In 2020, the levels of actual individual consumption (AIC) in the EU showed significant differences. Used as a measure of material welfare of households, the AIC per capita expressed in purchasing power standards (PPS) varied from 61% to 145% of the EU average across the Member States in 2020.
This information on GDP and consumption per capita is based on revised purchasing power parities published by Eurostat today. The article presents some of the findings from the more detailed Statistics Explained article.
Luxembourg recorded the highest level of AIC per capita in the EU at 45% above the EU average, followed by Germany (24% above), Denmark (22% above), the Netherlands (17% above) and Austria (16% above). In 2020, nine Member States recorded AIC per capita above the EU average.
The lowest levels of AIC per capita were registered in Bulgaria (39% below the EU average), Croatia (32% below), Hungary and Latvia (both 30% below) and Slovakia (29% below).
Over the last three years, AIC per capita relative to the EU average has changed in the majority of Member States. A clear increase was registered in Romania (80% of the EU average in 2020 compared with 74% in 2018), followed by Denmark (122% vs. 117%), Poland (83% vs. 78%), Hungary (70% vs. 65%), Lithuania (95% vs 91%) and Bulgaria (61% vs. 57%). In contrast, the most noticeable decreases were recorded in Spain (85% in 2020 vs. 92% in 2018) and Luxembourg (145% vs. 152%), followed by Malta (81% vs. 86%), Ireland (90% vs. 95%), Greece (74% vs. 78%) and Italy (96% vs. 100%).
Luxembourg and Ireland score highest GDP per capita in 2020
In 2020, Luxembourg and Ireland recorded the highest level of GDP per capita expressed in PPS in the EU, at 163% and 109% above the EU average.
Data show substantial differences between the EU Member States in terms of GDP per capita, used to measure economic activity. After Luxembourg and Ireland, Denmark (35% above EU average), the Netherlands (32% above), Austria (24% above), Sweden and Germany (both 23% above) come on the top of the list with a GDP per capita more than 20% above the average.
In contrast, Bulgaria (45% below the EU average), Greece (38% below), Croatia (36% below), Slovakia and Latvia (both 30% below) registered the lowest GDP per capita.
Source dataset: prc_ppp_ind
For more information:
- Luxembourg: The high GDP per capita in Luxembourg is partly due to the country's large share of cross-border workers in total employment. While contributing to GDP, these workers are not taken into consideration as part of the resident population which is used to calculate GDP per capita.
- Ireland: The high level of GDP per capita in Ireland can be partly explained by the presence of large multinational companies holding intellectual property. The associated contract manufacturing with these assets contributes to GDP, while a large part of the income earned from this production is returned to the companies’ ultimate owners abroad.
- The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the price collection for purchasing power parities (PPPs) during 2020 and the annual PPP results for the year 2020. More information is available here
- Eurostat Statistics Explained article on consumption and GDP per capita
- Eurostat dedicated section on purchasing power parities
- Eurostat database on purchasing power parities
- Eurostat metadata on purchasing power parities
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