BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION, 2022

Basic characteristics of household consumption were calculated on the basis of data collected by the Household Budget Survey. The Survey is carried out on a random sample of private households. Given that the data were collected in 2022, they are expressed in national currency – Croatian kuna.

The selected sample for 2022 included 5 616 dwellings occupied by private households, out of which 1 391 were successfully interviewed. The response rate at the household level was 28.0%.

According to the Household Budget Survey, consumption expenditure amounted to 110 446 kuna per household on average in 2022.

The structure of household expenditure is presented in thirteen major groups of products and services according to the Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose (COICOP) 2018.

In 2022, observed by major groups, the largest share in consumption expenditures was accounted for by expenditure on Food and non-alcoholic beverages, 27.0%, followed by expenditure on Transport, 15.5%, and on Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, 14.5%. Expenditure on Clothing and footwear had a share of 7.2% in total expenditure, on Information and communication of 6.3%, on Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance of 6.2%, on Personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods and services, and Restaurants and accommodation services of 4.9% each. All other groups had a share of less than 4.0% in total household expenditure.

Table 1 shows the amount and the structure of average consumption expenditure per household in 2022 by major groups, subgroups and classes defined by the Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose (COICOP). The following paragraphs contain information on groups with the largest shares in total household expenditure and their average amounts in 2022.

Expenditure on the Food and non-alcoholic beverages group amounted to 29 811 kuna per household on average, out of which expenditure on food had the largest share, 91.9%.

Expenditure on the Transport group amounted to 17 167 kuna per household on average, out of which expenditure on the operation of personal transport equipment had the largest share, 73.0%.

Expenditure on the Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels group amounted to 16 062 kuna per household on average, out of which expenditure on electricity, gas and other fuels, (62.5%) and expenditure on water supply and miscellaneous services relating to the dwelling (26.9%) had the largest shares.

Expenditure on the Clothing and footwear group amounted to 7 922 kuna per household on average, out of which expenditure on clothing had the largest share, 73.0%.

Expenditure on the Information and communication group amounted to 6 985 kuna per household on average, out of which expenditure on information and communication services had the largest share, 87.4%. Expenditure on the Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance group amounted to 6 870 kuna per household on average, out of which expenditure on goods and services for routine household maintenance (31.9%) and expenditure on furniture, furnishings and loose carpets (31.2%) had the largest shares. Expenditure on the Personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods and services group amounted to 5 437 kuna per household on average, while expenditure on the Restaurants and accommodation services group amounted to 5 422 kuna per household on average.

Table 2 presents data on consumed quantities of food products and beverages – annual average per household member. Consumed quantities include food and beverages purchased for consumption in the household, consumed food and beverages from own production and food and beverages received as gifts. Data on consumed quantities do not include food and beverages purchased and consumed in hotel and restaurant establishments (restaurants, hotels, cafés, snack bars, canteens, catering).

According to the Household Budget Survey 2022, Table 3, most households live in their own dwelling or house, 92.7%. Almost all households are equipped with basic durables such as a refrigerator, a television and a washing machine. A total of 78.6% of households own a car, 65.1% have a microwave oven, 62.8% have a dishwasher and 55.1% have an air conditioning device.

NOTES ON METHODOLOGY

The Household Budget Survey (HBS) is a survey that is carried out on a sample of private households. The Survey collects data on household consumption expenditures as well as data on socio-economic and demographic characteristics of households.

The Survey is in line with Eurostat’s methodological recommendations, and international standards and classifications. The structure of household consumption expenditures is observed according to the Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose (COICOP). In the 2022 Survey, the Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose 2018 was applied. Therefore, the data for 2022, presented in tables 1 and 2, are not completely comparable with data from previous years due to the difference in the number of main groups and their coverage. According to the methodology, the Survey only covers private households, while institutional households (e.g. persons residing in homes for the elderly, hospitals for long-term treatments, prisons, monasteries, etc.) as well as the consumption realised by foreign tourists are excluded.

The aim of the Household Budget Survey is to provide a picture of the amount and the structure of household consumption expenditures according to the groups defined by the Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose and according to various socio-economic characteristics of households. In addition to data on consumption expenditures, the Survey also provides data on the availability of durables, housing conditions, and so on. The Survey data are used for the calculation of weights used in monitoring consumer price indices as well as for measuring final household consumption (a part of the system of national accounts).

Data collection

Survey data are collected for 12 months and this period corresponds to the calendar year. Field interviews are carried out in 26 two-week intervals throughout the year. This means that a part of the total sampled households is interviewed every two weeks. The results are published on an annual basis.

Survey data are collected using an electronic questionnaire (the CAPI method) and a diary. Data on socio-economic characteristics of household members as well as on most personal consumption expenditures are collected by interviewing. Data on the consumption of food, beverages, tobacco and selected consumer goods are collected by a diary kept by a household for 14 days. The field work is carried out by educated interviewers and their work is organised by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, which further checks and processes the data and prepares tables. Due to the circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, in addition to the usual interviewing using the CAPI method, telephone interviewing using the CATI method was also applied.

According to the Official Statistics Act (NN, No. 25/20), the confidentiality of all personal data on a household and its members given by respondents is guaranteed. The collected data are used solely for statistical purposes and are published in aggregate form.

Basic definitions

Household is every family or other community of individuals who live together and spend their income together for meeting basic existential needs (accommodation, food and so on). Every person who lives alone is also considered a household (one-person household).

Household consumption expenditures refer to financial and natural consumption of products and services used for meeting the existential needs of household members. According to the Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose 2018, consumption expenditures are classified into thirteen major groups: 01 Food and non-alcoholic beverages, 02 Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 03 Clothing and footwear, 04 Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, 05 Furnishing, household equipment and routine household maintenance, 06 Health, 07 Transport, 08 Information and communication, 09 Recreation, sport and culture, 10 Education services, 11 Restaurants and accommodation services, 12 Insurance and financial services, and 13 Personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods and services. In Table 1, data for group 04 do not include the amount of imputed rent. When comparing data with other EU countries, imputed rent is included in household expenditures in order to equalise measuring of housing costs, which depend on the type of ownership of the dwelling unit (which differs from country to country).

Group 01 Food and non-alcoholic beverages includes expenditure on bread and cereal products, meat and meat products, fish and fish products, milk and dairy products, oils and fats, fruits and vegetables, sugar, jam, confectionery, other food products and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as the services of processing of primary products, produced by the household, into food and non-alcoholic beverages, which are used for consumption in that household (e.g. the service of milling grains into flour).

Group 02 Alcoholic beverages and tobacco includes expenditure on all types of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products, as well as the services of processing of primary products, produced by the household, into alcoholic beverages, which are used for consumption in that household.

Group 03 Clothing and footwear includes expenditure on all types of clothing and footwear for men, women and children, as well as repair, cleaning services and hire of clothing and footwear.

Group 04 Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels includes expenditure on rent, imputed rent, utility services, electricity, water, gas, materials and services for maintenance, repairs and security of the dwelling. Expenditure data shown for this group do not include imputed rent. Imputed rent refers to the categories of owners of a dwelling (house) and other categories of occupants who are not subtenants and expresses the assumed amount of the rent that a household that lives in its own dwelling would have paid if it had rented the same type of dwelling for its needs.

Group 05 Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance includes expenditure on furnishings, household textiles, repair of furniture and household equipment, expenditure on the purchase of dishes and household appliances, house and garden tools, and expenditure on products and services for household maintenance.

Group 06 Health includes expenditure on the purchase of pharmaceutical products (medicines, preparations, vaccines, herbal and homeopathic medicines), medical products (e.g. health check tests, blood pressure monitors) and assistive medical products. It also includes expenditure on health care services (outpatient and inpatient care services).

Group 07 Transport includes expenditure on the purchase of personal vehicles and spare parts, expenditure on vehicle maintenance and repairs, purchase of fuel and lubricants, and expenditure on passenger transport services. It also includes expenditure on postal and courier services and other transport services for goods.

Group 08 Information and communication includes expenditure on telephone services and equipment and the purchase of information processing equipment, television sets and antennas, and unrecorded recording media. It also includes expenditure on television and radio subscriptions, internet services and various bundled telecommunication services.

Group 09 Recreation, sport and culture includes expenditure on the purchase of equipment for sports, recreation and culture, expenditure on pets, expenditure on sports and cultural services, games of chance, purchase of books, stationery and writing materials and expenditure on package holidays.

Group 10 Education services includes expenditure on education services. The coverage of education services is based on the categories defined by the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 2011). It includes expenditure on pre-school education for children of three years and over, expenditure on school registration fees in primary, secondary and tertiary education, and expenditure on non-formal education. It is important to note that expenditure, for example, on the purchase of books, is included in group 09, while expenditure, for example, on accommodation of pupils and students, is included in group 11, not in group 10.

Group 11 Restaurants and accommodation services includes expenditure on food and beverage serving services (in inns, restaurants, cafés, canteens and similar), expenditure on accommodation services in hotels, motels, hostels, apartments, mountain lodges and camping sites, and accommodation services in student dormitories.

Group 12 Insurance and financial services includes expenditure on various types of insurance (e.g. connected with health, dwellings, transport) and financial services (e.g. services provided by banks and financial advisors).

Group 13 Personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods and services includes expenditure on products and services for personal care (e.g. services of hairdressing salons), purchase of personal effects, payment of social protection services (e.g. homes for the elderly) and other services (e.g. notaries).

Sampling design and sample size

The survey was carried out on a random sample of private households in the Republic of Croatia. Housing units located on the islands form a specific spatial unit and, due to their limited accessibility, were not selected in the survey sample except for the housing units located on the islands connected to the mainland by a bridge (Krk, Čiovo, Vir, Murter and Pag). The sample frame used for the selection of dwellings occupied by private households was based on data obtained from the Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in the Republic of Croatia 2011.

The sample for the Household Budget Survey 2022 was selected in two stages. In the first one, 468 segments were selected (segments are territorial units consisting of one or several neighbouring enumeration areas). In the second stage, 12 occupied dwellings were randomly selected from each of the selected segments. Thus, 5 616 dwellings occupied by private households were selected in the sample.

A total of 1 391 private households were successfully interviewed. The response rate at the household level was 28.0%.

Abbreviations
CAPI	computer-assisted
CATI	computer-assisted telephone intervju
COVID-19	COrona VIrus Disease-19
NN	Narodne novine, official gazette of the Republic of Croatia
EU	European Union
Eurostat	Statistical Office of the European Union
kg	kilogram
l	litre
n.e.c.	not elsewhere classified
pcs	pieces

 

Symbols
.	not zero, but not presented because of an extremely inaccurate estimation
-	no occurrence
p	less accurate estimation

 

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Hrvoje Žagmeštar, Andreja Pajtak i Andreja Zrnčić

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