Household spending in decline

Household spending on goods and services was down by 1.9 percent in April 2013 on  April 2012. Spending has been in an almost continuous decline for nearly two years now. Most notably, households spent less on durable goods. Consumption figures have been adjusted for price changes and differences in the shopping-day pattern.

In April, households spent 9.6 percent less on durable items than twelve months previously. Car sales and spending on home furnishings declined most.  Household spending on food, drinks and tobacco was down by 2.2 percent. Spending on services was 0.3 percent lower.

By means of six indicators, the Household Consumption Radar shows whether circumstances for Dutch household consumption have become more or less favourable and which factors played a crucial part in these developments. June’s  Household Consumption radar shows that circumstances for consumption were just about as unfavourable as in the preceding month.

Domestic household consumption (volume, adjusted for shopping-days)