2026.01.0907:55:26UTC+00France Household Spending Drops Unexpectedly

In November 2025, household consumption in France saw an unexpected decrease of 0.3% month-on-month, counter to market predictions of a 0.2% increase. This downturn follows a revised upward growth of 0.5% in October and signifies the first drop in household spending since July. The decline was predominantly influenced by a reduction in energy expenditures, which fell by 2.0% compared to a 1.4% increase in October. This reduction was primarily driven by decreased usage of gas and electricity, along with reduced purchases of petroleum products. Additionally, spending on food products saw a slight decline of 0.2%, after a 0.3% rise in the previous month. This was due to an increase in the consumption of agricultural products being counterbalanced by a notable decrease in agri-food product consumption. Conversely, spending on manufactured goods rose by 0.4%, up from 0.1%, spurred by increased expenditure on durable goods and a recovery in the purchase of textiles and clothing. On a year-over-year basis, household consumption remained steady.