Editor's note

International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics Tuesday, 19.03.2024, 11:48

2019 –Another year of consumption changes: Danish example

Eugene Eteris, European Studies Faculty, RSU, BC International Editor, Copenhagen, 02.01.2019.Print version

New Year is a time for various kinds of reflections, assessments and calculations. As soon as the BC’s readers are generally entrepreneurs and decision-makers, let’s see what changes appeared in Denmark during last two decades. That’s going to stimulate business in the Baltics…

There is always time to look around and find some positive examples to emulate. Our life-styles generally depend on our consumption: in food, drinks, dress, shopping, etc. No wonder some say, for example: we are what we eat and how we are dressed.


 Where to look for? Most probably, best is to look at our closest Scandinavian neighbors, i.e. at the changing consumption patterns in Denmark. That would probably show changes in the consumption and production practice in the Baltic States.  

Changing consumption

People’s lifestyles and consumption in all countries are changing with time: so is consumption, production and… shopping. For example, in the Baltic States –strange enough- the internal consumption is the main driving force for growth.  


Politicians in the Baltics often take the Nordic “models of life” as a pattern of positive changes and social progress, those things would be well worth to emulate. Statistics from Denmark might be a very reassuring approach of changes during this century, i.e. through last 18 years from 2000 (first figures) and presently (the second one). All calculation is set in Danish kroner for an average household expenses per year; one euro is about 7,4 kroner.


First, in food: Danes changed consumption of certain foodstuff drastically, though only about 10% of a household budget goes to food, compared to about 30% in the Baltics. Thus, they drink less milk: from 1.336 in 2000 to 399 kroner in 2018; however consumption/expenses for most of other products increase: poultry from 818 to 1.194, in vegetables almost at the same level about 2.300; though use of fast-food increased dramatically: from 65 in 2000 to 3.648 presently! Strange enough, Danes drink less coffee: expenses slightly decreased -from 1.113 to 1.005 presently, though the use of electric appliances increased from 39 to 101. 

     

Second, in transportation: more money used for new cars: from 8.508 to 10.854 kroner; but less for used cars –from 13.730 to 3.762 (mostly due to stringent rules for CO2 pollution). Slightly increased expenses for bikes, though there are as many bikes in the country as citizens: from 556 to 962. Greatly increased foreign travel’s expenses: from 286 in 2000 to 2.110 presently.


Third, services: mobile phone connection’s expenses increase dramatically: from 56 to 3.057 as well as expenses for new PCs –from 40 to 1.487 and for the use of internet –from 10 to 1.446!


In return, greatly decreased expenses for home phones – from 3.866 to just 176 kroner.

Payment for hairdresser’s services is still different by gender: being less for men - from 1.071 to 506 and from 1.720 to 1.476 for women. Dress for women increased from 3.747 to 5.007, while dress’ expenses for men changes slightly -from 2.243 to 2.788 presently.  

Danes are less visiting moves and theaters: expenses slightly reduced from 1.354 in 2000 to 1.053 kroner presently.   

 

 Well, as you see it’s well worth look at what you buy next year and what you are using many for!


Happy New Year! We thank you for being with us in 2018, and wish you luck and successful 2019!


I personally wish that our readers would take their life-styles seriously!

 

 

 





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