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Despite March sharp decrease (-2.9%), households’ consumption in goods slightly increased over the first quarter (+0.2%)

In March, households’ expenditure in goods decreased by 2.9% in volume*, after having increased by 2.9% in February. Over the first quarter, they increased by 0.2% (after +0.3% in Q4 2011). The decrease of expenditure in March was mainly explained by the decline of expenditure in energy products and, to a lesser extent, by that in food products.

[* Volumes are chained and all figures are trading days and seasonally adjusted.]

Engineered goods : slightly increasing in March (+0.3%)

Durables: increasing in March

Households’ expenditure in durables increased in March (+1.5%, after –0.9% in February). Over the quarter, they decreased by 3.3%, after +2.7% in Q4 2011. Despite March recovery (+2.3% after -0.5% in February), expenditure in car purchases decreased over the first quarter (-5.6%, after +4.4%). Purchases in household durables slightly increased in March too (+0.2% after -0.6% in February) but declined over the quarter (–0.9% after +0.3%).

Textile-leather: decreasing

Consumption of textile and leather decreased in March (-2.5%) after a dynamic February. It decreased by 0.8% over the first quarter (after +1.5%).

Other engineered goods: slight increase

Consumption expenditure in other engineered goods slightly increased in March (+0.2% after +0.3% in February), and over the first quarter (+0.2%, after +0.6% in Q4 2011).

Total consumption of goods

Total consumption of goods

Food and engineered goods

Food and engineered goods

Decomposition of engineered goods

Decomposition of engineered goods

Food products: decreasing in March after two months of increase

In March, consumption of food products decreased (–2.3%, after two consecutive months of increase). It rose by 1.0% over the first quarter, after -0.1% in Q4 2011.

Energy: return to “normal” after the cold spell

After a sharp increase in Fevruary due to heating purchases during the cold spell, households’ consumption in energy products fell in March (-11.3%). Over the first quarter, it increased by 4.0% (after -3.2% in Q4 2011).

The evolution of household consumption in goods in February is scaled up by 0.1 point.

The increase of household consumption in goods is now estimated at -2.9% in February, instead of –3.0% estimated the previous month.

This revision is notably due to the integration of new information, in particular concerning computer and electronic products, as well as the revision of seasonality.

Energy

Energy
Households consumption expenditures in manufactured goods
In chained billion euros
Janv. Févr. Mars Mars 12/ Q1 12/
2012 2012 2012 Mars 11 Q4 11
Food products 14.726 14.923 14.578
Change (%) 1.5 1.3 –2.3 –1.0 1.0
Engineered goods 20.392 20.542 20.607
change (%) –3.2 0.7 0.3 –2.3 –1.8
Of which:
Automobiles 4.667 4.643 4.747
Change (%) –8.3 –0.5 2.3 –9.9 –5.6
Household durables 5.185 5.157 5.165
Change (%) –2.9 –0.6 0.2 0.3 –0.9
Textile-leather 3.784 3.994 3.894
Change (%) –2.5 5.6 –2.5 –1.0 –0.8
Other en- gineered goods 5.760 5.780 5.793
Change (%) 0.2 0.3 0.2 1.3 0.2
Energy 6.2 7.0 6.2
Change (%) 2.5 11.6 –11.3 –3.0 4.0
Including petro- leum products 3.8 4.2 3.8
Change (%) 3.4 10.1 –10.0 –3.1 3.6
Total 41.299 42.504 41.265
Change (%) –0.5 2.9 –2.9 –2.0 0.2
Manufactured goods 35.858 36.386 35.998
Change (%) –1.0 1.5 –1.1 –1.9 –0.5

Informations Rapides

n° 111 - April 27, 2012

Household consumption expenditure on goods - March 2012

Next issue June 28, 2013 08:45 - May 2013

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