News 19 Jan 2022
Data collection for the Household Budget Survey underway – new information on effects of corona on consumption coming up
This year, Statistics Finland collects information on households' consumption. The Household Budget Survey carried out since 1966 includes over 8,000 households. The Household Budget Survey provides information on changes in the consumption expenditure of households and on differences in consumption by population group.
“The data collected this year provide interesting information on the effects of the corona pandemic, digitalisation and e-commerce on consumption,” says Senior Statistician Tuomas Parikka, who is responsible for the survey.
The survey is based on a sample for which information is collected with web and telephone interviews, from diaries completed by households, from receipt information and from administrative register data. The data collection for the survey has now started and will continue until the end of the year.
The data of the Household Budget Survey are used abundantly in social decision-making. The survey also produces unique material for researchers in different fields.
"The survey provides data for analysing differences in consumption. In addition, the survey paints an exhaustive picture of the structure of consumption and allocation of consumption taxes, for example. An increasing share of Finland's taxes is collected as consumption taxes,” says Parikka.
The Household Budget Survey is also the only statistics by which to study differences in consumption behaviour by population group.
Long time series of consumption data
The time series of the Household Budget Survey extends to 1966. Until 1990, the survey was conducted regularly at five-year intervals. In 1994 to 1996, the survey was completed annually. Since then, Household Budget Surveys have been carried out in 1998, 2001, 2006, 2012 and 2016.
In addition to Finnish, the Household Budget Survey can be answered in Swedish and English. Participation in the survey is voluntary for those selected to the sample.
“Every person selected to the survey represents a large group of Finnish households, so it is important that as many as possible take part in the data collection. Thus, the results of the survey can be made to describe the whole population,” says Parikka.
Further information: Senior Statistician Tuomas Parikka, tel. +358 29 551 3276, Senior Statistician Mika Lassander tel. +358 29 551 3489