Guide to societal developments relating to consumers

This section outlines the trends in consumer spending, as well as energy use, water consumption, mobility, and the environmental awareness and behaviour of consumers. When taking environmental and other policy measures, it is important to know whether the public supports them.

Index Consumers target sector

• Consumer spending in the Netherlands, 1995-2002*
• Electrical appliances in Dutch households, 1990-2001
• Household energy consumption, 1990-2002*
• Household energy use per capita in the Netherlands, 1950-1999
• Household water consumption per capita in the Netherlands, 1980-2001
• Distance travelled per capita per day in the Netherlands, 1995-2002
• Dutch participation in holidays, 1990-2002
• Interest in social problems in the Netherlands, 1971-1997
• Environmental awareness in the Netherlands, 1989-2002
• Environmentally aware behaviour in the Netherlands, 1994-2002

Composition of Consumers target sector

The Consumers target sector comprises all consumers in the Netherlands. The consumers have not been classified in the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC). Consumers and households are deemed to be the same thing.

Concepts and definitions, consumption

Individual consumption	The use of goods and services produced in, or imported to, the Netherlands other than for manufacturing purposes. Items which cannot be counted as produced or imported cannot, by definition, be included under consumption (such as domestic tasks and DIY activities). Actual consumer spending includes institutional households (such as non-profit institutions on behalf of households).
Actual individual consumption (domestic)	Consumption by all residents of the Netherlands.
Actual individual consumption (national)	Consumption by Dutch nationals (i.e. including consumption by Dutch nationals in households abroad and excluding consumption by non-Dutch nationals in the Netherlands).

Relevant sections and indicators in the Environmental Data Compendium

• Index Environmental pressure from the Consumers target sector
• Consumers: expenditure and environmental pressure in the Netherlands
• Section Environmental pressure by theme. The Consumers target sector contributes mainly to the following themes: Climate change, Acidification and Waste management.
• Emissions from road traffic in the Netherlands, 2002*

Relevant information outside of the Environmental Data Compendium

• More information about the Standard Industrial Classification of Statistics Netherlands.