In terms of value, expenses seem to have decreased by 0.4% with respect to the same period in 2013 and volumes decreased by 0.7%.
People spend 0.6% less on food and 1.5% more on drinks, although the volumes of both drinks and food have gone down by 1.1% and 0.5% respectively.
Although it seems that expenditure is improving, we must keep in mind that the data is compared to 2013, the worst year for Italian families so far with -3.1% in terms of value and -1.3% in terms of volumes.
In the first eight months of 2014, meat, grain, sweets, oil, vegetable fats and fish contributed to the improvement, whereas fresh produce and dairy products counter-trended.
Fresh produce recorded in fact -3.3% in terms of value and -0.8% in terms of volume with respect to 2013. More in detail, people spent 4.3% less on vegetables and 2.7% less on fruit. As regards processed produce, the volume and value of vegetables decreased by 1.8% and 1.9% respectively, whereas fruit lost 1.1% in terms of volume but gained 1.3% in value.
Product category | Var.% 13/12 (Vol.) | Var.% 13/12 (Val.) | Var.% Jan-Aug14 /Jan-Aug13 (Volume) | Var.% Jan-Aug14 /Jan-Aug13 (Value) | Weight % |
Produce, of which: | -1.7 | -2.4 | -0.8 | -3.3 | 22.2 |
Fresh produce | -2.0 | -2.2 | -0.6 | -3.6 | 18.9 |
Fruit and citrus fruit | -2.5 | -2.4 | -0.6 | -2.7 | 8.3 |
Vegetables, pulses and potatoes | -1.6 | -2.0 | -0.6 | -4.3 | 10.6 |
Processed produce | 0.4 | -3.6 | -1.8 | -1.6 | 3.3 |
Fruit and citrus fruit | -0.1 | -3.0 | -1.1 | 1.3 | 0.3 |
Vegetables, pulses and potatoes | 0.5 | -3.7 | -1.8 | -1.9 | 3.0 |