HCP: Consumption budgets soar during Ramadan, average household spending exceeds 18%

The average household spending increased by 18.2% during the month of Ramadan compared to other months of the year, according to Issue N° 27 of the High Commission for Planning (HCP) brief.

Titled “Household Budgets in Ramadan,”  the brief revealed that this increase reached 15.4% in urban areas and 4.8% in rural areas, with 92% of the increase driven by urban spending.

The HCP highlighted that Ramadan spending surged across all social classes, notably 8.4% for the underprivileged 20%, 9.7% for the middle class, and 8.9% for the richest 20%.

Compared to other months, the report noted that the budget allocated for nutrition increased by 17.8% during Ramadan, with a 19% increase recorded in urban areas, 4.5% in rural areas, 3.3% for the least affluent households, 11.9% for the middle class, and 12.5% for the most affluent households.

The HCP also mentioned that Ramdan boosted consumption of dairy products (35.8 L per household on average compared to 23.7 L monthly in other months), eggs (52.2 units compared to 39.4 units), meat (15.1 kg compared to 11.3 kg), fish (6.8 kg compared to 5.2 kg), fruits (54.3 kg compared to 22.9 kg), and vegetables (55.1 kg compared to 48.3 kg).

However, only slight increases were registered in grains and grain-derived products (77.4 kg per household compared to 72.7 kg during other months), sugar and sugary products (11.0 kg compared to 10.0 kg), butter, oils, and other fats (10.4 kg compared to 9.6 kg), and coffee, tea, and aromatic herbs (2.8 kg compared to 2.3 kg).

As for non-food expenditures, HCP said that they increased by 18.5% during Ramadan, primarily in urban areas by 13.4% and to a lesser extent in rural areas by 5.1%.

This increase, according to the report, is noted at 13.2% for the least affluent 20%, 8.1% for the middle class, and 7.2% for the most affluent 20%.

It is mainly attributed to increased spending on transportation by 61.9%, medical care by 28%, entertainment/education by 25.7%, communications by 25%, and housing and energy by 12.7%, with clothing expenses decreasing by 11.5%.