Consumption of goods and services by Dutch households decreased at a faster rate in April, data released by the Central Bureau of Statistics showed Friday.
Total spending on commodities and services fell 1.9 percent year-on-year in April, which was quicker than the 0.7 percent decrease registered in March.
Consumption of goods was lower by 3.8 percent than in April 2012, and spending on services down by 0.3 percent.
Driving the contraction in goods consumption, spending on durable consumer goods plunged 9.6 percent annually in April. A 2.2 percent decrease in consumption of food, beverages and tobacco added to the overall decline.
Separately, the statistical office said residential property prices in the Netherlands decreased on average 8.2 percent year-on-year in May 2013, following the previous month's 7.6 percent fall.
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