2010.07.2005:30:00UTC+00Dutch May Consumer Spending Grows

Netherlands' consumer spending continued to increase in May.

The consumer spending on goods and services increased 1.2% year-on-year in May, faster than a 0.4% growth in the previous month, the Central Bureau of Statistics said on Tuesday. This rise was mainly due to cool weather in May, which made more gas consumption than a year ago. Consumer spending on goods climbed 2.9% and on services fell 0.2%.

Consumer spending on food, beverages and tobacco were up nearly 4% in May from the previous year, while spending on durable goods increased 1%. Spending on cars were higher than a year ago, but the growth was smaller than the previous month. At the same time, consumers' spent less on footwear and apparel.

In the first quarter, consumer spending slipped 0.2% from the previous year, compared to a 2.4% fall in the previous quarter.

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