Informations rapides
28 February 2017
2017- n° 54
Household consumption expenditure on goods bounced back in January (+0.6%) Household consumption expenditure on goods - January 2017

In January 2017, household consumption expenditure on goods increased in volume*(+0.6%), after a steep decline in December 2016 (−1.0%). Spending on energy sped up sharply. Purchases of food products picked up. The downturn in durable goods mitigated the recovery in overall consumption on goods.

Informations rapides
No 54
Paru le :Paru le28/02/2017
Prochaine parution le : 27/09/2024 at 08:45 - August 2024

In January 2017, household consumption expenditure on goods increased in volume*(+0.6%), after a steep decline in December 2016 (−1.0%). Spending on energy sped up sharply. Purchases of food products picked up. The downturn in durable goods mitigated the recovery in overall consumption on goods.

*Volumes are measured at chain-link previous year prices (2010 euro billions) and all figures are trading-day and seasonally adjusted.

Graph1Total consumption of goods

  • Source: INSEE

Energy : accelerating sharply

In January 2017, energy consumption shot up (+5.1%). Expenditure on gas and electricity soared, in particular for heating, after a drop in December. It was boosted by the coldest month of January since 2010. Purchases of refined products went also up (+1.6%), in particular in domestic heating oil.

Graph2Breakdown of energy

  • Source: INSEE

Engineered goods : declining again

In January, households reduced their consumption of engineered goods further (−1.0% after −0.7%). This drop is notably due to vehicle and clothing purchases.

Durables : steep downturn

In January, the decline in spending on durables deepened (−1.6% after −0.9% in December). Purchases of vehicles, in particular motorcycles, fell back sharply (−2.7%) after two months of rise. Conversely, expenditure on household durables picked up slightly after two months of decrease, despite a dip in furniture purchases.

Textile-clothing: decreasing

Expenses on clothing decreased for the third consecutive month. It fell deeper than in December (−2.2% after −0.5%). However, the drop was partially offset by an upturn in shoe purchases.

Other engineered goods: recovery

In January, households' purchases of other engineered goods recovered (+0.8% after −0.5%). In particular, expenditure on harware bounced back after two months of decline.

Graph3Breakdown of engineered goods

  • Source: INSEE

Food products : picking up slightly

In January, consumption of food products rebounded (+0.6%) after decreasing for four months (including −0.6% in December). In particular, spending on manufactured agrifoods rose anew, especially in dairy products. Furthermore, consumption of unprocessed agricultural goods levelled off after a quarter of steep downturn.

Graph4Food products, engineered goods and energy

  • Source: INSEE

The variation in December 2016 is revised downwards

The variation in household expenditure on goods in December 2016 is revised downwards by 0.2 points (−1.0% instead of −0.8%). Since the previous publication, new information has been integrated, particularly concerning textile-clothing and vehicles. Moreover, the seasonal adjustment coefficients have been updated.

TableHousehold consumption expenditure on goods

Variation in percentage
Household consumption expenditure on goods (Variation in percentage) -
Weight (1) Nov. 2016 Dec. 2016 Jan. 2017 Jan. 17 / Jan. 16 Q / Q-1 (2)
Food products 38 -0.2 -0.6 0.6 0.2 -0.5
Engineered goods 45 0.8 -0.7 –1.0 -0.7 0.2
- Inc. Durables 22 1.5 -0.9 -1.6 -0.3 0.5
- Automobiles 12 3.0 1.1 -2.7 1.2 2.1
- Household durables 8 -0.6 -3.6 0.3 -1.7 -1.9
- Inc. Textile-clothing 9 -0.8 -0.5 -2.2 -5.3 -1.2
- Inc. Other engineered goods 13 0.6 -0.5 0.8 2.1 0.6
Energy 17 1.8 -2.7 5.1 10.1 3.7
- Inc. Energy. water. waste 10 1.9 –3.0 7.5 14.2 5.6
- Inc. Refined Products 7 1.7 -2.4 1.6 4.7 1.1
Total 100 0.6 –1.0 0.6 1.4 0.5
- Inc. Manufactured goods 84 0.5 -0.7 -0.1 0.5 0.1
  • (1) Weighting in the consumption expenditure on goods in value in 2016
  • (2) Last three months / previous three months

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