Russian household expenditures at the macroeconomic level: Structure, inequality, and impact of tax changes

The article examines personal consumption expenditures (PCE) in Russia during 2005—2023. The aim of the study is to identify the dynamic and structural features of Russian PCE. The analysis covers both volume and price changes in total PCE and PCE of specific product groups. The study period is divided into several phases, each characterized by different patterns of household consumption. A paradox of Russian consumption is highlighted: despite the doubling of total volume of per capita PCE over the past 20 years, its structure, including the share of food expenditures, has remained virtually unchanged. The paradox is explained by uneven volume and price changes of different product groups. Using Rosstat statistics, the article examines differences in the structure of consumer expenditures across household deciles since the mid-2000s. The approach to refining Rosstat data on the inequality of household expenditures by decile groups is described; a comparison of adjusted and official data on the structure of household consumption by decile groups in 2023 is presented. Recent tax changes affecting consumer expenditures are also considered. It is shown that the increase in value-added and income tax rates in 2019—2026 has the largest impact on reducing consumption among the top-income households and workers.