Index of household consumption of goods, November 2002

The unadjusted volume index of commodity consumption was 4.5 per cent higher in November 2002 than in November last year.

The index of commodity consumption aims at describing the development in the households' consumption of goods, while the index of retail sales is an index measuring the development in retail sales.

Figures from December for the index of commodity consumption will be published along with the index of retail sales on the 28th of January.

Method differs from the index of retail sale

As opposed to the index of retail sales, the index of commodity consumption also includes goods not sold in retail trade, it is based on sales in more industries and calculated with a weighting consistent with the share of the sales actually allocated to the households. This can result in deviations in the development in the two indices. The calculation of the index of commodity consumption is based on information from the index of retail sales. In addition, the index of commodity consumption uses information about purchases of cars and motorcycles, sales of petrol and oil (to petrol stations) and household consumption of electricity.

The index of commodity consumption uses the same definitions and methods of compilation as the Quarterly National Accounts. The index of commodity consumption is thus an indicator of household consumption of goods in the Quarterly National Accounts.