What effect does poor consumer confidence have upon the nation's economy?

Consumer confidence is a measure of optimism about the state of the economy. When consumers are confident that the economy is doing well, which is to say that when consumer confidence is high, they tend to spend money on goods and services. When consumer confidence is poor, on the other hand, consumers tend to spend less and prioritize saving. Low consumer confidence can thus lead to a shortfall in demand, which can itself contribute a lower performing economy.