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Facing shrinking budgets, more European consumers are turning to debit cards to manage their spending, suggest survey data from MasterCard Europe. The findings are based on surveys of 3,000 consumers from six European countries conducted in March by United Kingdom-based research firm TNS. Seventy-eight percent of respondents said they "actively plan to spend less on daily expenses," with that rate higher among consumers in Italy (89%) and in France (85%), MasterCard says in statement released Wednesday. Meanwhile, as more consumers are turning to debit, loyalty programs attached to the cards are gaining more importance, with 40% of respondents calling them an "important incentive," the statement says. Tighter personal budgets also are leading more consumers to shop online for the best values, with 66% of respondents saying they plan to do more Web shopping.
