The increase in purchasing power boosted household consumption in 2015

Households benefitted from an acceleration in their purchasing power in 2015: their gross disposable income increased more markedly in 2014 in a context of falling prices. These increases in purchasing power were mainly reflected in their consumption expenditure, which rose 1.5% after + 0.7% in 2014. Their savings ratio increased slightly (+ 0.1 percentage points, as in 2014). Car purchases contributed most to the increase in expenditure; these rebounded considerably after several difficult years. Housing-related expenditure also recovering due to a rising heating budget, after a particularly mild year 2014. In addition, food consumption accelerated. In contrast, spending on telecommunications services and technological goods contracted. Spending on leisure rose at the same pace as in 2014.