Informations rapides
27 April 2012
2012- n° 111
Despite March sharp decrease (-2.9%), households’ consumption in goods slightly increased over the first quarter (+0.2%) Household consumption expenditure on goods - March 2012

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.

Informations rapides
No 111
Paru le :Paru le27/04/2012
Prochaine parution le : 27/09/2024 at 08:45 - August 2024

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).

graph1_new_angTotal consumption of goods

graph2_new_angFood and engineered goods

graph3_new_angDecomposition 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.

english_trimHouseholds consumption expenditures in manufactured goods

In chained billion euros
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

    graph4_new_angEnergy

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