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Consumption Expenditures in Austria & Germany: New Evidence based on Transactional Data
Winfried Koeniger1,2, Peter Kreß1, Jonas Lehmann1
1Department of Economics, University of St. Gallen, SEW-HSG, Rosenbergstrasse 22, 9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland.
German Economic Review
|May 22, 2026
Summary
This study analyzes novel transactional card data for Germany and Austria, revealing similar consumer spending patterns. The research highlights granular, high-frequency insights into expenditure trends during and after the COVID-19 crisis.
Area of Science:
- Economics
- Data Science
- Consumer Behavior
Background:
- Transactional card data offers granular insights into consumer spending.
- Previous analyses often relied on consolidated, lower-frequency data.
- Understanding expenditure patterns is crucial for economic analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze novel transactional card expenditure data for Germany and Austria.
- To describe the data's features, strengths, and limitations.
- To illustrate granular spending patterns and trends.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of transactional card expenditure data from Fable Data.
- Comparison with external, lower-frequency datasets.
- Examination of expenditure coverage, payment channels, and distribution.
Main Results:
- Transactional card data for Germany and Austria show highly similar expenditure patterns.
- Detailed insights into weekday spending and consumption evolution during the COVID-19 crisis were identified.
- The data provides granular, high-frequency information across expenditure items and locations.
Conclusions:
- Novel transactional card data offers valuable, detailed insights into consumer spending.
- The findings underscore the utility of high-frequency data for economic analysis.
- Similar expenditure patterns in Germany and Austria warrant further investigation.
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