France's October consumption down by 0.2%

French household consumption of goods lost momentum last month compared to September due to low expenditure in energy products, the national statistics institute INSEE said on Friday. A 4.9-percent drop in energy consumption pulled down consumers' total expenditure to 0.2 percent in October mainly following the "impact of above average temperatures on heating expenditure," INSEE noted. Expenditure on cars grew by 1.5 percent "as households may have anticipated a reduction of incentive on the purchase of green cars in November and strenghtening of penalties on the purchase of polluting cars next January," it added. Consumers also consumed 1.4 percent more food products, after a 0.2-percent fall in September. Consumption of manufactured products accounted for 25 percent of France's total expenditure of processed goods and services.