During a recession, people spent less money on:

Adult women’s apparel

Alcoholic drinks

Footwear

Percent of total spending

1.1%

1.6%

0.9%

1998

1.4

0.8

1.0

1.2

0.7

0.9

1.0

0.6

2017

Recessions*

Furniture

Major household

appliances

Medical supplies

1998

0.5%

1%

0.28%

2017

0.9

0.45

0.26

0.8

0.24

0.40

0.7

*Recession periods include March 2001 to November 2011 and December 2007 to June 2009.

Quartz | qz.com

Data: Consumer Expenditure Survey, 1998-2017

During a recession, people spent

less money on:

Adult women’s apparel

Alcoholic drinks

Percent of total spending

1.6%

1.1%

1998

1.0

1.2

0.9

1.0

2017

Recessions*

Furniture

Footwear

0.9%

1%

0.8

0.9

1998

0.7

0.8

0.7

0.6

2017

Major household

appliances

Medical supplies

0.5%

0.28%

1998

2017

0.45

0.26

0.24

0.40

*Recession periods include March 2001 to November 2011

and December 2007 to June 2009.

Data: Consumer Expenditure Survey, 1998-2017

Quartz | qz.com

During a recession, people

spent less money on:

Adult women’s

apparel

Alcoholic drinks

Percent of total spending

1.1%

1.6%

1.4

1.0

1.2

0.9

1.0

1998

2017

Recessions*

Furniture

Footwear

0.9%

1%

0.8

0.9

0.8

0.7

0.7

0.6

1998

2017

Major household

appliances

Medical supplies

0.5%

0.5%

0.28%

0.45

0.45

0.26

0.24

0.40

0.40

1998

2017

*Recession periods include March 2001 to

November 2011 and December 2007 to

June 2009.

Data: Consumer Expenditure Survey, 1998-2017

Quartz | qz.com