France Household Consumption Rebounds

Household consumption of goods in France rose 0.5% month-on-month in January 2026, more than market expectations of a 0.3% increase and following a downwardly revised 0.5% drop in the previous month. Spending on engineered goods rebounded (1.0% vs -0.8% in December), driven by increased purchases of durable goods (0.9% vs -0.9%), clothing and textiles (2.1% vs -1.8%), and other engineered goods (0.4% vs -0.1%). Food consumption also recovered (0.6% vs -0.5%), supported by spending on both unprocessed agricultural products and agri-food products. Meanwhile, energy expenditures fell 0.8%, reversing a 0.3% rise in December, due to a sharp decline in the consumption of unleaded petrol and diesel. On an annual basis, household spending rose by 0.4% in January, after a downwardly revised 0.8% fall in December.

Household consumption of goods in France dropped 0.6% month-on-month in December 2025, following a 0.3% decrease in November and exceeding expectations of a 0.4% fall. The decline was driven by a sharp pullback in engineered goods consumption (-1.0% vs +0.5% in November), as spending on durable goods (-1.2%) and textile-clothing (-2.1%) contracted notably, while other engineered goods were flat. Food consumption also continued to fall (-0.9% vs -0.1%), reflecting lower purchases of seasonal food items, particularly festive products, although tobacco consumption increased. By contrast, energy consumption rebounded (+0.8% vs -2.0%), supported by higher petrol and diesel use amid low fuel prices, even as gas and electricity demand declined due to unusually mild temperatures. On an annual basis, household consumption fell 1.0%, while it rose 0.4% on a quarterly basis compared with the previous period.

Household consumption in France unexpectedly fell 0.3% month-on-month in November 2025, defying market expectations of a 0.2% rise and reversing an upwardly revised 0.5% growth in October. It marked the first decline in household spending since July, mainly weighed down by lower energy spending (-2.0% vs 1.5% in October), driven by downturns in both gas and electricity consumption, as well as purchases of petroleum products. Spending on food products also dropped (-0.2% vs 0.3%), as rises in agricultural product consumption were offset by a sharp decline in agri-food product consumption. By contrast, spending on manufactured goods accelerated (0.4% vs 0.1%), driven by higher spending on durable goods and a rebound in spending on textiles and clothing. On an annual basis, household consumption was unchanged.