The consumer expenditures and consumption of Polish Urban and Rural Households

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to present and assess changes in the level and structure of con-sumption of urban and rural households in Poland. Research method – The data used in the article were obtained from the publications of Central Sta-tistical Office on the results of household budget surveys, including the “Socio-economic situation of households, urban-rural diversity” as well as from literature on the subject. The research covered the years 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020. The selection of years was determined by the willingness to observe the changes that were visible in the budgets of these households after Poland had joined the European Union. The analysis applies analytical methods, including comparative and literature analyzes, as well as descriptive and monographic methods. The applied research method should be defined as a descriptive analysis with elements of quantitative analysis. Simple statistical methods were used to analyze the col-lected data. They comprised indicators of the structure of consumer spending and household con-sumption, including the food index and the index of free choice expenditures, as well as quantitative food consumption indexes, expressed in natural units, and durable goods expressed in % of house-holds being equipped with a given good. The research results are presented with the use of graphic presentation methods, especially the tabular ones. Results – Household consumption in Poland is determined by a combination of many macro and microeconomic, as well as non-economic factors. In the years 2005–2020, they affected the situation of Polish households as a certain set of factors having impact of various severity and different directions.Together, they caused changes both in the level and structure of consumer spending and in the very consumption of urban and rural households. Based on the conducted analysis, it can be concluded that in 2005–2020 the decrease in the differences between the living conditions of urban and rural house-holds, measured by their consumption expenditure and the consumption of food and non-food pro-ducts was observed. However, rural households still have a lower level of expenditure per 1 person compared to urban households. There are also differences in the structure of consumer spending. Rural households are characterized by a higher share of basic spending and a lower share of free choice expenditure. Despite the progress that has been noted, rural households are still characterized by a less rational model of food consumption and a slightly lower level of being equipped with modern ICT goods.