Consumer spending up by 2.7 percent in April

The CBS Consumption Radar shows that circumstances for Dutch household consumption are somewhat less favourable in June than in April.

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

Dutch consumers spend more on clothing and home furnishing articles

In April, Dutch consumers spent more on durable goods such as clothing and home furnishing articles. Consumer spending on food, beverages and tobacco products was more than 2 percent up from one year previously. Furthermore, consumers spent 2 percent more on the category ‘other goods’.

Last week, CBS already reported that - adjusted for the shopping-day pattern - retail turnover was almost 5 percent up in April on a year-on-year basis. The volume of sales grew by over 4 percent. This number was also adjusted for the shopping-day pattern.

Household spending on services - accounting for over half of total domestic consumer spending - rose by almost 2 percent compared to April 2016. These services include house rent, public transport, visits to restaurants or hairdressers and insurance premiums.

Consumer climate somewhat less favourable in June than in April

CBS publishes figures about circumstances for household consumption on a monthly basis. Household consumption is affected by consumers’ expectations, their personal financial situation and developments on the labour market.

According to the CBS Consumption Radar, circumstances for Dutch household consumption are somewhat less favourable in June than in April. This is mainly due to the fact that the mood of Dutch consumers about future unemployment deteriorated. The growth of the employed labour force on an annual basis was also lower than in april.

The figures presented in this news release are provisional and can be adjusted.