Consumption up in December

In December 2005, the volume of Dutch domestic household consumption was 0.9 percent up on the same month in the previous year. Spending on durable goods in particular was higher. Monthly figures have been corrected for price changes and differences in shopping day patterns.

Consumers spent 4.5 percent more on durable goods in December 2005 than in December 2004. They bought more clothes, shoes and consumer electronics in particular. Car sales, on the other hand, were in heavily in decline. Households also spent more on services than one year previously; the increase was 0.7 percent. Spending on food, beverages and tobacco fell by 1.7 percent.

Domestic household consumption increased by more than 1 percent in the second half of 2005. Even so, only a modest increase by 0.4 percent was realised over the year 2005, because domestic consumption in the first quarter was down on the same period one year previously.

In 2005, domestic household consumption amounted to almost 240 billion euro; 14 percent was spent on food, beverages and tobacco, 19 percent on durable goods and 54 percent on services. The share of services in domestic consumption is gradually rising and at the same time the share of goods is falling.

Domestic household consumption (volume)