Do europeans really lower their heating systems temperatures to save money?
Executive summary
Surveys and reporting show Europeans have in many instances reduced home heating — driven by government appeals, high energy prices and energy‑poverty pressures — but the response varies widely by country, income and season (Reuters reporting found average home thermostat settings fell by roughly 1°C in some markets) [1]. Independent investigations and NGO data also document that about 47 million people across the EU, Norway and Switzerland could not heat their homes sufficiently in winter — roughly 10.2% of the population — indicating that lower heating is sometimes enforced by hardship rather than choice [2].
1. Behaviour changed — but unevenly and for mixed reasons
Data reported by Reuters in January 2023 showed Europeans “dialled down their heating this winter,” with some households delaying switching on heating and average home settings dropping nearly 1°C in markets tracked by smart‑thermostat provider Tado; governments and public authorities also set lower temperatures in offices (e.g., German public offices to 19°C) [1]. At the same time, surveys such as Aira’s find large shares of people prepared to keep temperatures low and use clothing or blankets instead — again indicating both voluntary conservation and forced coping [3].
2. Cost and government messaging drove cuts, not only climate virtue
Reuters framed the trend as a response to government calls to conserve energy amid geopolitical shocks and high prices; governments in some countries directly imposed or recommended lower settings and offered financial help, which pushed behaviour as much as environmental concern [1]. The Aira survey explicitly ties lower heating decisions to “the financial crunch, soaring heating costs and environmental concerns,” showing cost is a primary motivator for many households [3].
3. Energy poverty tells a harsher story behind some headline figures
Investigations by Correctiv and reporting compiled in early 2025 found around 47 million people across the EU, Switzerland and Norway could not heat their homes sufficiently last winter — 10.2% of the population — with real examples of people heating only part of their homes to 16.5°C while other rooms fell to 12.5°C [2]. That number signals that lower indoor temperatures are sometimes a survival strategy driven by unaffordable bills, not simple thermostat discipline [2].
4. Geography and infrastructure shape who turns down thermostats
Responses are country‑specific: Reuters’ Tado data showed British customers were among the most likely to lower settings (about 79.6% of linked homes) while gas‑rich Norway showed smaller changes (47% of linked homes) and smaller drops in °C [1]. Structural facts — building design, prevalence of air conditioning, and heating systems — also matter: much of Europe has buildings optimized to retain heat and low home air‑conditioning penetration, which changes how people respond to both cold and heat [4] [5].
5. Short‑term weather and longer‑term climate interact with behaviour
Short‑term forecasts and seasons alter demand: some forecasts in late 2025 suggested milder Decembers in parts of Europe which reduces heating use, while other analyses warned of colder patterns in northern/central areas tied to polar‑vortex/La Niña dynamics [6] [7] [8]. Separately, Europe has seen record heat in 2025 and growing cooling demand in summer — so energy‑use tradeoffs are becoming seasonal and complex [9] [10].
6. Multiple viewpoints: conservation, policy and human cost
Official and commercial accounts emphasize successful conservation and policy compliance [1]. NGOs and investigative reporters highlight the human cost: millions facing inadequate heating, with health consequences and inequality implications [2]. Industry and climate analysts warn that behavioural savings in winter may be offset by rising summer electricity demand for cooling as heatwaves grow more common [10] [5].
7. What the sources do not settle
Available sources do not mention precise, continent‑wide statistics for the share of Europeans who voluntarily reduced heating purely to save money in the most recent winter; nor do they provide a definitive causal breakdown between voluntary conservation, government orders, and forced energy‑poverty reductions across all EU states (not found in current reporting). They also do not give a single up‑to‑date figure that reconciles smart‑thermostat samples with representative household surveys across all demographic groups (not found in current reporting).
Summary judgement: reporting and surveys establish that many Europeans have lowered home heating in recent years — but the picture is fragmented: some cuts reflect deliberate conservation encouraged by policy, while millions of others turn down thermostats because they cannot afford adequate warmth; outcomes vary by country, income and the seasonally shifting climate backdrop [1] [3] [2] [10].