Swedish Household Spending Rebounds in May

Household spending in Sweden increased 0.7% month-on-month in May 2026, rebounding from a 0.8% drop in the previous month. Consumption recovered for housing and utilities (1.4% vs -0.1% in April), transportation (1.3% vs -5.5%), and restaurants and hotels (1% vs -0.1%). At the same time, spending declined at a slower pace for clothing and footwear (-0.2% vs -5.8%), recreation and culture (-2.6% vs -5.3%), and miscellaneous goods and services (-1.3% vs -3.8%), while consumption recorded an increase for information and communication (2.6% vs 2.5%). On the other hand, spending moderated for food and non-alcoholic beverages (1.3% vs 1.8%) and dropped for alcoholic beverages and tobacco (-0.4% vs 1.7%) and healthcare (-4.5% vs 3.1%). On a yearly basis, household consumption advanced 3.4% in May, following a 1.8% rise in the preceding period.

Household spending in Sweden increased 1.4% month-on-month in March 2026, picking up from an upwardly revised 0.2% rise in the previous month. This marked the highest reading since November 2025, mainly driven by stronger consumption of clothing and footwear (3.4% vs 0.4% in February), transport, retail trade, and motor vehicle services (2.3% vs 0.7%), post and telecommunications (3.2% vs 1.1%), and recreation and culture (3.7% vs 1.4%). At the same time, spending rebounded in food and beverages (3.1% vs -0.4%), restaurants, cafes, hotels, and other accommodation services (1.6% vs -1.4%), and other goods and services (4.5% vs -4.0%). Meanwhile, consumption slowed for furniture, furnishings, household equipment, and consumables (0.6% vs 0.8%), while it declined for housing, electricity, gas, and heating (-1.7% vs 0.5%). On a yearly basis, household consumption climbed 4.1%, accelerating from an upwardly revised 1.9% increase in the previous month.

Household spending in Sweden edged up by 0.1% month-on-month in February 2026, easing from a downwardly revised 0.5% growth in the previous month. Spending slowed in housing, electricity, gas, and heating (0.3% vs 1.1% in January), clothing and footwear (0.4% vs 0.8%), furniture, and furnishings, household equipment, and consumables (0.9% vs 2.3%), while consumption was flat in transport, retail trade, and motor vehicle services (vs 5.9%). At the same time, spending declined in food and beverages (-0.4% vs 0.2%) and restaurants, cafes, hotels, and other accommodation services (-1.4% vs 1.6%). Meanwhile, consumption recovered in post and telecommunications (0.9% vs -3.8%) and recreation and culture (1.3% vs -3.8%). On a yearly basis, household consumption grew by 1.8% in February, following an upwardly revised 2.9% rise in the preceding period.