Consumption up in September

Consumer expenditure has been showing an upward trend throughout 2005. This trend continued in September. Consumer expenditure rose for the fourth month in a row. The volume of domestic consumption was up by 1.1 percent on September 2004. The figures have been corrected for price changes and differences in shopping day patterns.

In September households spent 1.6 percent more on goods than in the same month last year. This was the highest growth rate so far in 2005. In particular, consumers spent more on food, beverages and tobacco. Expenditure on durable goods was up by 2.1 percent on September 2004. In the first half of 2005 expenditure on durable goods was down on the same period in 2004. Consumer spending on services showed a moderate growth in September.

The volume of domestic consumer expenditure was up by about 1 percent in the third quarter. In the first half of 2005 households spent less than in the first six months of 2004, but the differences narrowed month by month. In the first nine months of this year the level of consumer spending almost equalled the level in the same period of 2004.

Domestic household consumption (volume)