Household consumption over 11 percent up in March

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

Consumers spent more on durable goods and services

In March 2022, consumers spent 18.2 percent more on services such as telephone and internet subscriptions, insurances, visits to hairdressers, restaurants and football matches compared to March 2021 (adjusted for price changes). Spending on services accounts for over half of total domestic consumer expenditure.

Consumers spent 11.0 percent more on durable goods in March year on year. Spending on clothing, footwear, home furnishing and electrical appliances was up in particular. Non-essential shops in particular were still affected by a hard lockdown one year previously.

Adjusted for price changes, there was a year-on-year increase of 1.3 percent in the consumption of other goods such as natural gas, electricity, motor fuels and personal care products. Consumption of energy and motor fuels declined, but consumers spent more on personal care. Finally, consumption of food, beverages and tobacco was down by 3.1 percent relative to March 2021.

Three weeks ago, CBS reported that in March 2022 the volume of sales in retail trade grew by 3.7 percent relative to March 2021. The volume of sales in the non-food sector grew by over 21 percent, but shrank in the food sector by over 6 percent. These figures have also been adjusted for the shopping-day pattern.