Household consumption nearly 9 percent up in May

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© Hollandse Hoogte / Luuk van der Lee Fotografie
According to figures released by Statistics Netherlands (CBS), consumers spent 8.8 percent more in May 2021 than in the same month last year. The growth rate was slightly lower than in April, when household consumption was 9.7 percent up year-on-year. April’s growth was the highest recorded by CBS after World War II. The high growth rates in April and May 2021 can largely be attributed to the extremely low household consumption level in the spring of 2020 as a result of the first lockdown. In May 2021, household consumption was still 4.2 percent lower than in May 2019.

Consumption figures have been adjusted for price changes and differences in the shopping-day pattern.

Domestic household consumption (volume, adjusted for shopping days)
Year MonthChange (year-on-year % change)
2017June2.7
2017July2.5
2017August2.3
2017September3.3
2017October1
2017November2.6
2017December1.7
2018January1.7
2018February3.2
2018March3
2018April3.2
2018May2
2018June2.6
2018July2.8
2018August2.6
2018September2
2018October2.1
2018November2.2
2018December1.7
2019January1.3
2019February0.9
2019March1.4
2019April1.5
2019May2.5
2019June1.4
2019July1.1
2019August1.1
2019September2
2019October2
2019November1.7
2019December3.1
2020January1
2020February1.2
2020March-6.4
2020April-17
2020May-12
2020June-7
2020July-2.4
2020August-2
2020September-3.7
2020October-6
2020November-6.4
2020December-11.6
2021January-13.1
2021February-11.6
2021March-0.4
2021April9.7
2021May8.8

Consumers spent more on both goods and services

In May 2021, consumers spent 19.5 percent more on durable goods than in May 2020. Spending on clothes, footwear and passenger cars was up in particular.

Consumers spent 0.5 percent more on food, beverages and tobacco than one year previously. Consumption of other goods, such as natural gas, electricity and motor fuels, was 10.9 percent up. Due to lower temperatures, households consumed more natural gas. Spending on motor fuels was also higher.

In May 2021, consumers spent 6.8 percent more on services such as telephone and internet subscriptions, insurance, visits to hairdressers, restaurants, and football games than in May 2020. This can partly be attributed to the relaxation of the COVID-19 measures as of 19 May 2021. From that day onwards, zoos, amusement parks, libraries, gyms and rental agencies for recreational activities were allowed to open again. Furthermore, bars and restaurants were allowed to open their terraces until 8pm instead of 6pm. In general, spending on services accounts for over half of total domestic consumer expenditure.

Three weeks ago, CBS reported year-on-year turnover growth in retail trade of 9.7 percent in May 2021. Turnover was up considerably in the non-food sector and slightly down in the food sector. Online turnover was 16 percent higher than in May 2020. These figures have also been adjusted for the shopping-day pattern.

Domestic household consumption by category (volume, adjusted for shopping days), May 2021
 Change (year-on-year % change)
Durable goods19.5
Other goods (e.g. gas)10.9
Services6.9
Food, drinks and tobacco0.5
Total8.8

The figures presented in this news release are provisional and subject for revision.