Survey of consumer expenditure, 1999

It has long been a general trend that Norwegians are spending a smaller share of their expenditure on food, thanks to the sustained prosperity of recent years. The higher ones income, the more common it is to spend a smaller percentage of that income (and therefore of consumption expenditure) on food.

Housing is the biggest expense

Housing is the item taking the largest share of consumption spending, with transport a close second. With a declining share of spending going to food, other product groups emerge as important expenditure items. Household spending on culture and recreation is now greater than spending on food. Spending on food is now down to being the fourth most important household expenditure item.

This is not because individuals are eating less, but because increased consumption goes to areas other than food. Also, people eat more outside the home, in restaurants and the like. In addition, the size of households is steadily declining, resulting in fewer mouths to feed.

Rent, power and fuel make up the largest expenditure item, at NOK 67 269 on average per household in 1999. This amounts to 24.8 per cent of total spending, that is, approximately one-fourth.

One-fifth for transport

Spending on transport appears to have stabilised its share of the total, at around 20 percent on average during the past four years. In 1999 transport amounted to 19 per cent or approx. one-fifth of household spending, at NOK 51 315.

The share of spending going to clothing and footwear has also been stable over the past four years, and is now at about six per cent for the average household and 5.9 per cent in 1999. When the share remains stable while total consumption increases, it means that expenditure in NOK is rising. Whereas the average household spent NOK 13 853 on clothing and footwear in 1996, it spent NOK 15 958 in 1999.

Furniture and household equipment make up slightly more than six per cent of spending on average, but there has been a slight decline in recent years. Average household spending is stable at just over sixteen thousand; for 1999 it was NOK 16 696.

Private expenditure on health care has increased slightly in the period from 1996, at NOK 8 399 or 3.1 per cent of spending in 1999.

Spending on postage and telephone services is increasing and comprises 2.5 per cent of expenditure or NOK 6 788 for the average household in 1999, whereas such spending totalled NOK 4 027 in 1996.

NOK 33 000 for culture and recreation

The third largest item of household spending is now culture and recreation, at NOK 33 417, with a share of 12.3 per cent in 1999, whereas in 1996 it was NOK 29 357, with a share of 11.7 per cent.

Education is a small expenditure item for the average household, at NOK 3 070 in 1999 or 1.1 per cent of spending.

Tables:

• Table 1 Expenditure per household per year, by commodity and service group. 1997-1999. 1999 prices. Kroner. Per cent
• Table 2 Expenditure per household per year in various types of household, by commodity and service group. 1997-1999. 1999 prices. Kroner
• Table 3 Expenditure per household per year in various regions, by commodity and service group. 1997-1999. 1999 prices. Kroner
• Table 4 Expenditure per household per year in various areas of residence, by commodity and service group. 1997-1999. 1999 prices. Kroner. Per cent