Source:Insee

4 OCTOBER 2011

HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION of manufactured products steadied in the summer months, -0.3% in July followed by +0.1% as rain drenched shoppers and holiday makers alike, the wettest July month in the last ten years, according to Meteo France, the national weather forecast. Consequently, the summer sales effective from June 22nd  throughout July 26th failed to captivate bargain hunters since June had recorded +1% overall sales increases.

In July, sales of household equipment dipped -0.7% while textile-clothing products inversely increased +1% and recorded their second consecutive increase for the first time since 2009. Sales of other manufactured products (phone equipment, DVD equipment, dishwashers, cooking equipment, bicycles and motorcycles) edged up +0.2% while car sales declined -1.5%. National unemployment figures third consecutive increase and Greece's emergency EcoFin ministers meeting over a second bail-out pushed down consumption to minimalist levels due to lack of consumers confidence.

August moderate surge in overall household consumption of manufactured products resulted from car sales +0.9% increase while other sectors fell into negative territory: sales of household equipment decreased by 1.7%, textile-clothing products -2.3% and other manufactured products -0.2%.

In one year to August, household consumption rose +0.4%. Car sales fell -1% and textile-clothing -1.3% while household equipment stayed in the black and grew +2%. Consumption of other manufactured products rose +0.7%.