Overview

• An AXA/YouGov poll conducted in early August found 40% of 2,009 adults now save less for retirement, up from about 38% in 2024 and 32% in 2023.
• Thirty-five percent report no private investing for old age, roughly half say they cannot afford to save more, and 51% do not plan to rely solely on the statutory pension.
• Overall inflation eased to 2.0% year on year in June and July, yet higher food and service prices continue to strain household budgets.
• The VdK social association labeled the situation a “gesellschaftlicher Notfall,” warning of a growing risk of old‑age poverty.
• Independent adviser Matthias Wolf alleges opaque insurer longevity assumptions depress payouts and proposes a Nutri‑Score‑style label; new DRV data show an average pension of €1,154 and 21.4 million recipients.