Portugal has the lowest rate of consumption per capita of any country in western Europe.
Figures released by Eurostat show that the highest rate of consumption in some EU countries was nearly three times that of the lowest.
“Actual Individual Consumption” is a measure of the material welfare of households. It consists of goods and services consumed by households irrespective of whether they were purchased or provided by government or perhaps a charity.
The greatest consumption in the EU was registered in Luxembourg with a level nearly 40% above the EU average.
Germany was 25% above the average.
Austria, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Finland, France, the UK and the Netherlands had levels between 20% and 10% above average.
Ireland, Italy, Spain and Cyprus had levels up to 10% below the average. Malta and Greece were between 10% and 20% below.
Portugal was in the category whose level was as much as 30% below average, the only country in western Europe to experience such low consumption.
It was joined in this level by Lithuania, Slovenia, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
The remaining countries either 30% or 40% below average were all eastern European and newer members of the EU.
The lowest on the list were Romania and Bulgaria, each struggling with consumption below 50%.
