning everyday purchases. The self-employed and manual workers more often counted

and calculated in euros when purchasing goods of greater value. The former were most likely to use

the new currency as a mental benchmark when making everyday purchases. Furthermore, rural

residents were more inclined than urban residents to count and calculate in euros when doing day-to-

day shopping. The latter were more likely however to say they calculated in euros when making

special purchases.

The most frequently used currency when counting and calculating special purchases

Total

Gender

Male

Female

Age

15-24

25-39

40-54

55+


Urban area

Rest of the country

Occupation

Self-employed

Employees

Manual workers

Not working

Most often in euro

Q3. In which currency do you count or calculate most often when you do ...a) exceptional purchases such as the purchase of goods with greater value


19

24

16

12

21

22

19

20

16

22

16

23

19

54

50

57

59

59

53

49

54

53

53

57

51

53

20

20

20

21

19

19

21

18

24

23

21

21

18

Most often in Estonian kroon

As often in euro as in Estonian kroon


page 22

3.2 Conversion from kroon to euro

About 6 out of 10 (62%) Estonian respondents found it easy to convert from kroon to euro,

while nearly 3 in 10 thought that this was difficult (29%). Such level of difficulty has not yet been

recorded at earlier post-2002

changeovers. Only 20% in Estonia

thought that conversion between the

old and the new currency was very

easy.

These rather unfavourable results

(in comparison with other Member

States that had recently introduced

the euro) are probably not

independent of the fact that the

Estonian kroon exchange rate was

not the „easiest‟ – the multiplication

by 16 is not a trivial task for many

people. (Just for comparison: in

Slovakia, the fixed SKK/EUR

exchange rate of about 30 meant it was fairly easy to convert prices). However, exchange rates in the

other countries were much less „convenient5‟, hence the recorded level of difficulty cannot be easily

explained by the discomfort with arithmetic itself. In contrast to the current Estonian results, 83% of

Cypriots found the conversion to the new currency easy, including over half (51%) who considered it

very easy.


Men and the younger respondents, those

living in the countryside and self-

employed respondents were most at ease

with converting from the kroon to euros in

Estonia (very easy+ rather easy

combined).

For example 66% of men said they were at

ease when converting to euros, compared

to 59% of women.

Among the different occupational groups,

non-working respondents were the most

likely to have difficulties with the

conversion (34%).

5 Fixed exchange rates, EUR/national currency (rounded to two decimals): SI: 239.64, CY: 0.59, MT: 0.43

How easy or difficult is it to convert from Estonian kroon to euro

62

66

59

67

64

61

59

61

65

79

64

59

59

7

8

7

5

6

6

10

8

5

5

8

9

6

29

25

33

29

28

33

29

30

28

16

27

29

34

Total

Gender

Male

Female

Age

15-24

25-39

40-54

55+


Urban area

Rest of the country

Occupation

Self-employed

Employees

Manual workers

Not working

Easy DK/NA Normal Difficult

Q4. How easy or difficult is for you to convert from Estonian kroon to euro? %, Base: all respondents, by demography

How easy or difficult is it to convert from kroon/koruna/lira/pound/tolar to euro

31

51

26

44

20

48

32

47

32

42

6

2

6

6

7

12

12

17

14

22

2

2

3

4

7

Slovenia

Cyprus

Malta

Slovakia

Estonia

Q4. How easy or difficult is for you to convert from [CURRENCY] to euro?%, Base: all respondents

Very easy

Rather easy

Rather difficult

Very difficult

Neither easy nor difficult, normal

DK/NA


page 23

3.3. Understanding the value of the euro

In line with the above findings, a comparatively low proportion of Estonian respondents said they

did not have difficulties understanding the value of a product or a service in the new currency

(58%); only about 1 in 5 thought

that understanding a value in euros

was very easy (18%). On the other

hand, a sizable minority of 34%

found it difficult to understand how

much goods or services cost when

priced in euros, including 7% who

found this very difficult.

Of the five countries compared in

this report, the Estonian results

stood out in the sense that

Estonians struggled the most with

the euro as their new currency.


Men and younger respondents, those

living in non-urban areas and the self-

employed found it easier to understand

values in euros – the same groups who

reported lower difficulty with the kroon-

euro conversion (see previous section).

For example, two-thirds (66%) of the

15-24 year-olds said it was easy for

them to grasp the euro‟s value and

“only” 3 in 10 mentioned difficulties

(28%). Among those over 54, only 5 in

10 (52%) respondents found that this

was an easy task, as opposed to 38%

who had difficulties.

How easy or difficult is it to understand the value in euro

58

65

52

66

61

58

52

55

65

73

64

57

51

6

6

7

5

4

8

7

7

4

7

4

9

7

34

27

40

28

33

33

38

36

30

20

31

32

40

Total

Gender

Male

Female

Age

15-24

25-39

40-54

55+


Urban area

Rest of the country

Occupation

Self-employed

Employees

Manual workers

Not working

Easy DK/NA Normal Difficult

Q5. And how easy or difficult is for you to understand the value in euro? %, Base: all respondents, by demography

How easy or difficult is it to understand the value in euro

29

48

28

40

18

46

34

44

32

40

5

2

6

6

6

17

13

18

18

27

3

3

4

4

7

Slovenia

Cyprus

Malta

Slovakia

Estonia

Q5. And how easy or difficult is for you to understand the value in euro?%, Base: all respondents

Very easy

Rather easy

Rather difficult

Very difficult

Neither easy nor difficult, normal

DK/NA


page 24

3.4 The euro calculator

In Estonia, one euro calculator was made available for each household. Accordingly, nearly all

Estonian respondents said they had received one (90%) and over three-quarters found the tool to be

useful (78%). About 4 out of 10 respondents even thought it was very useful (40%). However, 1 in 5

respondents (20%) did not think that the euro calculator was useful for them (11% thought it was not

useful at all).

Estonia was not the only case where the euro calculator was distributed to almost every household in

the country. The shares of those who received the tool ranged from 82% in Cyprus to 95% in Slovakia

and Slovenia. Estonians were less enthusiastic about the device than those interviewed in Malta or

Cyprus in 2008. Yet they were more likely to be satisfied than Slovak or Slovenian respondents.


Neither possession of- nor satisfaction with - the euro calculators was markedly different across socio-

demographic segments. The calculators were most often in possession of the elder segments, non-

urban respondents, and manual workers. Women were also more likely than men to possess a

calculator and to be satisfied with it.

The usefulness of the euro calculator

5

18

9

4

10

95

82

90

95

90

Slovenia

Cyprus

Malta

Slovakia

Estonia

Have you received the euro calculator? How useful did you find it?

Q22A. How useful did you find it?%, Base: those who received the euro calculator

Q22. Have you received the euro calculator? %, Base: all respondents

YesDK/NANo

41

79

68

38

40

31

12

11

26

38

11

2

5

17

9

14

5

9

18

11

Slovenia

Cyprus

Malta

Slovakia

Estonia

Rather not useful

DK/NAVery useful

Rather useful

Not useful at all


page 25

3.5. Usefulness of the dual displays of prices

Almost 9 in 10 (88%) Estonian

respondents found the dual

display of prices, a tool aimed at

facilitating price comparisons, to

be useful; more than half of

respondents (55%) thought that

this tool was very useful. Only 1

in 10 respondents said this was

not helpful. Dual price displays

have been widely appreciated

facilitators of a better

understanding of the prices in the

other four countries that more

recently adopted the euro as their

currency. Maltese were the most likely to find the dual price displays useful (77% found them very

useful and 14% found them rather useful), while Slovenes were a bit less inclined than others to feel

this way (47% found dual price displays very useful and 35% found them rather useful).

As Annex Table 7b. shows, there were only nuanced differences, if any, in the results according to

respondents‟ socio-econimic background. The youngest respondents more often stated that the dual

The usefulness of the euro calculator

Total

Gender

Male

Female

Age

15-24

25-39

40-54

55+


Urban area

Rest of the country

Occupation

Self-employed

Employees

Manual workers

Not working

90

89

92

86

88

91

94

89

93

88

90

93

90

77

73

80

76

74

79

78

76

80

81

73

80

78

20

24

17

22

24

19

18

21

18

18

24

20

18

Total (N=907)

Gender

Male (n=401)

Female (n=506)

Age

15-24 (n=143)

25-39 (n=215)

40-54 (n=229)

55+ (n=320)


Urban area (n=647)


Occupation


Employees (n=285)


Not working (n=383)

Q22A. How useful did you find it?%, Base: those who received the euro calculator

Q22. Have you received the euro calculator? %, Base: all respondents

Have you received the euro calulator? % yes

How useful did you find it?

Rather not and not at all useful

DK/NAVery and rather useful

Overall usefulness of the dual displays of prices

47

68

77

60

55

35

19

14

27

33

8

6

5

6

6

10

6

3

3

4

Slovenia

Cyprus

Malta

Slovakia

Estonia

Q6. Overall, do you find the dual displays of prices useful?%, Base: all respondents

Very useful

Rather useful

Rather not useful

Not useful at all

DK/NA


page 26

price displays were useful (91% vs. 87% of other age groups). The same was true for non-urban

respondents when compared with city dwellers (90% vs. 87%). The self-employed were less likely to

find dual displays useful (80% vs. 87%-89% of other occupational groups).

3.6 The correct implementation of the dual displays of prices

A third (34%) of Estonian respondents said that dual price displays were (always) implemented

correctly. About half (49%) of respondents felt that they were mostly implemented correctly.

Approximately 1 in 10 (11%) said that they were not happy with the implementation. Finally, 6% did

not know how to judge the

accuracy of the dual price

displays or gave no answer.

Compared to the other

countries that recently joined

the euro area, Estonians were

the least inclined to say that

the dual price displays were

always implemented

correctly. In the other

countries this share varied

from 45% in Cyprus to 55%

in Malta.

However, if one adds those survey participants who said that displays were mostly implemented

correctly, 83% in Estonia were satisfied with the display‟s implementation – a level of satisfaction

that is comparable to that of Slovakia (84%). Malta and Slovenia had even higher levels (87% and

90%, respectively), while Cyprus had

80%.

The youngest respondents (15-24 year-

olds), respondents from rural areas and

the self-employed tended to be more

satisfied with the implementation of

the dual display of prices than their


For example, while 9 in 10 of the

youngest respondents thought that the

dual displays were (mostly)

implemented correctly, this share

dropped to 83%-84% among the 25-54

year-olds and to 78% among the oldest

respondents.

The correct implementation of the dual displays of prices

49

45

55

53

34

41

35

32

31

49

4

10

6

4

9

2

3

1

2

2

5

7

7

9

6

Slovenia

Cyprus

Malta

Slovakia

Estonia

Q7. Is your impression that the dual displays of prices are implemented correctly (clearly identifiable displays, based on the conversion rate etc)?


Implemented correctly

Mostly implemented correctly

Mostly not implemented correctly

Not at all implemented correctly

DK/NA

Correct implementation of the dual display of prices

83

84

82

90

84

83

78

81

86

91

85

81

81

6

5

7

5

4

4

10

7

4

1

5

5

8

11

11

12

5

12

13

12

12

10

7

11

14

11

Total

Gender

Male

Female

Age

15-24

25-39

40-54

55+


Urban area

Rest of the country

Occupation

Self-employed

Employees

Manual workers

Not working

Correctly DK/NA Incorrectly

Q7. Is your impression that the dual displays of prices are implemented correctly (clearly identifiable displays, based on the conversion rate etc)?



page 27

4. Concerns about the changeover

4.1 Fairness of prices in euro

Respondents were asked whether they thought that price conversions and price roundings in euro had

been fair. Responses were quite consistent in the sense that most of those who felt that prices were

converted to euros in an unfair

way also complained about the

unfair rounding of prices.

Almost 6 in 10 (59%)

Estonian respondents said

that price conversions to

euro had not been fair (at

least not all the time). The

corresponding share for

price roundings was 62%.

In detail, 38% of Estonians

said that price conversions to

euros had sometimes been

unfair, 13% stated that this had

often been the case and 8%

reported it had happened to

them very often. The

respective proportions for

price rounding were similar:

36%, 17% and 9%.

Just under a quarter (23%) said that unfair price conversions to euros had not happened to them at all.

In the case of rounding, this share was even lower (20%). For each question 18% did not know

whether prices had been calculated fairly or did not answer.

Compared to the other countries, Estonian respondents were somewhere in the middle between very

critical Slovenes and Cypriots on the one hand and less critical Maltese on the other. For example,

while only 16% and 17% of Slovenes and Cypriots, respectively, had no negative experiences

concerning price conversions to euros, this share rose to 42% in Malta.


City dwellers and 25-39 year-olds were more inclined than their socio-demographic counterparts to

say that price conversions to euros and price roundings were often or very often unfair. For example

31% of 25-39 year-olds said that price conversions were frequently unfair, compared to 17%-19% of

other age groups. Meanwhile, 24% of city dwellers felt this way, in comparison to 14% of

respondents from rural areas.

23

20

27

26

42

35

17

13

16

8

38

36

22

25

33

39

34

35

35

28

13

17

21

20

10

12

24

24

28

37

8

9

13

13

4

6

18

22

13

22

18

18

17

17

11

9

7

6

9

6

Price conversion to euro was not fair

Rounding of prices was not fair









Not at all Sometimes Often Very often DK/NA

Malta

Slovakia

Cyprus

Slovenia

Estonia

Q14. Do you think that during and after the changeover to the euro it happened very often, often, sometimes or not at all, that ...


Fairness of price conversion to euro and price rounding


page 28

Furthermore, men more frequently said that price rounding was unfair (28% said this was often or

very often the case vs. 24% of women). The same was true for the self-employed (34% vs. 23%-28%

of other occupational groups).

4.2 The euro’s expected impact on inflation

A majority (55%) of Estonians

thought that the euro will

increase inflation in their

country. In contrast, about 2 in

10 (21%) believed that joining

the euro area would help Estonia

maintain price stability. A share

of 7% expected no impact on

inflation by adopting the euro.

Almost 2 in 10 (18%) did not

know how to judge the influence

of the euro‟s introduction on

price stability or preferred not to

answer this question.

Only the Cypriots were even more pessimistic about price stability after joining the euro area than the

Estonians. Back then, shortly after adopting the euro, two-thirds of Cypriot respondents thought that

the euro would increase inflation, while 16% believed that it would help maintain price stability in the

Concerned that ...

... price conversion to euros was unfair

Q14. Do you think that during and after the changeover to the euro it happened very often, often, sometimes or not at all, that ...%, Base: all respondents, by demography

21

21

21

19

31

17

18

24

14

22

22

24

19

8

7

9

8

11

7

7

9

6

8

9

8

8

Total

Gender

Male

Female

Age

15-24

25-39

40-54

55+


Urban area

Rest of the country

Occupation

Self-employed

Employees

Manual workers

Not working

26

28

24

26

35

24

21

30

16

34

28

26

23

9

10

9

6

16

9

7

10

7

13

11

9

8

Total

Gender

Male

Female

Age

15-24

25-39

40-54

55+


Urban area

Rest of the country

Occupation

Self-employed

Employees

Manual workers

Not working

... price rounding was unfair

% of very often and often

% of very often

Price stability or increased inflation?

35

16

28

42

21

4

5

13

8

7

52

66

37

19

55

10

14

23

30

18

Slovenia

Cyprus

Malta

Slovakia

Estonia

Q14a. Do you think the euro will help to maintain price stability or, on the contrary, increase inflation in [COUNTRY]?


Will help maintain price stability

No impact

DK/NA

Will incrase inflation


page 29

country. Slovaks were the most optimistic with 42% of respondents expecting a positive impact of the

euro on price stability and 19% fearing inflation.

In late September, a bit more than three months before the introduction of the euro in Estonia, still

more than 8 in 10 (81%) Estonians were afraid that the euro would lead to increased inflation6.

Shortly after the euro was actually introduced, the current survey was conducted and it showed that

this fear of rising prices had become less widespread among the Estonian public (-26 percentage

points).

This phenomenon was common in the four other countries that adopted the euro more recently. Since

the same question was asked in the other four countries with similar time lags (first asked in

September before the switch, then some weeks after the switch, at the end of January or the beginning

of February) the results are comparable7. The most dramatic change was registered in Slovakia.

Slightly more than three months before the currency switch a vast majority of 83% was afraid that

introducing the euro would lead to increasing inflation. Two to three weeks after the actual

changeover this proportion was halved (42%). Malta also witnessed an impressive change (from 65%

to 37%; -28 percentage points). In Slovenia, the share of those expecting inflationary tendencies due

to the adoption of the euro declined by 11 points (from 63% to 52%), while in Cyprus this ratio

dropped by eight points (from 74% to 66%). A possible explanation for this common development

could be that those citizens who were afraid that the euro would lead to increasing inflation realised

that in these two to three weeks after the switch their fears did not materialise, in other words that

prices remained stable.

Socio-demographic differences

Looking at the different socio-

demographic groups, we see that

men, the youngest respondents (15-

24 year-olds) and the self-employed

were more likely to be confident that

prices would remain stable after the

euro‟s introduction. For example,

25% of men felt this would be the

case, compared to 18% of women.

The 40-54 year-olds were more likely

than other age groups to expect a rise

in inflation (61% vs. 48%-56% of

others). Furthermore, city dwellers,

employees and manual workers were

particularly likely to expect prices to

increase due to the introduction of the

euro.

6 See Flash Eurobarometer (Flash EB) #307, available at: http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_307_en.pdf

7 For Cyprus and Malta see Flash EB#214 (before the switch) and Flash EB#222 &223 (after the changeover), for Slovenia

see Flash EB#191 (before the switch) and Flash EB#205 (after the changeover), for Slovakia see Flash EB#249 (before the

switch) and Flash EB#259 (after the changeover), all available at: http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/topics/euro_en.htm

Price stability or increased inflation?

Total

Gender

Male

Female

Age

15-24

25-39

40-54

55+


Urban area

Rest of the country

Occupation

Self-employed

Employees

Manual workers

Not working

Maintain price stability

Q14a. Do you think the euro will help to maintain price stability or, on the contrary, increase inflation in Estonia?


21

25

18

29

24

19

16

21

21

29

20

21

20

55

54

55

48

56

61

53

57

49

47

58

61

50

7

8

6

9

6

6

7

7

8

12

6

7

7

Increase inflation

No impact


page 30

5. Information about the euro

5.1 Perceived levels of knowledge

A vast majority (87%) felt informed about the new currency, and a quarter described themselves

as being very well informed. A 12% of respondents said they did not feel well informed.

Looking at those who felt very

well and rather well informed

together, the Estonian figures

were in line with those in the

other four states. However, the

share of Estonians who felt very

well informed (25%) was by far

the lowest. While 36% of

Slovenes felt very well

informed, about half of Slovaks,

Maltese and Cypriots (50%-

52%) did.


Looking at the different socio-demographic

groups, men and the self-employed were

more liable to feel very well informed than

women or other occupational groups,

respectively – almost 3 in 10 (29%) men

and roughly 4 in 10 (39%) of the self-

employed said this (vs. 21% of women and

22%-25% of other occupational groups,

respectively).

Non-working respondents and the oldest

respondents (over 54 years) were

particularly likely to say that they did not

feel informed about the euro.

Furthermore, respondents from rural areas

were slightly more likely to say they were

very well informed than city dwellers.

Feeling informed about the euro

36

52

52

50

25

56

40

39

40

62

7

7

6

7

11

1

1

1

1

1

Slovenia

Cyprus

Malta

Slovakia

Estonia

Q17. To what extent do you feel informed about the euro? Do you feel...%, Base: all respondents

Very well informed

Rather well informed

Not very well informed

Not at all well informed

DK/NA

Feeling informed about the euro

25

29

21

21

28

26

24

24

27

39

25

22

24

62

60

64

70

62

64

58

63

61

56

66

67

59

11

10

13

9

11

8

16

12

9

4

7

11

16

Total

Gender

Male

Female

Age

15-24

25-39

40-54

55+


Urban area

Rest of the country

Occupation

Self-employed

Employees

Manual workers

Not working

Very well informed

Rather well informed

DK/NA

Not very- and not at all informed

Q17. To what extent do you feel informed about the euro? Do you feel...%, Base: all respondents, by demography


page 31

5.2 Sources of information

Survey participants were also asked about their most important and second most important sources to

get informed about the euro – eight specific sources were read out to them. By a wide margin, most

Estonians mentioned the media. Indeed, more than 9 in 10 (91%) respondents thought that the

media was an important source of information, and roughly 8 in 10 (79%) identified it as the most

important information source. Commercial banks were named by approximately 1 in 5 (18%)

respondents, followed by the government, national or regional authorities (15%) and the National

Central Bank (12%). Public administrations were mentioned by 8% of respondents. Only a handful,

however, specified those sources as their major source of information (2%-4%).

Few Estonian respondents identified consumer associations (3%), the European Institutions (3%),

trade unions (2%) as important sources of information about the euro changeover – and hardly anyone

said these were the most important source. One in 10 said they found other organisations which were

not listed important sources of information.

The results in the other four countries were in line with Estonian figures, vast majorities considered

the media to be the most important source of information. The surveys conducted in Slovakia and

Slovenia revealed similar shares of respondents who said that the media had been their most important

source of information regarding the introduction of the euro (93% and 89%, respectively). However,

the number of those who said that the media was their number one information source was a bit lower

in Slovenia when compared with Estonia and Slovakia (72% vs. 79% and 81%, respectively). In

Cyprus and in Malta the proportions of those who mentioned the media (as first or second source of

information) were 80% and 85%.

Sources of information about the euro’s introduction

Estonia

Q15. Where do (did) you get information about the introduction? Firstly? Secondly?%, Base: all respondents

Malta (top 3 mentions)

In total

Firstly

91

18

15

12

8

3

3

2

10

79

4

4

3

2

0

1

0

3

3

Media

Commercial banks

Government, national orregional authorities

National Central Bank

Public administration

Consumer associations

European Institutions

Trade unions, professionalorganisations, etc.

Others

DK/NA

In total

Firstly

Cyprus (top 3 mentions)

Slovenia (top 3 mentions)

89

23

21

72

6

9

Media

Commercial banks


Slovakia (top 3 mentions)

80

43

21

60

15

10

Media

Commercial banks


85

22

12

64

8

4

Media

Commercial banks

Government

93

20

18

81

5

3

Media


Commercial banks


page 32

As in Estonia, commercial banks were the second most often mentioned source of information in

Malta, Cyprus and Slovenia. In Slovakia commercial banks came in third place, after the National

Central Bank. The government and national authorities, which ranked third in Estonia, had the same

ranking in Malta.


Socio-demographic groups did not differ much in their preferred sources of information about the

introduction of the euro, as Table 2 on the next page shows.

Women and respondents from rural areas were slightly more likely to say they preferred the media as

an information source, when compared to men and city dwellers. The self-employed were less likely

than other occupational groups to choose the media.

Commercial banks were more often mentioned by 25-39 year-olds, respondents from rural areas and

the self-employed.

Men, 25-39 year-olds as well as employees were a bit more liable to pick the government or national

and regional authorities as information sources.

The National Central Bank was named more often by 40-54 year-olds and interviewees from rural

areas. Furthermore, city dwellers were more inclined to choose public administrations. Employees

were particularly likely to say that they preferred European Institutions as information sources.


page 33

Table 2. Sources of information about the euro’s introduction (% mentioning the sources, by demographic characteristics)

Base: total sample

Media Commerc.

banks

Gov.

national or

regional

authorities

National

Central

Bank

Public

admin.

European

Institutions

Consumer

assoc.

Trade

unions,

profess.

org., etc.

Others DK/NA

In t

ota

l

Fir

stly

In t

ota

l

Fir

stly

In t

ota

l

Fir

stly

In t

ota

l

Fir

stly

In t

ota

l

Fir

stly

In t

ota

l

Fir

stly

In t

ota

l

Fir

stly

In t

ota

l

Fir

stly

In t

ota

l

Fir

stly

Fir

stly

Total 91 79 18 4 15 4 12 3 8 2 3 1 3 0 2 0 10 3 3

Gender

Male 89 77 18 3 17 5 11 4 7 3 3 2 4 1 3 0 7 2 4

Female 92 80 18 4 13 4 12 3 8 2 3 1 2 0 1 0 12 3 3

Age

15-24 92 77 19 1 16 6 11 4 10 6 3 1 4 0 3 0 6 1 3

25-39 92 79 22 3 20 6 11 2 7 2 3 2 4 1 2 0 6 3 1

40-54 89 79 17 4 15 3 14 5 8 1 4 1 1 0 1 0 10 3 4

55+ 90 80 15 5 11 3 10 2 6 1 2 0 3 0 2 1 15 3 5


Urban area 90 78 17 4 14 5 11 3 9 3 3 1 3 1 2 1 11 2 4

Rest of the country 93 81 20 3 16 3 14 4 4 1 2 1 4 0 1 0 8 4 3

Occupation

Self-employed 87 76 26 4 14 7 9 5 5 0 7 3 1 0 2 0 5 2 3

Employee 92 82 18 2 20 5 12 3 7 2 4 2 2 0 2 1 8 2 2

Manual worker 91 77 20 5 14 5 11 3 10 2 2 0 3 2 3 1 11 3 2

Not working 91 78 16 4 11 3 12 3 8 3 3 1 4 0 2 0 12 3 5

Q15.Where do (did) you get information about the introduction? Firstly? And secondly?

Flash EB No309 –Estonia Euro Introduction, Ex-Post Citizen Survey Analytical report

page 34

5.3 Quality of information

Respondents were also presented with a list of institutions and different media and asked which of

these they found to be the most efficient source of information about the introduction of the euro

during the changeover period. In the questions that followed, respondents were asked more

specifically about their satisfaction with the information provided about the euro by national

authorities, broadcasted TV spots and by magazine and newspaper ads.

When Estonians were asked which information channel they considered to be the most efficient,

half of them opted for the television. The Internet and the national information website on the euro

(http://euro.eesti.ee) came in second place (14%). The radio, print media and publications or

brochures were each named by approximately 1 in 10 survey participants (9%-11%). Only a handful

of respondents named friends, family and co-workers as the most efficient information sources (3%).

Just 1% named the free national euro telephone line. None of the respondents felt that presentations

(e.g. in shopping centres, or at fairs) were effective. Finally, 1% said they did not look for information

or had not received information.

Estonian respondents were in line with the other four countries when considering the TV as the most

efficient channel of information, with shares ranging from 49% in Malta to 66% in Slovakia. The

Internet also came in second place in Slovakia. Furthermore, publications/brochures or other print

media were preferred by similar shares of respondents in most countries. Only in Malta were

publications/brochures particularly popular.

The most efficient channels of information during the changeover period

Estonia

Q16. Which channels were the MOST efficient source of information during the changeover period?%, Base: all respondents


50

14

11

10

9

3

1

0

1

2

Television

Internet (http://euro.eesti.ee)

Radio

Print media

Publications /brochures

Family, friends, co-workers

Free national euro telephoneline

Presentations (shoppingcentres, fairs)

I have not looked for/receivedinformation

DK/NA

66

11

7

Television

Internet



57

11

10

Television


Print media


58

12

11

Television

Print media



49

22

7

Television


Print media

http://euro.eesti.ee/


page 35


Every socio-demographic group consistently considered TV the most efficient channel of information.

Women, older respondents, respondents from rural areas, employees and manual workers were more

liable than their socio-demographic counterparts to mention television. For example, while 41% of

15-24 year-olds mentioned TV, 57% of those older than 54 years did so.

The groups most likely to think that the Internet was the most effective way of becoming informed

about the euro were men, younger respondents (15-39) and urban residents. For example, 16% of city

residents said that the Internet and the national information website on the euro had been the most

efficient information source, compared to 7% of rural residents.

Print media were considered more efficient by women and city residents. Women and respondents

from rural areas were more likely to consider publications/brochures to be useful.

Table 3. The most efficient channels of information during the changeover period (%

mentioning the channels, by demographic characteristics)

Base: total

sample

% T

elev

isio

n

% P

rint

med

ia

% P

ubli

cati

ons

/bro

chure

s

% R

adio

% I

nte

rnet

(htt

p:/

/euro

.ees

ti.e

e)

% F

ree

nat

ional

euro

tele

phone

line

% P

rese

nta

tions

(shoppin

g c

entr

es,

fair

s)

% F

amil

y, fr

iends,

co-

work

ers

% I

hav

e not

looked

for/

rece

ived

info

rmat

ion

% D

K/N

A

Total 50 10 9 11 14 1 0 3 1 2

Gender

Male 48 8 6 14 16 1 0 4 1 2

Female 52 11 11 8 12 1 0 3 1 2

Age

15-24 41 12 12 8 21 1 0 5 0 0

25-39 46 9 6 8 25 2 0 3 0 2

40-54 51 11 7 9 12 0 1 4 1 3

55+ 57 8 10 16 3 0 1 3 1 3


In an urban area 48 11 7 10 16 1 1 4 1 2

In the rest of

the country 56 6 12 13 7 0 0 2 0 4

Occupation

Self-employed 43 11 7 11 18 0 0 3 2 6

Employee 50 12 8 5 17 1 0 4 0 3

Manual worker 49 6 8 15 17 0 2 2 1 1

Not working 53 10 10 13 8 1 0 4 0 2

Q16. Which channels were the MOST efficient source of information during the changeover period?

Respondents were also asked to rate their satisfaction with the information provided by different

institutions and by the media.


page 36

More than 8 in 10 (83%) Estonian respondents were satisfied with the information that the

national authorities provided on the euro. Only 13% were dissatisfied. About a quarter (26%)

described themselves as very

satisfied, and nearly 6 in 10 (57%)

respondents said they were rather

satisfied.

When looking at respondents who

were very satisfied and rather

satisfied as one group, Estonians,

like Slovaks, were somewhat less

satisfied with the information

provided by the national

authorities than the Maltese,

Cypriots and Slovenes had been.

In Malta in particular, citizens

were especially pleased by the

quality of the national authorities‟

information: 9 in 10 (91%) respondents said they were satisfied.

Looking only at those who were very satisfied with the information provided, the Estonian figure was

close to that of Slovenia (26% and 21%,

respectively), while the respective figures

for Slovakia, Cyprus and Malta were 42%,

48% and 60%.

Women, respondents aged 40-54 and the

self-employed were more likely to be

satisfied (very+rather satisfied) with the

national authorities‟ information material.

For example, 85% of women were

satisfied with the information they

received, compared to 80% of men.

Non-working respondents most often

voiced their dissatisfaction with the

information received (16% vs. 6%-12% of

other occupational groups).

The TV spots that focused on the euro

had high visibility in Estonia. More than 8

in 10 (83%) respondents had seen those

euro spots. Out of the respondents who

had seen the spots, a large majority (74%) had found them useful, and 23% found them very useful.

On the other hand, 22% felt that the TV spots on the euro were not useful.

Satisfaction with the information provided by national authorities regarding the euro

21

48

60

42

26

66

43

31

42

57

7

6

4

5

11

2

2

2

1

2

5

2

3

11

5

Slovenia

Cyprus

Malta

Slovakia

Estonia

Q19. How satisfied are you with the information provided by the national authorities regarding the euro?


Very satisfied

Rather satisfied

Rather unsatisfied

Very unsatisfied

DK/NA

Satisfaction with the information provided by national authorities regarding the euro

26

25

26

22

27

21

30

25

27

27

27

26

24

57

55

59

57

55

66

51

57

57

62

58

60

54

5

6

4

6

4

4

6

5

5

6

4

2

6

13

14

12

15

14

10

13

13

11

6

10

12

16

Total

Gender

Male

Female

Age

15-24

25-39

40-54

55+


Urban area

Rest of the country

Occupation

Self-employed

Employees

Manual workers

Not working

Very satisfied Rather satisfied DK/NA Very and rather unsatisfied

Q19. How satisfied are you with the information provided by the national authorities regarding the euro?



page 37

The audience rate of euro spots was lower in Estonia than in Malta, Cyprus and Slovakia (87%-91%),

but considerably higher than in Slovenia (63%). Respondents from the other four countries who had

seen these spots were more likely to find them useful, when compared with Estonians. In Malta and

Cyprus, respondents were particularly liable to say that they found these euro spots useful.

Awareness of the spots was higher among respondents from rural areas (90% vs. 80% of city

dwellers). Non-working respondents were less often aware of these spots (80% vs.84%-87% of other

The usefulness of the euro spots on TV

33

9

12

8

16

63

90

87

91

83

Slovenia

Cyprus

Malta

Slovakia

Estonia

Have you seen euro spots? How useful did you find them?

Q20A. How useful did you find them?%, Base: those who saw the euro spots on TV

Q20. Have you seen the euro spots on TV? %, Base: all respondents

YesDK/NANo

22

65

69

41

23

57

26

24

41

51

13

5

5

11

14

5

3

1

4

8

Slovenia

Cyprus

Malta

Slovakia

Estonia

Rather not useful

DK/NAVery useful

Rather useful

Not useful at all

The usefulness of the euro spots on TV

Total

Gender

Male

Female

Age

15-24

25-39

40-54

55+


Urban area

Rest of the country

Occupation

Self-employed

Employees

Manual workers

Not working

83

83

84

83

85

85

81

80

90

85

87

84

80

74

70

77

73

73

76

73

71

80

74

75

76

72

22

26

20

24

25

19

23

25

16

22

21

21

24

Total (N=835)

Gender

Male (n=374)

Female (n=461)

Age

15-24 (n=139)

25-39 (n=206)

40-54 (n=214)

55+ (n=276)


Urban area (n=584)


Occupation


Employees (n=275)


Not working (n=343)

Q20A. How useful did you find them?%, Base: those who saw the euro spots on TV

Q20. Have you seen the euro spots on TV? %, Base: all respondents

Have you seen euro spots? % yes How useful did you find them?




page 38

occupational groups). Women who had seen the spots were also more likely to find them useful (77%

vs. 70% of men). The same was true for 40-54 year-olds (76% vs. 73% of other age groups) and

respondents from rural areas (80% vs. 71% of city dwellers).

Fewer, but still a majority of Estonian respondents said that they had seen the ads on the euro in

magazines and newspapers (64%). Eight in 10 of those respondents who were aware of the ads in

the print media actually found them to be useful; 2 in 10 (21%) had the impression that the ads were

very useful. 16% of Estonian respondents who had seen the ads did not find them useful.

As with the TV spots, Estonians were less likely to have seen ads in print publications than were the

Maltese, Slovaks or Cypriots (69%-72%). The level of awareness was close to that measured in

Slovenia (62%) shortly after the euro replaced the tolar.

Again, looking at those who said they had seen the ads in the print media, Cypriots and Maltese were

most likely to find them useful (both 93%). The Estonian figure was comparable to the Slovakian

(78%) and Slovenian (79%) ones.


Women, the youngest respondents (15-24 year-olds) and employees were more likely to have seen ads

in newspapers and magazines. The self-employed, on the other hand, were the least likely of all socio-

demographic groups to having seen these ads (46% vs. 59%-70%).

Respondents from rural areas were more inclined to find the ads in magazines or newspapers to be

useful (84% vs. 79% of city dwellers).

Non-working respondents and the self-employed were more likely to say that those ads had not been

useful for them (17% and 19%, respectively, vs. 13%-14% of manual workers and employees).

The usefulness of the euro ads in magazines/newspapers

36

25

29

28

33

62

72

69

71

64

Slovenia

Cyprus

Malta

Slovakia

Estonia

Have you seen euro ads? How useful did you find them?

Q21A. How useful did you find them?%, Base: those who saw the euro ads

in magazines/newspapers

Q21. Have you seen the euro advertisements in [COUNTRY] magazines and newspapers?


YesDK/NANo

23

69

65

33

21

56

24

28

45

59

14

4

3

13

10

5

2

2

6

6

Slovenia

Cyprus

Malta

Slovakia

Estonia

Rather not useful

DK/NAVery useful

Rather useful

Not useful at all


page 39

The usefulness of the euro ads in magazines/newspapers

Total

Gender

Male

Female

Age

15-24

25-39

40-54

55+


Urban area

Rest of the country

Occupation

Self-employed

Employees

Manual workers

Not working

64

62

66

74

59

65

63

64

64

46

70

61

64

81

81

80

82

82

78

81

79

84

81

83

81

78

15

15

15

15

16

17

13

16

12

19

14

13

17

Total (N=645)

Gender

Male (n=279)

Female (n=366)

Age

15-24 (n=122)

25-39 (n=145)

40-54 (n=163)

55+ (n=215)


Urban area (n=466)


Occupation


Employees (n=221)


Not working (n=274)

Q21A. How useful did you find them?%, Base: those who saw the euro ads

in magazines/newspapers

Q21. Have you seen the euro advertisements in Estonian magazines and newspapers?


Have you seen euro ads? % yes How useful did you find them?




page 40

5.4 Further information needs

When asked which euro-related topics they would like to have more information on, a

significant number of Estonian respondents could not identify any further information needs or

did not want to answer (30%). This is in line with the finding that a large majority of Estonian

respondents felt well informed about the euro (87%).

When asked to name a first priority, 15% said they would like to get more information on the social,

economic or political implications of the euro, a further 9% named this as a second priority. More

information on fair rounding was mentioned by a similar share of Estonians (for 13% this was the top

priority). One in 5 respondents would welcome more information on the euro‟s security features (12%

mentioned this as their first priority). A similar share was interested in more information on how to

avoid being cheated in euro currency conversions (10% said this was their number one priority). Next,

17% (first and second priority) would appreciate information on practical implications of the euro

regarding their salary and bank account (this was the top priority for 1 in 10). Further information on

the dual display of prices was mentioned by 15% (first priority for 8%). Relatively few Estonians

requested more information about the design and denominations of euro banknotes and coins (6%) or

on the value of one euro in Estonian kroon (4%).

In the other four countries that recently started using the euro, information on fair rounding had also

been an important priority. Further information on the social, economic or political implications of

the euro was commonly mentioned in Cyprus and Slovenia. Substantial numbers in Slovakia, Malta

and Slovenia were also interested in learning more about the security features of the euro.

17

17

16

9

8

10

How to avoid being cheated

Fair rounding

Security features

Most important euro-related issues that respondents would like to have more information on

Estonia

Q18. What is the most important issue about the euro that you would like to have more information on? Firstly? Secondly?%, Base: all respondents


In total

Firstly

24

24

20

19

17

15

6

4

15

13

12

10

10

8

2

2

30

The social, economic or politicalimplications of the euro

Fair rounding

Security features

How to avoid being cheated ineuro currency conversions

The practical implications of theeuro regarding your salary, your

bank account

The dual display of prices

The design and denominations ofeuro banknotes and coins

The value of one euro in Estoniankroon

DK/NA

In total

Firstly


37

30

21

22

14

12

Fair rounding


Social, economic, political implications


26

25

23

14

17

15

Fair rounding

Security features

Social, economic, political implications

31

22

19

22

10

10

Security features

Fair rounding




page 41


The following analysis describes the variation of opinions on issues requiring further information, as

a first or second priority, by socio-demographic characteristics, see Table 4. on the next page.

Information on a fair rounding of the euro was more often requested by younger respondents

(15-39 year-olds: 28%-29%) and respondents from rural areas (27%) when compared to their


Men were more interested in knowing more about the social, economic or political

implications of the euro (29% vs. 21% of women). The older the respondent, the less likely

he/she was to want more information on this topic. For example, while almost a third (32%)

of the 15-24 year-olds would welcome more information, the share dropped to 18% among

the oldest respondents (over 54 years). In addition, urban residents (26%) and the self-

employed (31%) were more eager to receive information on these implications than their

counterparts.

Security features was a topic most interesting to the youngest respondents (28%) and

respondents from rural areas (22%).

Women (21%), the youngest respondents (15-24 year-olds: 23%) and respondents from rural

areas (22%) were more likely to request more information on how to avoid being cheated.

More information on the practical implications of the euro regarding one‟s salary or bank

account was especially welcome by 25-39 year-olds and manual workers (both 23%). The

latter were also more interested than other occupational groups in receiving more information

in the form of dual display of prices (17%).

The youngest respondents (15-24 year-olds: 9%) and rural residents (8%) were more likely to

be interested in getting more information on the design and denominations of euro banknotes

and coins.

City residents were somewhat more likely to request more information on the value of one

euro in Estonian kroon (5% vs. 1% of rural residents).

The oldest respondents (older than 54 years) were the most likely among all socio-

demographic groups not to answer the question (38%).


page 42

Table 4. Most important euro-related issues that respondents would like to have more information on (% mentioned, by demographic

characteristics)

Base: total sample

Fair

rounding

The social,

economic or

political

implications

of the euro

Security

features

How to

avoid being

cheated in

euro

currency

conversions

The practical

implications

of the euro

regarding your

salary, your

bank account

The dual

display of

prices

Design and

denominations

of euro

banknotes

and coins

The value

of one euro

in Estonian

kroon

DK/NA

In t

ota

l

Fir

stly

In t

ota

l

Fir

stly

In t

ota

l

Fir

stly

In t

ota

l

Fir

stly

In t

ota

l

Fir

stly

In t

ota

l

Fir

stly

In t

ota

l

Fir

stly

In t

ota

l

Fir

stly

Fir

stly

Total 24 13 24 15 20 12 19 10 17 10 15 8 6 2 4 2 30

Gender

Male 24 12 29 18 19 10 15 7 18 11 14 8 6 3 3 1 30

Female 25 13 21 12 21 13 21 12 16 9 15 7 5 2 4 2 29

Age

15-24 29 11 32 20 28 16 23 13 17 11 14 7 9 4 5 3 17

25-39 28 16 28 16 20 13 18 8 23 14 13 4 6 3 4 2 24

40-54 24 12 24 13 15 9 20 11 19 12 15 8 4 2 3 2 33

55+ 20 12 18 12 20 10 16 8 11 6 16 10 5 2 4 1 38


Urban area 24 12 26 16 19 12 17 9 17 10 14 6 5 2 5 2 30

Rest of the country 27 14 20 11 22 11 22 11 16 9 16 11 8 4 1 1 29

Occupation

Self-employed 14 8 31 23 23 16 23 11 10 6 14 2 2 2 0 0 33

Employee 27 14 25 14 20 11 19 10 18 11 14 7 6 3 4 2 28

Manual worker 23 14 25 13 19 11 21 12 23 13 17 8 5 2 2 2 27

Not working 25 12 23 14 21 12 16 9 14 9 14 9 6 2 5 2 31

Q18. What is the most important issue about the euro that you would like to have more information on? Firstly? And secondly?

Flash EB No309 –Estonia Euro Introduction, Ex-Post Citizen Survey Annex

page 43

Flash EB Series #309

Euro Introduction in Estonia


Annex Tables and Survey

Details

THE GALLUP ORGANIZATION


page 44

Annex tables

Table 1. How easy or difficult is it to distinguish and manipulate euro coins ....................................... 45

Table 2. How easy or difficult is it to distinguish and manipulate euro banknotes ............................... 46

Table 3. The most frequently used currency when counting and calculating special purchases ........... 47

Table 4. The most frequently used currency when counting and calculating everyday purchases ........ 48

Table 5. How easy or difficult is it to convert from koruna to euros ..................................................... 49

Table 6. How easy or difficult is it to understand the value in euro ...................................................... 50

Table 7. Overall usefulness of the dual displays of prices ..................................................................... 51

Table 8. The correct implementation of the dual displays of prices ...................................................... 52

Table 9. Buying euro coin mini-kits ...................................................................................................... 53

Table 10. Reasons of not buying euro coin mini-kits ............................................................................ 54

Table 11. Utilisation of the euro coin starter kits ................................................................................... 55

Table 12. Problems with currency exchange in the first week of January? ........................................... 56

Table 13. Problems experienced when exchanging korunas or withdrawing euros in the first week of January ..................................................................................................................................... 57

Table 14. The success of changeover ..................................................................................................... 58

Table 15. Familiarity with the security features of euro banknotes ....................................................... 59

Table 16. Concerned that price conversations to euros was unfair ........................................................ 60

Table 17. Concerned that price rounding was unfair ............................................................................. 61

Table 18. Price stability or increased inflation? ..................................................................................... 62

Table 19. Sources of information about the euro‟s introduction – first mentions .................................. 63

Table 20. Sources of information about the euro‟s introduction – second mentions ............................. 64

Table 21. The most efficient channels of information during the changeover period ........................... 65

Table 22. Feeling informed about the euro ............................................................................................ 66

Table 23. Most important euro-related issue about which respondents would like more information – first mentions ................................................................................................................... 67

Table 24. Most important euro-related issue about which respondents would like more information – second mentions .............................................................................................................. 68

Table 25. Satisfaction with the information provided by national authorities regarding the euro ......... 69

Table 26. Have you seen euro spots? ..................................................................................................... 70

Table 27. The usefulness of the euro spots on TV ................................................................................. 71

Table 28. Have you seen euro ads? ........................................................................................................ 72

Table 29. The usefulness of the euro ads in magazines/newspapers ..................................................... 73

Table 30. Have you received the euro calculator? ................................................................................. 74

Table 31. The usefulness of the euro calculator ..................................................................................... 75


page 45

Table 1. How easy or difficult is it to distinguish and manipulate euro coins

QUESTION: Q1. When you pay cash, would you say that it is: very easy, rather easy, rather difficult or very difficult

to distinguish and to manipulate euro coins?

Total N %

Neither

easy nor

difficult,

normal

% Very

difficult

%

Rather

difficult

%

Rather

easy

% Very

easy

%

DK/NA

ESTONIA 1005 8.2 9.9 30.7 34.3 14.4 2.4

SEX

Male 453 7.2 7.9 27 37.8 17.6 2.4

Female 552 9.1 11.6 33.7 31.4 11.9 2.5

AGE

15 - 24 166 6.7 4.5 28.9 46.5 12.4 1

25 - 39 244 6.3 6.6 28.2 39.2 18.6 1.2

40 - 54 253 8.1 11.2 31.9 29.9 17.6 1.3

55 + 342 10.4 14 32.5 28.1 10.1 4.9

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 9 10.3 30.5 33.8 13.6 2.8

Rest of the country 279 6.1 8.9 31.2 35.7 16.7 1.4

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 64 9.2 10.5 26 32.7 18.9 2.7

Employee 317 7.2 8.6 30.8 35.3 17.3 0.9

Manual worker 194 9.8 10.7 29.2 33.3 15.7 1.3

Not working 426 8.2 10.6 32.2 33.7 11.2 4.1


page 46

Table 2. How easy or difficult is it to distinguish and manipulate euro banknotes

QUESTION: Q2. When you pay cash, would you say that it is: very easy, rather easy, rather difficult or very difficult

to distinguish and to manipulate euro banknotes?

Total N %

Neither

easy nor

difficult,

normal

% Very

difficult

%

Rather

difficult

%

Rather

easy

% Very

easy

%

DK/NA

ESTONIA 1005 8.8 3.3 10.5 40.1 34 3.3

SEX

Male 453 6.4 3.5 9.4 40.8 37.4 2.4

Female 552 10.7 3.1 11.4 39.6 31.2 4.1

AGE

15 - 24 166 7.9 2.8 13.3 42.5 31 2.5

25 - 39 244 6.2 3.4 6.5 36.6 45.5 1.8

40 - 54 253 10.1 1.9 11.1 36.7 38.3 1.9

55 + 342 10.1 4.5 11.5 44 24 5.9

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 9.7 4 10.1 38.7 33.8 3.7


OCCUPATION

Self-employed 64 4.9 1 13.7 41.1 35.3 3.9

Employee 317 8.7 2.7 7.1 35.4 44.6 1.6

Manual worker 194 11.2 3.4 11.8 42.2 30.1 1.4

Not working 426 8.4 4.1 12.1 42.4 27.5 5.4


page 47

Table 3. The most frequently used currency when counting and calculating special purchases

QUESTION: Q3_A. In which currency do you count or calculate most often when you do? - Exceptional purchases

such as the purchase of goods with greater value?

Total N % Most

often in

euro

% Most

often in

Estonian

kroon

% As often in

euro as in

Estonian

kroon

% DK/NA

ESTONIA 1005 19.3 53.9 19.8 7

SEX

Male 453 23.8 50 20 6.2

Female 552 15.5 57 19.7 7.7

AGE

15 - 24 166 12.4 59.2 21 7.4

25 - 39 244 20.8 58.5 19.3 1.4

40 - 54 253 22.3 53.1 18.5 6.1

55 + 342 19.3 48.6 20.7 11.5

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 20.4 54.3 18.2 7.1

Rest of the country 279 16.3 52.7 24.2 6.8

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 64 22.2 52.9 23.2 1.7

Employee 317 16.4 57 21.4 5.1

Manual worker 194 23.4 51.2 20.8 4.6

Not working 426 18.9 52.9 17.9 10.3


page 48

Table 4. The most frequently used currency when counting and calculating everyday purchases

QUESTION: Q3_B. In which currency do you count or calculate most often when you do? - Common purchases such

as day-to-day shopping?

Total N % Most

often in

euro

% Most

often in

Estonian

kroon

% As often in

euro as in

Estonian

kroon

% DK/NA

ESTONIA 1005 27.9 47.8 23.1 1.2

SEX

Male 453 31.2 44.2 23.3 1.3

Female 552 25.1 50.8 22.9 1.2

AGE

15 - 24 166 27.1 47.1 25.6 0.2

25 - 39 244 28.2 45.5 25.2 1.1

40 - 54 253 29.7 50.8 18.6 1

55 + 342 26.7 47.6 23.7 2.1

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 27.2 50.5 21.2 1.1


OCCUPATION

Self-employed 64 32.8 43.8 23.4 0

Employee 317 27.7 47.3 24 1.1

Manual worker 194 28.3 47.8 23.3 0.6

Not working 426 26.9 48.8 22.4 1.9


page 49

Table 5. How easy or difficult is it to convert from Estonian kroon to euros

QUESTION: Q4. How easy or difficult is for you to convert from Estonian kroon to Euro?

Total N %

Neither

easy nor

difficult,

normal

% Very

difficult

%

Rather

difficult

%

Rather

easy

% Very

easy

%

DK/NA

ESTONIA 1005 7 7.2 22.2 41.9 20.1 1.5

SEX

Male 453 7.6 5.8 19 42.8 23.2 1.6

Female 552 6.5 8.3 24.9 41.2 17.6 1.5

AGE

15 - 24 166 4.7 4.9 23.6 53.2 13.4 0.2

25 - 39 244 5.8 4.4 23.2 44.7 19.5 2.5

40 - 54 253 6.3 6.7 25.8 39.1 21.5 0.6

55 + 342 9.6 10.6 18.2 36.5 22.9 2.2

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 7.7 7.6 22.3 41 19.7 1.6


OCCUPATION

Self-employed 64 5.3 0 16 47.6 31.2 0

Employee 317 7.7 5.2 21.7 42.6 21.5 1.3

Manual worker 194 8.8 4.2 25.2 41 18 2.9

Not working 426 6.1 11.2 22.4 40.5 18.6 1.3


page 50

Table 6. How easy or difficult is it to understand the value in euro

QUESTION: Q5. And how easy or difficult is for you to understand the value in Euro?

Total N %

Neither

easy nor

difficult,

normal

% Very

difficult

%

Rather

difficult

%

Rather

easy

% Very

easy

%

DK/NA

ESTONIA 1005 6.4 6.6 27.4 39.8 18.1 1.7

SEX

Male 453 5.6 4.6 22.6 45.9 19.4 2

Female 552 7.1 8.2 31.4 34.8 17.1 1.5

AGE

15 - 24 166 5.2 2.7 25 49.7 16.5 1

25 - 39 244 4.3 2.7 30.4 41.6 19.5 1.4

40 - 54 253 7.9 7.2 26 34.1 23.7 1

55 + 342 7.4 10.9 27.4 37.8 13.7 2.8

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 7.2 8.1 27.6 38.5 16.8 1.8


OCCUPATION

Self-employed 64 6.9 0 19.7 39.7 33.6 0

Employee 317 3.7 6.4 24.2 42.2 21.7 1.7

Manual worker 194 9.2 4 28.1 40.3 17.1 1.2

Not working 426 7.2 8.9 30.8 37.2 13.7 2.2


page 51

Table 7. Overall usefulness of the dual displays of prices

QUESTION: Q6. Overall, do you find the dual displays of prices useful?

Total N % Not

useful at

all

% Rather

not

useful

% Rather

useful

% Very

useful

%

DK/NA

ESTONIA 1005 4.1 6.1 33.2 54.5 2

SEX

Male 453 3 6.8 35.9 52.2 2.1

Female 552 5 5.6 31 56.4 2

AGE

15 - 24 166 2.5 3.8 36.1 55.3 2.4

25 - 39 244 2.9 10.6 35.5 51 0

40 - 54 253 5 6.4 32.8 54.6 1.2

55 + 342 5.3 3.9 30.4 56.5 4

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 4.4 6.8 31.4 55.2 2.2

Rest of the country 279 3.6 4.4 37.8 52.6 1.7

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 64 6.1 12.2 37.8 42.6 1.3

Employee 317 4.1 6.6 31.5 57.6 0.2

Manual worker 194 4.5 5.1 33.9 55.2 1.3

Not working 426 3.8 4.9 33.7 53.7 3.9


page 52

Table 8. The correct implementation of the dual displays of prices

QUESTION: Q7. Is your impression that the dual displays of prices are implemented correctly (clearly identifiable

displays, based on the conversion rate etc.)?

Total

N

% Not at all

implemented

correctly

% Mostly not

implemented

correctly

% Mostly

implemented

correctly

%

Implemented

correctly

%

DK/NA

ESTONIA 1005 2 9.4 48.6 34 6.1

SEX

Male 453 2.1 8.8 47.8 36 5.4

Female 552 1.8 9.9 49.3 32.3 6.7

AGE

15 - 24 166 1.6 3.8 57.1 32.4 5

25 - 39 244 2.1 10.1 53.9 30 3.9

40 - 54 253 1.3 11.8 46.2 36.5 4.1

55 + 342 2.5 9.7 42.4 35.7 9.7

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 2.5 9.4 48.6 32.7 6.8


OCCUPATION

Self-employed 64 3.1 4.3 52.1 39.2 1.3

Employee 317 1.7 8.9 53 31.5 4.9

Manual worker 194 3 11.1 44.3 36.9 4.7

Not working 426 1.5 9.3 47.1 33.6 8.4


page 53

Table 9. Buying euro coin mini-kits

QUESTION: Q8. Did you buy one or more euro coin mini-kits before 1 January 2011?

Total N % Yes % No % DK/NA

ESTONIA 1005 27 72.7 0.3

SEX

Male 453 23.4 76.2 0.4

Female 552 29.9 69.8 0.3

AGE

15 - 24 166 19.9 79.2 0.9

25 - 39 244 24.3 75 0.8

40 - 54 253 26.2 73.8 0

55 + 342 32.9 67.1 0

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 28.6 70.9 0.5

Rest of the country 279 22.7 77.3 0

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 64 24 76 0

Employee 317 25.9 74.1 0

Manual worker 194 26.4 71.9 1.8

Not working 426 28.7 71.3 0


page 54

Table 10. Reasons of not buying euro coin mini-kits

QUESTION: Q9A. Why did you not buy a euro coin mini-kit?

Base: those who did not buy euro coin mini-kits before 1st of January 2011

Total N % You

did no

want to

do so

% You

were not

aware of

the

possibility

of buying

mini-kits

% The

bank(s)

you

contacted

had no

mini-kits

available

% Other

reason

%

DK/NA

ESTONIA 731 64 4.9 9.8 20.9 0.4

SEX

Male 345 65.5 4.7 11.2 18.5 0

Female 385 62.7 5 8.5 23.1 0.7

AGE

15 - 24 132 63.7 6.4 10.2 18.7 0.9

25 - 39 183 73.7 1.9 4.9 19.4 0

40 - 54 187 67.1 4.7 10.9 16.5 0.8

55 + 229 54 6.5 12.5 27 0

URBANISATION

Urban area 515 64.2 5.3 8.7 21.2 0.5

Rest of the country 216 63.4 3.7 12.5 20.3 0

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 48 61 0 17.4 21.6 0

Employee 235 68.6 4 7.7 19 0.7

Manual worker 140 62.5 3.5 13.6 20.4 0

Not working 304 61.2 7 8.6 22.8 0.4


page 55

Table 11. Utilisation of the euro coin starter kits

QUESTION: Q9B. What did you do with the starter kit(s)?

Base: those who bought euro coin mini-kits before 1 January 2011

Total N % I kept

the kit

untouched

and did

not use the

coins

% I opened

the kit and

used the

coins

% I bought

more than

one kit and

used only

one (or

some)

% DK/NA

ESTONIA 271 38.4 42.5 16.9 2.3

SEX

Male 106 48.3 35.2 16.5 0

Female 165 32 47.1 17.2 3.7

AGE

15 - 24 33 42.9 46.8 10.3 0

25 - 39 59 40.5 43.3 16.2 0

40 - 54 66 43.3 41.4 14 1.3

55 + 112 33 41.4 20.9 4.7

URBANISATION

Urban area 208 37.3 44.9 16.2 1.7


OCCUPATION

Self-employed 15 55.9 25.5 14.3 4.3

Employee 82 37.2 41.8 18.5 2.5

Manual worker 51 45.4 44.9 9.7 0

Not working 122 34.1 44 19.1 2.8


page 56

Table 12. Problems with currency exchange in the first week of January?

QUESTION: Q10. When you exchanged Estonian kroon cash into euro cash or withdrew euro cash with banks in the

first week of January, did you experience any problems?


ESTONIA 1005 3.6 94.5 2

SEX

Male 453 3.7 94.1 2.3

Female 552 3.5 94.8 1.7

AGE

15 - 24 166 4.3 93.4 2.3

25 - 39 244 2.4 96.1 1.5

40 - 54 253 5 94.3 0.7

55 + 342 2.9 94 3.1

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 3.6 94 2.4

Rest of the country 279 3.5 95.6 0.9

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 64 3.2 96.8 0

Employee 317 2.9 96.1 0.9

Manual worker 194 5.8 93.7 0.5

Not working 426 3.1 93.2 3.7


page 57

Table 13. Problems experienced when exchanging Estonian krooni or withdrawing euros in the first week of January

QUESTION: Q11_A-F. What kind of problems did you experience?

Base: those who experienced any problem

% of “Mentioned” shown

Total

N

Long

queues

at

counters

There

was not

enough

euro

cash

available

at bank

counters

Long

queues at

ATMs (cash

dispensers)

ATMs

issued

only

Estonian

kroon

cash

ATMs were

(temporarily)

out of order

Other

problems

ESTONIA 36 39.3 13.1 17.2 8.6 26.9 32.9

SEX

Male 17 35.5 13.8 10.8 4.4 13 32

Female 19 42.6 12.6 22.7 12.3 39 33.6

AGE

15 - 24 7 49.8 32.1 27.9 10.2 65.2 0

25 - 39 6 100 27.1 27.1 27.1 48.7 0

40 - 54 13 19.1 0 20.2 6 16.8 50.9

55 + 10 22.2 8.2 0 0 0 52.5

URBANISATION

Urban area 26 35 15.3 20.9 9.1 25.2 34.8


OCCUPATION

Self-employed 2 38.1 0 0 0 0 0

Employee 9 35.5 25.8 33.1 17 24.6 28.6

Manual worker 11 33.2 6.5 15.9 13.3 32.9 57.4

Not working 13 47.5 11.9 9.6 0 27.6 19.8


page 58

Table 14. The success of changeover

QUESTION: Q12. Overall, did the changeover to the euro in your view happen smoothly and efficiently, or not?

Total N % No at

all

smoothly

and

efficiently

% Not

smoothly

and

efficiently

% Rather

smoothly

and

efficiently

% Very

smoothly

and

efficiently

%

DK/NA

ESTONIA 1005 2.1 6.3 46.4 41.3 3.8

SEX

Male 453 2 5.8 46.2 43 2.9

Female 552 2.2 6.8 46.6 40 4.5

AGE

15 - 24 166 1.4 7.8 51.9 36.9 2.1

25 - 39 244 2.7 6.2 43.3 46.1 1.7

40 - 54 253 2.2 5.8 44.5 43.7 3.8

55 + 342 2 6.1 47.5 38.4 6.1

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 2.5 7.4 46.3 39 4.9


OCCUPATION

Self-employed 64 0 3.4 41.3 55.3 0

Employee 317 3 5.7 44.8 44.3 2.2

Manual worker 194 1.6 8.2 45 41.7 3.4

Not working 426 2 6.5 48.9 37.3 5.3


page 59

Table 15. Familiarity with the security features of euro banknotes

QUESTION: Q13. Which security features of euro banknotes can you list?

To

tal

N

% S

ecu

rity

th

rea

d

% W

ate

rma

rk

% G

old

-yel

low

str

ipe

% H

olo

gra

m

% C

olo

ur

cha

ng

ing

nu

mb

er

% S

ee-t

hro

ug

h n

um

ber

% O

ther

% D

K/N

A

ESTONIA 1005 41.6 42.4 15.5 34.5 16.6 19.6 18.8 30.8

SEX

Male 453 45 47.4 15.5 38.6 17.7 20.3 19 26.3

Female 552 38.7 38.2 15.5 31.1 15.7 19 18.6 34.5

AGE

15 - 24 166 50.1 55 18.7 45.5 17.7 20.9 20.8 15.9

25 - 39 244 43 47.5 17.6 39.3 17.3 22.2 24.1 23.6

40 - 54 253 43.8 45.2 16.2 37.7 17.3 21.3 18.4 28.4

55 + 342 34.7 30.5 11.9 23.4 15 15.8 14.3 44.9

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 40.4 42.7 17.3 33.6 16.1 18.8 19.9 30

Rest of the country 279 44.6 41.6 10.6 37 17.8 21.7 15.9 32.7

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 64 45.9 39.3 21.1 44.2 15.7 18.3 23.6 27.5

Employee 317 47.1 48.1 17.3 39.1 15.9 19.8 24.5 21.8

Manual worker 194 40.1 47.7 11.8 35.7 19.7 23 14.9 30.7

Not working 426 37.8 36.5 15.1 29.4 16 17.8 15.8 37.9


page 60

Table 16. Concerned that price conversations to euros was unfair

QUESTION: Q14_A. Do you think that during and after changeover to euro it happened very often, often, sometimes

or not at all, that? - Price conversion to Euro was not fair

Total N % Not at

all

%

Sometimes

% Often % Very

often

%

DK/NA

ESTONIA 1005 23 37.6 13.3 7.9 18.1

SEX

Male 453 23.5 37.4 14 7.3 17.7

Female 552 22.6 37.8 12.8 8.5 18.5

AGE

15 - 24 166 20.2 49.4 11.6 7.5 11.4

25 - 39 244 18.8 38 20.2 11.2 11.8

40 - 54 253 26.6 38.8 10.2 6.6 17.9

55 + 342 24.7 30.8 11.6 6.8 26.1

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 22.2 35.7 15.5 8.7 18


OCCUPATION

Self-employed 64 20.4 35.7 13.9 7.8 22.3

Employee 317 20.4 40 13.4 8.6 17.6

Manual worker 194 28.3 32.1 15.7 8.1 15.8

Not working 426 22.6 39 11.8 7.5 19.1


page 61

Table 17. Concerned that price rounding was unfair

QUESTION: Q14_B. Do you think that during and after changeover to euro it happened very often, often, sometimes

or not at all, that? - Rounding of prices was not fair

Total N % Not at

all

%

Sometimes

% Often % Very

often

%

DK/NA

ESTONIA 1005 20.2 35.9 16.6 9.4 17.8

SEX

Male 453 19.6 35.1 18.7 9.6 17

Female 552 20.8 36.6 14.8 9.3 18.5

AGE

15 - 24 166 17.3 40.4 19.2 6.4 16.7

25 - 39 244 16.3 37.9 19.5 15.5 10.7

40 - 54 253 21.7 38 14.8 9.3 16.2

55 + 342 23.3 30.8 14.6 6.6 24.7

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 17.3 34.7 19.6 10.2 18.3

Rest of the country 279 28 39.1 8.9 7.4 16.7

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 64 12.6 32.4 21 12.7 21.2

Employee 317 19.2 36.1 17.5 10.6 16.7

Manual worker 194 20.1 38.5 16.6 9.1 15.6

Not working 426 22.4 35 15 8.3 19.3


page 62

Table 18. Price stability or increased inflation?

QUESTION: Q14A. Do you think the euro will help to maintain price stability or, on the contrary, increase inflation

in Estonia?

Total N % Will

help

maintain

price

stability

% Will

increase

inflation

% No

impact

% DK/NA

ESTONIA 1005 20.7 54.6 6.9 17.7

SEX

Male 453 24.5 53.7 8.1 13.8

Female 552 17.7 55.4 5.9 21

AGE

15 - 24 166 29.4 47.9 8.6 14.1

25 - 39 244 23.9 55.7 5.7 14.7

40 - 54 253 18.7 60.6 6.4 14.3

55 + 342 15.7 52.7 7.3 24.2

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 20.7 56.7 6.5 16.1

Rest of the country 279 20.9 49.3 7.9 22

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 64 29 46.5 12.1 12.3

Employee 317 20.2 58.2 5.5 16

Manual worker 194 21.3 61 6.7 11

Not working 426 19.8 50.3 7.3 22.7


page 63

Table 19. Sources of information about the euro’s introduction – first mentions

QUESTION: Q15a. Where do (did) you get information about the introduction? – Firstly

T

ota

l N

% G

ov

ern

men

t, n

ati

on

al

or

reg

ion

al

au

tho

riti

es

% P

ub

lic

ad

min

istr

ati

on

% N

ati

on

al

Cen

tra

l B

an

k

% E

uro

pea

n I

nst

itu

tio

ns

% C

om

mer

cia

l b

an

ks

% M

edia

% T

rad

e u

nio

ns,

pro

fess

ion

al

org

an

isa

tio

ns,

etc

.

% C

on

sum

er a

sso

cia

tio

ns

% O

ther

s

% D

K/N

A

ESTONIA 1005 4.4 2.3 3.1 1 3.6 78.8 0.4 0.4 2.6 3.4

SEX

Male 453 5 2.5 3.5 1.6 3.2 77.2 0.3 0.7 2 4

Female 552 3.8 2.2 2.7 0.5 3.9 80.1 0.4 0.2 3.2 2.9

AGE

15 - 24 166 6.2 6.2 3.7 1.3 1.4 77.2 0 0 0.8 3.2

25 - 39 244 6.2 2.3 2.4 1.8 3.3 78.9 0.3 1.2 2.8 0.7

40 - 54 253 3 1.3 5.2 1 3.6 78.7 0.4 0 2.7 4

55 + 342 3.2 1.3 1.7 0.3 4.7 79.6 0.6 0.2 3.3 5.1

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 4.9 2.8 2.6 1.2 3.9 77.9 0.5 0.5 2.2 3.5

Rest of the country 279 3 1.1 4.3 0.7 2.6 81.2 0 0 3.8 3.2

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 64 6.7 0 4.8 3.1 3.7 76.4 0 0 2.5 2.7

Employee 317 5.4 1.9 3.1 1.6 1.9 81.9 0.7 0 1.8 1.8

Manual worker 194 5 2.1 3.4 0.4 5.4 76.6 0.8 1.5 3.1 1.7

Not working 426 2.9 3.2 2.7 0.6 3.9 78.1 0 0.2 3.1 5.1


page 64

Table 20. Sources of information about the euro’s introduction – second mentions

QUESTION: Q15b. Where do (did) you get information about the introduction? – Secondly

Base: those who gave an answer firstly

To

tal

N

% G

ov

ern

men

t, n

ati

on

al

or

reg

ion

al

au

tho

riti

es

% P

ub

lic

ad

min

istr

ati

on

% N

ati

on

al

Cen

tra

l B

an

k

% E

uro

pea

n I

nst

itu

tio

ns

% C

om

mer

cia

l b

an

ks

% M

edia

% T

rad

e u

nio

ns,

pro

fess

ion

al

org

an

isa

tio

ns,

etc

.

% C

on

sum

er a

sso

cia

tio

ns

% O

ther

s

% D

K/N

A

ESTONIA 971 10.9 5.3 8.7 2.1 14.9 12.4 1.6 2.7 7.7 33.5

SEX

Male 435 12.1 4.5 7.9 1.8 15.7 12.2 2.4 3.9 5.7 33.7

Female 536 10 6 9.4 2.3 14.3 12.6 0.9 1.7 9.4 33.4

AGE

15 - 24 161 9.8 4.4 8 1.7 18.2 15.1 3.4 4.6 5.3 29.5

25 - 39 242 14.2 4.9 8.3 1.6 18.8 13.4 1.7 2.6 3 31.5

40 - 54 243 12.3 7.4 9.1 3 14.3 11.1 0.8 1.5 7.3 33.1

55 + 325 8 4.6 9.1 1.9 10.8 11.3 1.3 2.8 12.7 37.3

URBANISATION

Urban area 701 9.8 6.1 8.2 2.3 13.7 12.7 1.8 2.3 8.9 34.2

Rest of the country 270 13.8 3.3 9.9 1.6 18.1 11.7 1.2 3.9 4.7 31.8

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 62 7.1 5.3 3.9 3.8 22.4 10.7 1.7 1.2 3 40.7

Employee 312 15.2 4.8 9.5 2.3 16.2 10.3 1.5 1.9 6 32.3

Manual worker 191 9.5 7.8 7.6 1.2 15.2 14.2 1.8 2 8.5 32.1

Not working 404 8.9 4.6 9.4 2 12.7 13.5 1.6 4 9.5 33.7


page 65

Table 21. The most efficient channels of information during the changeover period

QUESTION: Q16. Which channels were the MOST efficient source of information during changeover period?

To

tal

N

% T

ele

vis

ion

% P

rin

t m

edia

% P

ub

lica

tio

ns

/bro

chu

res

% R

ad

io

% I

nte

rnet

(h

ttp

://e

uro

.ee

sti.

ee)

% F

ree

na

tio

na

l eu

ro

tele

ph

on

e li

ne

% P

rese

nta

tio

ns

(sh

op

pin

g

cen

tres

, fa

irs)

% F

am

ily

, fr

ien

ds,

co

-w

ork

ers

% I

ha

ve

no

t lo

ok

ed

for/

rece

ive

d i

nfo

rma

tio

n

% D

K/N

A

ESTONIA 1005 50.3 9.7 8.6 10.8 13.5 0.6 0.4 3.3 0.6 2.2

SEX

Male 453 48.4 8.1 5.9 14 15.5 0.9 0.4 3.8 0.6 2.4

Female 552 51.9 11 10.7 8.1 11.9 0.5 0.4 2.9 0.5 2

AGE

15 - 24 166 41 11.7 12.4 7.7 21.4 0.9 0 4.6 0.2 0

25 - 39 244 46.4 9.1 5.5 7.8 24.7 1.6 0 2.8 0 2

40 - 54 253 51.2 11.2 7.3 9 12.4 0 0.9 4 1.4 2.6

55 + 342 57 8.1 9.7 15.7 2.6 0.3 0.5 2.6 0.5 3

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 48.2 11.2 7.2 10 16 0.9 0.5 3.8 0.6 1.5

Rest of the country 279 55.8 5.8 12 12.8 7 0 0.2 2 0.4 3.9

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 64 43 10.8 7.1 11.4 17.7 0 0 2.5 2 5.6

Employee 317 50 11.5 8.2 5.4 17.1 0.8 0 3.9 0.2 3

Manual worker 194 48.6 6 7.7 14.8 17 0 2 2.3 1.2 0.5

Not working 426 52.5 10 9.5 12.9 8.4 0.9 0 3.5 0.4 1.9


page 66

Table 22. Feeling informed about the euro

QUESTION: Q17. To what extent do you feel informed about the euro? Do you feel...:

Total N % Not at

all well

informed

% Not

very well

informed

% Rather

well

informed

% Very

well

informed

%

DK/NA

ESTONIA 1005 0.7 10.7 62.3 24.9 1.5

SEX

Male 453 0.5 9.2 60 29.3 1

Female 552 0.8 12 64.1 21.2 1.9

AGE

15 - 24 166 0 9.4 69.6 21.1 0

25 - 39 244 0.6 10 61.7 27.7 0

40 - 54 253 0.3 7.2 63.8 26.4 2.2

55 + 342 1.4 14.5 58 23.5 2.6

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 0.9 11.5 62.8 24.1 0.7


OCCUPATION

Self-employed 64 0 3.5 56.1 38.5 1.9

Employee 317 0.5 6.8 66 25.3 1.4

Manual worker 194 0.4 10.7 66.6 21.9 0.3

Not working 426 1.1 14.4 58.9 23.6 2


page 67

Table 23. Most important euro-related issue about which respondents would like more information – first mentions

QUESTION: Q18a. What is the most important issue about the euro that you would like to have more information

on? – Firstly

To

tal

N

% S

ecu

rity

fea

ture

s

% T

he

va

lue

of

on

e eu

ro i

n k

oru

na

% F

air

ro

un

din

g

% H

ow

to

av

oid

bei

ng

ch

eate

d i

n e

uro

curr

ency

co

nv

ersi

on

s

% T

he

pra

ctic

al

imp

lica

tio

ns

of

the

euro

reg

ard

ing

yo

ur

sala

ry,

yo

ur

ba

nk

acc

ou

nt

% T

he

soci

al,

eco

no

mic

or

po

liti

cal

imp

lica

tio

ns

of

the

eu

ro

% T

he

de

sig

n a

nd

den

om

ina

tio

ns

of

eu

ro

ba

nk

no

tes

an

d c

oin

s

% T

he

du

al

dis

pla

y o

f p

rice

s

% D

K/N

A

ESTONIA 1005 11.5 1.9 12.5 9.6 10 14.6 2.4 7.6 29.8

SEX

Male 453 9.9 1.3 11.8 6.7 11.1 17.8 3.2 7.8 30.4

Female 552 12.8 2.4 13.2 12 9.1 11.9 1.8 7.4 29.4

AGE

15 - 24 166 15.8 2.7 11.1 12.6 10.5 20 3.5 6.6 17.2

25 - 39 244 13 2.4 15.6 8 13.9 15.9 2.6 4.1 24.5

40 - 54 253 9 1.5 11.9 10.9 11.7 12.7 1.7 8 32.6

55 + 342 10.2 1.4 11.5 8.3 5.7 12.5 2.3 10.2 37.8

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 11.7 2.3 11.8 9.2 10.3 16.2 1.9 6.4 30.2

Rest of the country 279 10.9 0.8 14.4 10.6 9.3 10.5 3.9 10.5 28.9

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 64 16.2 0 7.8 10.6 5.7 22.6 1.7 2.2 33.3

Employee 317 11 2.3 13.9 9.5 10.9 14.2 3.2 6.6 28.5

Manual worker 194 10.9 1.7 13.6 11.9 12.7 12.8 1.6 7.7 27.2

Not working 426 11.6 2 11.9 8.6 8.8 14.2 2.4 9.2 31.4


page 68

Table 24. Most important euro-related issue about which respondents would like more information – second mentions

QUESTION: Q18b. What is the most important issue about the euro that you would like to have more information

on? – Secondly

Base: those who gave an answer firstly

To

tal

N

% S

ecu

rity

fea

ture

s

% T

he

va

lue

of

on

e eu

ro i

n k

oru

na

% F

air

ro

un

din

g

% H

ow

to

av

oid

bei

ng

ch

eate

d i

n e

uro

curr

ency

co

nv

ersi

on

s

% T

he

pra

ctic

al

imp

lica

tio

ns

of

the

euro

reg

ard

ing

yo

ur

sala

ry,

yo

ur

ba

nk

acc

ou

nt

% T

he

soci

al,

eco

no

mic

or

po

liti

cal

imp

lica

tio

ns

of

the

eu

ro

% T

he

de

sig

n a

nd

den

om

ina

tio

ns

of

eu

ro

ba

nk

no

tes

an

d c

oin

s

% T

he

du

al

dis

pla

y o

f p

rice

s

% D

K/N

A

ESTONIA 705 12.2 2.6 16.9 12.7 9.9 13.9 4.4 10 17.4

SEX

Male 316 13.2 2.3 17.7 12 10.3 15.3 4 9.3 15.8

Female 389 11.4 2.9 16.3 13.3 9.5 12.8 4.7 10.5 18.6

AGE

15 - 24 138 14.8 2.7 21.1 12.4 7.6 14.8 7 8.8 10.9

25 - 39 184 9.3 2.3 16.1 12.9 11.9 15.8 3.9 11.6 16.2

40 - 54 170 9.3 1.7 17.6 13.3 11.4 16.5 3.4 10.3 16.6

55 + 213 15.3 3.7 14.3 12.4 8.3 9.7 3.9 9.2 23.2

URBANISATION

Urban area 507 11 3.3 16.8 11.7 10.1 14.4 4 10.7 18

Rest of the country 198 15.2 0.9 17.1 15.5 9.3 12.8 5.4 8.2 15.6

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 42 10 0 10 18.5 6.2 12.8 0 17.4 25.2

Employee 227 12 2.9 18.5 12.7 10 14.7 3.3 9.8 15.9

Manual worker 142 11.4 0.6 12.9 12.3 14.4 16.4 5.2 13.2 13.5

Not working 292 13.1 3.8 18.7 11.6 8.1 12.4 5.4 7.6 19.3


page 69

Table 25. Satisfaction with the information provided by national authorities regarding the euro

QUESTION: Q19. How satisfied are you with the information provided by the national authorities regarding the

euro?

Total N % Very

unsatisfied

% Rather

unsatisfied

%

Rather

satisfied

% Very

satisfied

%

DK/NA

ESTONIA 1005 1.9 10.9 56.9 25.6 4.8

SEX

Male 453 2.8 11.2 54.6 25.2 6.2

Female 552 1.1 10.6 58.8 25.9 3.6

AGE

15 - 24 166 1.8 12.8 57.2 22.4 5.8

25 - 39 244 1.5 12.7 55.1 26.8 3.8

40 - 54 253 1 8.7 65.9 20.8 3.6

55 + 342 2.8 10.2 51.4 29.8 5.9

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 1.9 11.4 57 25.1 4.7


OCCUPATION

Self-employed 64 1.7 4.4 61.7 26.6 5.6

Employee 317 0.5 9.5 58.2 27.4 4.4

Manual worker 194 2.5 9.8 59.9 25.5 2.3

Not working 426 2.6 13 54.3 23.9 6.1


page 70

Table 26. Have you seen euro spots?

QUESTION: Q20. Have you seen the euro spots on TV?


ESTONIA 1005 83.1 16 0.9

SEX

Male 453 82.5 17 0.5

Female 552 83.6 15.2 1.2

AGE

15 - 24 166 83.4 16.6 0

25 - 39 244 84.6 15 0.4

40 - 54 253 84.5 14.9 0.6

55 + 342 80.8 17.3 1.8

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 80.4 18.4 1.1

Rest of the country 279 90 9.7 0.2

OCCUPATION


Employee 317 86.8 12.7 0.5

Manual worker 194 84.1 14.8 1.1

Not working 426 80.4 18.4 1.2


page 71

Table 27. The usefulness of the euro spots on TV

QUESTION: Q20A. How useful did you find them?

Base: those who saw the euro spots on TV

Total N % Not

useful at

all

% Rather

not

useful

% Rather

useful

% Very

useful

%

DK/NA

ESTONIA 835 8.2 14.2 51.3 22.6 3.6

SEX

Male 374 9.3 16.2 49.1 21.3 4.1

Female 461 7.3 12.6 53.1 23.7 3.2

AGE

15 - 24 139 6.3 17.8 39.1 34.3 2.6

25 - 39 206 11.4 13.2 56.1 17.3 2

40 - 54 214 8 10.6 55.3 21 5.1

55 + 276 7 16 50.8 22 4.2

URBANISATION

Urban area 584 10.2 15 50.8 20.6 3.5

Rest of the country 251 3.6 12.5 52.6 27.3 4

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 54 9 13.2 58.9 15.3 3.5

Employee 275 9.4 12 56.9 18.4 3.3

Manual worker 163 8.8 12.4 48.5 27 3.3

Not working 343 6.9 17.1 47 25.1 4


page 72

Table 28. Have you seen euro ads?

QUESTION: Q21. Have you seen the euro advertisements in Estonian magazines and newspapers?


ESTONIA 1005 64.2 32.5 3.3

SEX

Male 453 61.5 35.6 3

Female 552 66.4 30 3.6

AGE

15 - 24 166 73.5 23.7 2.8

25 - 39 244 59.3 38.1 2.5

40 - 54 253 64.5 32.7 2.8

55 + 342 62.9 32.6 4.5

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 64.2 32.7 3.1

Rest of the country 279 64 32 4

OCCUPATION

Self-employed 64 45.6 52.7 1.8

Employee 317 69.6 26.8 3.6

Manual worker 194 60.7 36.5 2.9

Not working 426 64.2 32.2 3.6


page 73

Table 29. The usefulness of the euro ads in magazines/newspapers

QUESTION: Q21A. How useful did you find them?

Base: those who saw the euro ads in magazines/newspapers

Total N % Not

useful at

all

% Rather

not

useful

% Rather

useful

% Very

useful

%

DK/NA

ESTONIA 645 5.7 9.6 59.4 21.2 4.2

SEX

Male 279 4.1 11.3 61.1 20.2 3.3

Female 366 6.9 8.2 58 22 4.8

AGE

15 - 24 122 7.5 7.6 54.3 27.7 2.9

25 - 39 145 5.2 11.2 68.5 13.5 1.6

40 - 54 163 6.7 10.5 60.6 17 5.2

55 + 215 4.3 8.9 55.1 25.9 5.8

URBANISATION

Urban area 466 6.2 10.2 58.9 20.3 4.4


OCCUPATION

Self-employed 29 2.2 16.8 66.3 14.7 0

Employee 221 4.5 9.6 67.5 15.9 2.4

Manual worker 118 4.5 8.6 55.3 25.2 6.5

Not working 274 7.6 9.3 53.3 24.8 5


page 74

Table 30. Have you received the euro calculator?

QUESTION: Q22. Have you received the euro calculator?


ESTONIA 1005 90.2 9.5 0.3

SEX

Male 453 88.5 11.2 0.4

Female 552 91.6 8.1 0.3

AGE

15 - 24 166 86 13.5 0.5

25 - 39 244 88 11.7 0.2

40 - 54 253 90.5 9.5 0

55 + 342 93.6 5.9 0.5

URBANISATION

Urban area 726 89 10.5 0.4

Rest of the country 279 93.3 6.7 0

OCCUPATION


Employee 317 89.9 10.1 0

Manual worker 194 92.9 7.1 0

Not working 426 89.9 9.3 0.7


page 75

Table 31. The usefulness of the euro calculator

QUESTION: Q22A. How useful did you find it?

Base: those who received the euro calculator

Total N % Not

useful at

all

% Rather

not

useful

% Rather

useful

% Very

useful

%

DK/NA

ESTONIA 907 10.9 9.4 37.5 39.6 2.6

SEX

Male 401 14 10.4 41.4 31.6 2.7

Female 506 8.5 8.6 34.4 45.9 2.6

AGE

15 - 24 143 11.6 10.7 31.1 45.2 1.5

25 - 39 215 13.7 10.2 39.3 34.7 2.2

40 - 54 229 11 7.5 40.4 38.4 2.7

55 + 320 8.8 9.6 37 41.2 3.4

URBANISATION

Urban area 647 11.5 9.8 37.4 38.6 2.7


OCCUPATION

Self-employed 56 9.5 8.3 51.1 29.7 1.4

Employee 285 11.1 13.3 39 34.2 2.5

Manual worker 181 15.2 4.3 37.7 42.3 0.6

Not working 383 9.1 9.1 34.4 43.5 3.9


page 76

Survey details

This survey “Survey among the general population on the introduction of Euro in Estonia " was

conducted for the European Commission, Directorate-General Economic and Financial Affairs – Unit

R4: External Communication.

The interviews were conducted in Estonia between the 16/01/2011 and the 20/01/2011 by the

Estonian partner institute, Saar Poll (70% webCATI and 30% F2F interviews).

Representativeness of the results

Each national sample is representative of the population aged 15 years and above.

Sizes of the sample

The sample size was planned 1000 respondents in Estonia, 1005 interviews were conducted in all.

A weighting factor was applied to the national results in order to compute a marginal total for the

country in proportion to its population.

Questionnaires

1. The questionnaire prepared for this survey is reproduced at the end of these results volume, in

English (see hereafter).

2. The institutes listed above translated the questionnaire in their respective national language).

3. One copy of national questionnaire is annexed to results.

Tables of results

VOLUME C : RESPONDENTS‟ DEMOGRAPHICS

The VOLUME C presents the country results with the following socio-demographic

characteristics of respondents as breakdowns:

Sex (Male, Female)

Age (15-24, 25-39, 40-54, 55 +)

Subjective urbanisation (In an urban area, in the rest of the country)

Occupation (Self-employed, Employee, Manual worker, Not working)


page 77

Sampling error

Surveys are designed and conducted to provide an estimate of a true value of characteristics of a

population at a given time. An estimate of a survey is unlikely to exactly equal the true population

quantity of interest for a variety of reasons. One of these reasons is that data in a survey are collected

from only some – a sample of – members of the population, this to make data collection cheaper and

faster. The “margin of error” is a common summary of sampling error, which quantifies uncertainty

about (or confidence in) a survey result.

Usually, one calculates a 95 percent confidence interval of the format: survey estimate +/- margin of

error. This interval of values will contain the true population value at least 95% of time.

For example, if it was estimated that 45% of EU citizens are in favour of a single European currency

and this estimate is based on a sample of 100 EU citizens, the associated margin of error is about 10

percentage points. The 95 percent confidence interval for support for a European single currency

would be (45%-10%) to (45%+10%), suggesting that in the EU the support for a European single

currency could range from 35% to 55%. Because of the small sample size of 100 EU citizens, there is

considerable uncertainty about whether or not the citizens of the EU support a single currency.

As a general rule, the more interviews conducted (sample size), the smaller the margin of error.

Larger samples are more likely to give results closer to the true population quantity and thus have

smaller margins of error. For example, a sample of 500 will produce a margin of error of no more than

about 4.5 percentage points, and a sample of 1,000 will produce a margin of error of no more than

about 3 percentage points.

Margin of error (95% confidence interval)

Survey

estimate

Sample size (n)

10 50 100 150 200 400 800 1000 2000 4000

5% 13.5% 6.0% 4.3% 3.5% 3.0% 2.1% 1.5% 1.4% 1.0% 0.7%

10% 18.6% 8.3% 5.9% 4.8% 4.2% 2.9% 2.1% 1.9% 1.3% 0.9%

25% 26.8% 12.0% 8.5% 6.9% 6.0% 4.2% 3.0% 2.7% 1.9% 1.3%

50% 31.0% 13.9% 9.8% 8.0% 6.9% 4.9% 3.5% 3.1% 2.2% 1.5%

75% 26.8% 12.0% 8.5% 6.9% 6.0% 4.2% 3.0% 2.7% 1.9% 1.3%

90% 18.6% 8.3% 5.9% 4.8% 4.2% 2.9% 2.1% 1.9% 1.3% 0.9%

95% 13.5% 6.0% 4.3% 3.5% 3.0% 2.1% 1.5% 1.4% 1.0% 0.7%

(The values in the table are the margin of error – at 95% confidence level – for a given survey

estimate and sample size)

The examples show that the size of a sample is a crucial factor affecting the margin of error.

Nevertheless, once past a certain point – a sample size of 800 or 1,000 – the improvement is small.

For example, to reduce the margin of error to 1.5% would require a sample size of 4,000.


page 78

Survey questionnaire

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR AN ESTONIAN CHANGEOVER SURVEY

____________________________________________________________

D1. How old are you?

.................................

- [DK/NA] ......................................................................................................

D2. Where do you live?

- in an urban area ................................................................................ 1

- in the rest of the country .................................................................. 2

- [DK/NA] .......................................................................................... 9

D3. Regarding your current occupation, are you …

- Self-employed ............................................................................................ 1

- Employee ................................................................................................... 2

- Manual worker .......................................................................................... 3

- Without a professional activity

(looking after the home, student, seeking a job, retired etc) ..................... 4

- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9

D4. RECORD RESPONDENT’S SEX

- Male ........................................................................................................... 1

- Female ....................................................................................................... 2

I. PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

Q1. When you pay cash, would you say that it is: very easy, rather easy, rather difficult or

very difficult to distinguish and to manipulate euro coins?

[READ OUT – ONE ANSWER ONLY]

- Very easy ................................................................................................... 5

- Rather easy ................................................................................................ 4

- Rather difficult ........................................................................................... 3

- Very difficult ............................................................................................. 2

- [Neither easy nor difficult, normal] ........................................................... 1

- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9

Q2. When you pay cash, would you say that it is: very easy, rather easy, rather difficult or

very difficult to distinguish and to manipulate euro bank notes?


- Very easy ................................................................................................... 5

- Rather easy ................................................................................................ 4



page 79

- Very difficult ............................................................................................. 2


- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9

Q3. In which currency do you count or calculate most often when you do [READ AND

ROTATE A-B]? [READ OUT – ONE ANSWER ONLY PER ITEM]

- Most often in euro...................................................................................... 1

- Most often in Estonian kroon ................................................................... 2

- As often in euro as in Estonian kroon ....................................................... 3

- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9

A) Exceptional purchases such as the purchase of goods with greater value ? 1 2 3 9

B) Common purchases such as day-to-day shopping ? ................................. 1 2 3 9

Q4. How easy or difficult is for you to convert from Estonian kroon to Euro?


- Very easy ................................................................................................... 5

- Rather easy ................................................................................................ 4


- Very difficult ............................................................................................. 2


- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9

Q5. And how easy or difficult is for you to understand the value in Euro?


- Very easy ................................................................................................... 5

- Rather easy ................................................................................................ 4


- Very difficult ............................................................................................. 2


- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9

Q6. Overall, do you find the dual displays of prices useful?


- Very useful ................................................................................................ 4

- Rather useful .............................................................................................. 3

- Rather not useful ........................................................................................ 2

- Not useful at all ......................................................................................... 1

- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9

Q7. Is your impression that the dual displays of prices are implemented correctly (clearly

identifiable displays, based on the conversion rate etc)?


- Implemented correctly ............................................................................... 4

- Mostly implemented correctly ................................................................... 3

- Mostly not implemented correctly ............................................................. 2

- Not at all implemented correctly ............................................................... 1

- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9


page 80

Q8. Did you buy one or more euro coin mini-kits before 1 January 2011?

- Yes ............................................................................................................. 1

- No .............................................................................................................. 2

- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9

[If the answer in Q8 = 2, i.e. no:]

Q9a. Why did you not buy a euro coin mini-kit?


- You did not want to do so .......................................................................... 1

- You were not aware of the possibility of buying mini-kits ....................... 2

- The bank(s) you contacted had no mini-kits available .............................. 3

- Other reason ............................................................................................... 4

- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9

[If the answer in Q8 = 1, i.e. yes:]

Q9b. What did you do with the starter kit(s)?


- I kept the kit untouched and did not use the coins ..................................... 1

- I opened the kit and used the coins ............................................................ 2

- I bought more than one kit and used only one (or some) .......................... 3

- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9

Q10. When you exchanged Estonian kroon cash into euro cash or withdrew euro cash with

banks in the first week of January, did you experience any problems?

- Yes ............................................................................................................. 1

- No .............................................................................................................. 2

- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9

[If the answer is 'yes':]

Q11. What kind of problems did you experience?

- Mentioned ....................................................... 1

- Did not mention .............................................. 2

- [DK/NA] .......................................................... 9

- Long queues at counters ............................................................................ 1 2 9

- There was not enough euro cash available at bank counters ..................... 1 2 9

- Long queues at ATMs (cash dispensers) ................................................... 1 2 9

- ATMs issued only Estonian kroon cash .................................................... 1 2 9

- ATMs were (temporarily) out of order ...................................................... 1 2 9

- Other problems .......................................................................................... 1 2 9

Q12. Overall, did the changeover to the euro in your view happen smoothly and efficiently, or

not?


- Very smoothly and efficiently ................................................................... 4

- Rather smoothly and efficiently ................................................................ 3

- Not smoothly and efficiently ..................................................................... 2

- No at all smoothly and efficiently ............................................................. 1

- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9


page 81

II. KNOWLEDGE

Q13. Which security features of euro banknotes can you list?

[DO NOT READ OUT – SEVERAL ANSWERS POSSIBLE]

- Security thread ........................................................................................... 1

- Watermark ................................................................................................. 2

- Gold-yellow stripe ..................................................................................... 3

- Hologram ................................................................................................... 4

- Colour changing number ........................................................................... 5

- See-through number .................................................................................. 6

- Other (lie colours, print, invisible security code, etc.) ............................... 7

- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9

III. Fears

Q14. Do you think that during and after changeover to euro it happened very often, often,

sometimes or not at all, that [ROTATE AND READ A-B] [READ OUT – ONE ANSWER PER LINE]

- Very often ................................................................................................. 4

- Often ......................................................................................................... 3

- Sometimes ................................................................................................. 2

- Not at all ................................................................................................... 1

- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9

A) Price conversion to Euro was not fair? ........................................... 1 2 3 4 9

B) Rounding of prices was not fair?...................................................... 1 2 3 4 9

Q14A. Do you think the euro will help to maintain price stability or, on the contrary, increase

inflation in Estonia?


- Will help maintain price stability .............................................................. 1

- Will increase inflation ............................................................................... 2

- [No impact] ................................................................................................ 3

- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9

IV. INFORMATION

Q15. Where do (did) you get information about the introduction? Firstly? Secondly?

[ROTATE - READ OUT – ONE ANSWER FOR “FIRSTLY” AND ONE ANSWER FOR

“SECONDLY”]

A) Government, national or regional authorities ....................................... 01

B) Public administration ............................................................................ 02

C) National Central Bank ........................................................................... 03

D) European Institutions ............................................................................ 04

E) Commercial banks ................................................................................. 05

F) Media .................................................................................................... 06

G) Trade unions, professional organisations, etc… ................................... 07


page 82

H) Consumer associations .......................................................................... 08

I) [Others - SPECIFY] ............................................................................... 09

J) [DK/NA] ................................................................................................ 99

- Firstly ........................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

- Secondly ...................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Q16. Which channels were the MOST efficient source of information during changeover

period?

[ROTATE - READ OUT – ONE ANSWER ONLY]

A) Television ............................................................................................. 01

B) Print media ............................................................................................ 02

C) Publications /brochures ......................................................................... 03

D) Radio ..................................................................................................... 04

E) Internet (http://euro.eesti.ee) ................................................................. 05

F) Free national euro telephone line .......................................................... 06

G) Presentations (shopping centres, fairs) ................................................. 07

H) Family, friends, co-workers .................................................................. 08

I) [I have not looked for/received information] ......................................... 09

J) [DK/NA] ................................................................................................ 99

Q17. To what extent do you feel informed about the euro? Do you feel…:


- Very well informed .................................................................................... 4

- Rather well informed ................................................................................ 3

- Not very well informed .............................................................................. 2

- Not at all well informed ............................................................................ 1

- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9

Q18. What is the most important issue about the euro that you would like to have more

information on? Firstly? Secondly?

[ROTATE - READ OUT – ONE ANSWER FOR “FIRSTLY” AND ONE ANSWER FOR

“SECONDLY”]

A) Security features ........................................................................................ 1

B) The value of one euro in Estonian kroon .................................................... 2

C) Fair rounding ............................................................................................... 3

D) How to avoid being cheated in euro currency conversions ........................ 4

E) The practical implications of the euro regarding your salary, your bank account… 5

F) The social, economic or political implications of the euro.......................... 6

G) The design and denominations of euro banknotes and coins ...................... 7

H) The dual display of prices ........................................................................... 8

I) [DK/NA] ...................................................................................................... 9

- Firstly ........................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

- Secondly ...................................................................... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9


page 83

Q19. How satisfied are you with the information provided by the national authorities

regarding the euro?


- Very satisfied ............................................................................................. 4

- Rather satisfied .......................................................................................... 3

- Rather unsatisfied ...................................................................................... 2

- Very unsatisfied ......................................................................................... 1

- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9

Q20. Have you seen the euro spots on TV?

- Yes ............................................................................................................. 1

- No .............................................................................................................. 2

- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9

[If the answer is „yes‟ in Q20, Q20=1]

Q20A How useful did you find them?


- Very useful ................................................................................................ 4

- Rather useful .............................................................................................. 3


- Not useful at all ......................................................................................... 1

- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9

Q21. Have you seen the euro advertisements in Estonian magazines and newspapers?

- Yes ............................................................................................................. 1

- No .............................................................................................................. 2

- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9


Q21A. How useful did you find them?


- Very useful ................................................................................................ 4

- Rather useful .............................................................................................. 3


- Not useful at all ......................................................................................... 1

- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9

Q22. Have you received the euro calculator?

- Yes ............................................................................................................. 1

- No .............................................................................................................. 2

- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9


Q22A. How useful did you find it?


- Very useful ................................................................................................ 4

- Rather useful .............................................................................................. 3


- Not useful at all ......................................................................................... 1

- [DK/NA] .................................................................................................... 9

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