National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) said, in March 2020, household consumption expenditure on goods dropped by 17.9% in volume. It is the strongest decrease ever recorded in a month since the beginning of the time series in 1980. Economists had expected a 5.5% decrease.

Manufactured good consumption dropped sharply (-42.3% after -0.6%) and energy expenditure decreased markedly (-11.4% after -0.9%). Only food consumption increased (+7.8% after -0.1%). The fall in household consumption in March 2020 was essentially due to the implementation of lockdown measures from mid-March onwards.

Over the whole first quarter of 2020, household expenditure on goods fell markedly (-7.3%).