Statistical bulletin: Consumer Trends, quarter 1

• Main points
• Summary of household expenditure in quarter 1 2015 (Jan to Mar 2015)
• Trends in household expenditure 
• Household spending by product
• Focus on prices in household expenditure
• Household final consumption expenditure revisions, quarter 1 2015 (Jan to Mar 2015)
• Guidance and methodology
• Background notes
• Statistical contacts

Main Points

• In quarter 1 2015 (Jan to Mar 2015), household spending (adjusted for inflation) grew by 0.9% (£2.3 billion). 
• The main contribution to growth can be seen in ‘Housing’, which includes ‘Electricity, gas and other fuels’ and ‘Imputed rentals’. This has increased by 1.1% compared with Q4 2014 (Oct to Dec 2014). The largest negative contribution to growth can be seen in ‘Miscellaneous goods and services’ which has fallen by 1.4% compared with Q4 2014 (Oct to Dec 2014).
• Household spending in volume terms increased to £259.0 billion in Q4 2007 (Oct to Dec 2007) before falling to £244.1 billion in Q2 2009 (Apr to Jun 2009). It has now increased to £266.6 billion, the highest volume spending since the start of the series. In each quarter since Q2 2014 (Apr to Jun 2014) volume spending has exceeded the previous high in Q4 2007 (Oct to Dec 2007).
• Household spending when compared with the same quarter a year ago has been showing positive growth each quarter since Q4 2011 (Oct to Dec 2011). It was 3.4% higher in Q1 2015 (Jan to Mar 2015), when compared with Q1 2014 (Jan to Mar 2014).
• The current price value of household spending, which includes inflation, shows how much UK households spent. In Q1 2015 (Jan to Mar 2015), current price spending increased by 0.2% compared with Q4 2014 (Oct to Dec 2014).
• The household expenditure implied deflator fell by 0.7% in Q1 2015 (Jan to Mar 2015) compared with the previous quarter (Oct to Dec 2014).

Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.1.0.