Household consumption of goods in France unexpectedly fell by 0.5% in September 2026, matching the decline recorded in August and defying market expectations of a 0.1% increase. This marked the second consecutive monthly drop. The downturn was driven in particular by a contraction in spending on manufactured goods (-1.1% vs +0.8% in August), with textile purchases posting a steep fall (-5.8%), and spending on durable goods edging down slightly (-0.2%). Food expenditure also declined further (-0.2% vs -1.1% in August).
These weaknesses were partially offset by a modest rebound in energy spending, which rose 0.2% after a 2.4% slump in August. A further decline in electricity consumption was more than balanced by a recovery in fuel spending. On a year-on-year basis, household consumption fell 0.4% in September. Over the third quarter as a whole, however, household spending on goods continued to expand, rising 0.4% after a 0.2% increase in the second quarter.
