Consumer spending in the Netherlands deteriorated in February 2026, underscoring persistent weakness in household demand. According to the latest data updated on 9 April 2026, Dutch consumer spending fell by 0.5% in February, following a 0.3% contraction in January 2026.
The deepening decline suggests that Dutch households remained cautious at the start of the year, with spending momentum weakening rather than stabilising. The back-to-back drops in January and February highlight a challenging environment for domestic consumption, raising concerns about the strength of one of the key drivers of the Dutch economy.
With consumer expenditure under pressure for a second consecutive month and the pace of contraction accelerating, analysts and policymakers will be closely watching upcoming data to assess whether this marks the start of a more prolonged slowdown in household spending or a short-lived soft patch.
