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Consumer Expenditure Surveys
Bureau of Labor Statistics > Consumer Expenditure Survey > Home

Research on consumption related to home-production activities

In spring 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) kicked off a major research initiative to produce a measure of consumption that would fill a data gap regarding household economic well-being. To support this research, BLS sought input from the public, including experts in the field through the organization of a Consumption Symposium.

As part of this initiative, the Levy Institute was awarded a contract to conduct research on how to create a measure of consumption based on activities related to home production. The Levy Institute final report was published in spring 2024. The report includes findings to develop an empirical methodology and identify sources that could be used to produce and add such a measure to the Consumer Expenditure Surveys microdata files at the consumer unit record level. If accepted by BLS, a value for this consumption could be added as a subcomponent of the research-based consumption measure that is currently being produced by BLS for research purposes. During fiscal year 2024, BLS will evaluate the methodology proposed in the report.

At the present time, the BLS has no plans to produce an official consumption measure, that does or does not include the value of consumption from home production activities. Again, the work being undertaken at the BLS represents research activities focused on alternative measures of household economic well-being.

If you have any questions about the report, please feel free to reach out to the Levy Institute authors directly.

Last Modified Date: April 30, 2024