The Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE) is a programme run for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) by the US Census Bureau to collect information about income levels and buying habits of American consumers. The programme consists of two surveys – an interview survey and a more detailed diary survey. The interview survey is conducted quarterly and measures memorable purchases, like large expenditures or regular purchases. Diary survey respondents are asked to keep two week‐long diaries of all purchases to record small, everyday purchases, like food, gasoline, and other products. One of the major uses of the CE is to gather data necessary to determine the relative weighting and selection of goods and services included in the market basket used to calculate the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The CPI is then used to inform policy decision‐making and as a measure of retail inflation. The CE is an important source of information for government and private agencies, policymakers, and researchers.
The site not only provides the data from the surveys, but also issues reports analyzing the data. The annual reports date back to 1999 and integrate data from the two components of the CE, the diary and interview surveys. Biennial reports are detailed and compare the data with other data sources. Users can access the biennial reports for 2004‐2005 and 2006‐2007 online, but must contact the BLS, Division of Consumer Expenditure Surveys to obtain prior biennial reports. Anthology reports, issued in 2003, 2005, 2008, and 2011, contain articles about the methodology of the survey as well as analytical articles discussing current topics concerning the usage of CE data. These reports are prepared by the BLS.
The CE site is hosted by the US government. It has few graphics and loads quickly. Some of the reports are larger PDF files that may take longer to download, but this is largely dependent upon the user's connection speed. The CE databases allow you to build a query to view custom data tables and these tools may also take some time to process the request. Users do not need to register to access the data or the reports. There are no fees for downloading information from the site, but users requesting prior data or reports may be charged shipping or materials costs (for postage or CD‐ROMs, etc.).
The initial screen makes it clear the Consumer Expenditure Survey is sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the US Department of Labor. The menu to the left categorizes links into two distinct categories: Browse CE and CE Topics. Browse CE links all pertain to the actual CE data, including the survey forms, FAQs and contact information for CE staff. CE topics include reports and analyses based on the data collected by the CE, including research studies to inform improvements to the surveys. A search box, powered by a Google custom search engine, separates the two options and enables users to search only CE materials. One of the links on the left, labelled CE Overview, gives a brief introduction to the CE and also lists a glossary of terms used. The menu bar near the top of the screen links to other information provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There is also a search box with the text Search BLS.gov near the top‐right corner of the screen that also uses Google's custom search, allowing users to search the broader BLS.gov site.
The site does not include any sponsored advertisements, but it does have unobtrusive links to share a link to the site on social platforms including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. The Contact CE link provides a phone number, mailing address and a link to an email form to reach Consumer Expenditure Survey staff. The CE staff are very responsive; an inquiry using the email form received a reply within 24 hours on a weekday. CE data and publications are in the public domain, so users may reproduce them without permission as long as they give proper credit. The Consumer Expenditure Survey materials (including survey instruments, data tables and reports) are no longer printed, however prior issues may be available at some government document repository libraries.
The Consumer Expenditure Survey site is a user‐friendly way to access important data about the spending habits and income levels of citizens of the US. A typical undergraduate student may need some assistance understanding the content of the site and how to find useful data that relates to their research project. Graduate students, faculty, researchers, business practitioners as well as the general public will find this site extremely useful. This site is highly recommended for all libraries.
