Consumption Expenditures in Austria & Germany: New Evidence based on Transactional Data

Abstract We analyze the novel transactional card expenditure data for Germany and Austria provided by Fable Data. We describe key features of the data in terms of the coverage of expenditure items, payment channels, and the distribution of expenditures across regions and time. We highlight strengths and limitations of the data, comparing them to representative but more consolidated lower-frequency information from external data sources. We find very similar expenditure patterns in Germany and Austria. We illustrate the granular, higher-frequency information across expenditure items and locations, analyzing weekday spending patterns and the evolution of consumption expenditures during the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.