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Households consumption of goods was stable in December, slightly decreased over the fourth quarter (-0.1%)

In December, households expenditure on goods were stable in volume*, after a 0.2% increase in November. A bounce in car purchases offset the decline of expenditure on energy products.

Over the fourth quarter, consumption of goods slightly decreased (–0.1%, after +0.2% in Q3). Overall in 2012, expenditure on goods decreased by 0.2% on average, after a stability in 2011. Expenditure on manufactured goods decreased by 0.8% in 2012 (after +0.9% in 2011), the largest decline since 1993.

Engineered goods : increasing

Durables: rebound at the end of the year

Households expenditure on durable goods bounced in December (+2.2%, after –0.2% in November). This acceleration was mainly due to a bounce in car purchases (+4.6%, after –1.0%), partly because households expected a strengthening of penalties on the purchase of polluting cars from January,1st 2013. However purchases in household durables decreased (–0.4%, after +1.8%).

Over the fourth quarter, expenditure on durable goods increased by 1.2%, after +0.1% in Q3. Those on household durables bounced (+1.6%, after –0.4% in Q3). Moreover, expenditure on cars speeded up: +0.9%, after +0.5% in Q3; nevertheless it did not offset the sharp decrease at the beginning of the year: in 2012, car purchases plummeted by 4.4%.

Total consumption of goods

Total consumption of goods

Food and engineered goods

Food and engineered goods

Decomposition of engineered goods

Decomposition of engineered goods

Textile-leather: decreasing

Households consumption of textile and leather decreased again in December (–0.6%, after –0.6% in November); over the quarter, they declined by –0.9%, after a rebound during summer (+3.9%).

Other engineered goods: stability

In December, expenditure on other engineered goods were stable (after +0.2% in November). The fall of expenditure on hardware was offset by the growth of consumption in health products. Over the fourth quarter, the increase is +0.6%, after +0.4% in the previous quarter.

Food products: almost stable

Consumption of food products was almost stable in December (+0.1%, after –0.5% in November). Over the fourth quarter, it dropped by –1.0%, after a 0.6% increase in Q3.

Energy: decreasing

Households consumption of energy products declined in December (–2.8%, after +2.2% in November), Expenditure for heating purposes notably decreased because of particularly mild temperatures at the end of the year. Purchases in carburant declined too. Over the fourth quarter, the consumption of energy products was almost stable (+0.1%), after –2.3% in Q3.

The evolution of household consumption of goods in November is not revised

The increase in consumption of goods in November is still estimated at +0.2%, as it was for the previous publication. Some minor revisions offset each other.

Energy

Energy
Households consumption expenditure on goods
In chained billion euros
Oct. Nov. Déc. Déc.12/ Q4 12/
2012 2012 2012 Déc.11 Q3 12
Food products 14.684 14.614 14.634
Change (%) –0.5 –0.5 0.1 –0.5 –1.0
Engineered goods 20.813 20.784 20.995
change (%) 0.3 –0.1 1.0 –1.2 0.6
Of which:
Automobiles 4.744 4.695 4.910
Change (%) 1.1 –1.0 4.6 –3.8 0.9
Household durables 5.208 5.303 5.284
Change (%) 0.1 1.8 –0.4 –0.4 1.6
Textile-leather 3.865 3.843 3.821
Change (%) –1.0 –0.6 –0.6 –2.6 –0.3
Other engineered goods 6.006 6.015 6.017
Change (%) 0.1 0.2 0.0 1.3 0.6
Energy 6.384 6.523 6.343
Change (%) 0.1 2.2 –2.8 4.0 0.1
Including petroleum products 3.887 3.966 3.827
Change (%) 0.1 2.0 –3.5 2.2 –0.5
Total 41.825 41.893 41.889
Change (%) 0.0 0.2 0.0 –0.1 –0.1
Manufactured goods 36.249 36.229 36.319
Change (%) 0.1 –0.1 0.3 –0.6 –0.1

Informations Rapides

n° 26 - January 31, 2013

Household consumption expenditure on goods - December 2012

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

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