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Published: 30 December 2013

Consumption expenditure of student households decreased from 2006 to 2012

According to Statistics Finland's Household Budget Survey, households' consumption expenditure grew in real terms by 3.5 per cent per consumption unit ¹⁾ over the period 2006 to 2012 and was around EUR 24,000 in 2012. Among population groups, consumption of students diminished most. The consumption expenditure of unemployed persons and upper-level employees also decreased slightly compared with 2006. Among large population groups, consumption expenditure grew more than average in households of lower-level employees, workers and entrepreneurs. The real consumption expenditure of pensioner households went up by around two per cent. During 2012, a total of 3,551 households were interviewed for the Household Budget Survey.

Consumption expenditure by reference person’s socio-economic status in 2006 and 2012 (at 2012 prices, EUR/consumption unit)

In 2012, the amount of euros spent on consumption was biggest among households of entrepreneurs (excl. farmers) and upper-level employees, over EUR 30,000. In unemployed and student households, consumption expenditure amounted to approximately EUR 15,000. Consumption expenditure in households of lower-level employees, farmers and workers was in the middle consumption group. Pensioner households, already one third of all households, and the small group of other households ²⁾ , are placed between the middle consumption group and the group of low consumption level.

Consumption main categories by reference persons socio-economic status in 2006 and 2012 (at 2012 prices, EUR/consumption unit), part 1

	All households		Farmers		Other self-employed persons		Upper-level employees		Lower-level employees
	2006	2012	2006	2012	2006	2012	2006	2012	2006	2012
Total consumption expenditure	23 238	24 046	22 869	25 065	31 029	32 745	31 941	31 565	24 355	27 062
Food and non-alcoholic beverages	2 988	3 014	3 195	3 176	3 530	3 379	3 365	3 466	3 022	3 126
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco	635	564	292	492	788	762	743	548	707	566
Clothing and footwear	760	737	607	621	1 038	796	1 501	1 209	909	1 044
Housing	7 018	7 038	7 794	7 417	8 675	9 444	7 734	7 829	6 617	6 900
Home furnishings, appliances and materials	1 098	1 098	1 275	1 034	1 642	1 611	1 703	1 558	1 169	1 275
Health	797	808	478	483	946	913	754	771	677	737
Transport	3 400	3 950	3 636	4 072	4 927	6 257	5 384	6 145	3 808	4 521
Communications	500	592	542	620	582	768	576	664	546	671
Culture and recreation	2 177	2 458	2 111	3 004	3 217	3 400	3 471	3 287	2 228	3 234
Hotels, cafés and restaurants	1 039	1 004	531	656	1 520	1 488	2 116	1 775	1 272	1 423
Other goods, services and training	2 930	2 741	2 491	3 454	4 233	3 869	4 573	4 247	3 507	3 498
Number of households in the sample	4 007	3 551	132	100	237	222	774	687	686	652
Number of households in the population	2 455 000	2 594 999	43 806	33 994	144 378	145 838	409 652	444 004	394 312	435 440
Average household size	2,11	2,05	3,59	3,02	2,92	2,54	2,56	2,62	2,31	2,30
Consumption units in household, average (oecdmod)	1,49	1,47	2,13	1,90	1,82	1,68	1,67	1,69	1,57	1,57

Consumption main categories by reference persons socio-economic status in 2006 and 2012 (at 2012 prices, EUR/consumption unit), part 2

Consumption expenditure	Workers		Students		Pensioners		Unemployed		Others
	2006	2012	2006	2012	2006	2012	2006	2012	2006	2012
Total consumption expenditure	22 586	23 858	16 292	14 625	19 218	19 538	15 175	15 109	16 646	18 920
Food and non-alcoholic beverages	2 953	3 026	1 795	1 806	2 889	2 884	2 541	2 140	2 697	2 920
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco	747	763	533	317	431	457	959	668	480	558
Clothing and footwear	685	668	582	729	392	423	193	188	641	924
Housing	6 102	6 296	5 025	4 554	7 534	7 079	5 742	6 034	5 906	6 016
Home furnishings, appliances and materials	1 012	1 071	666	557	820	823	571	591	720	997
Health	559	500	388	293	1 164	1 101	347	625	360	469
Transport	3 967	4 511	2 052	2 049	1 997	2 428	1 464	1 339	1 462	2 683
Communications	537	667	437	560	387	460	547	513	568	570
Culture and recreation	2 133	2 360	1 664	1 251	1 544	1 808	1 135	1 405	1 261	1 534
Hotels, cafés and restaurants	1 058	1 136	1 256	1 067	325	346	381	431	1 061	560
Other goods, services and training	2 894	2 835	1 960	1 353	1 929	1 709	1 500	1 157	1 637	1 637
Number of households in the sample	819	587	122	101	1 102	1 075	98	80	37	47
Number of households in the population	471 369	432 326	83 609	93 938	748 021	873 321	112 975	93 123	46 873	43 009
Average household size	2,48	2,35	1,56	1,55	1,44	1,46	1,67	1,58	1,92	2,45
Consumption units in household, average (oecdmod)	1,63	1,59	1,24	1,25	1,22	1,23	1,28	1,25	1,36	1,57

Transport and culture and recreation maintained growth of consumption

Households' expectations on consumption possibilities have an effect on their consumption. According to the balance figures of the Consumer Survey, expectations were still positive in 2012, but much more pessimistic than in 2006 (the balance figure 10.8 in 2006 and 5.2 in 2012). Quite evidently, consumption in 2012 was affected by the general uncertainty of the economic situation.

Despite this uncertainty, more money was used on transport and culture and recreation in 2012 than in 2006. The real growth of consumption expenditure was directed to these two categories in most socio-economic groups. Excluding unemployed households, more money was spent on communications than in 2006. The real consumption expenditure of housing and food remained on the level of 2006.

Consumption expenditure by main categories in 2006 and 2012 (at 2012 prices, EUR/consumption unit)

Part of the growth in transport expenses is caused by the formulation of the question on vehicle maintenance which was changed in 2012. The data on maintenance costs are more comprehensive than in 2006. The growth in consumption expenditure of telecommunications can be explained by the changeover to smart phones and the prevalence of fast Internet connections.

The prices of audiovisual and computer equipment, for example, declined considerably over the six-year period, thus the nominal amount of money used on culture and recreation decreased in several sub-groups. Of the sub-groups households spent more on toys and leisure equipment, pets, computer games and pay TV than in 2006. Whereas fewer books and magazines were bought in 2012 than in 2006.

The consumption expenditure of transport, telecommunications and culture and recreation also grew between 2001 and 2006, so it would seem that households' consumption preferences have been quite constant throughout the 2000s.

1) The consumption units are based on the so-called OECD's modified scale. The first adult in the household is one consumption unit. Other persons in the household aged at least 14 each are 0.5 consumption units and children aged 0 to 13 each are 0.3 consumption units. A household with one adult member is one consumption unit, while a household consisting of spouses and one child aged under 14 together are 1.8 consumption units. Consumption calculated by means of consumption units takes into account the size differences between households and enables their comparison with one another.
2) The group of other households includes households of reference persons who are home-makers or on unpaid sick leave.

Source: Households’ consumption 2012 . Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Juha Nurmela 09 1734 2548, Tarja Hatakka 09 1734 3553, kulutus.tilastokeskus@stat.fi

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

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Updated 15.1.2014