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Comparison of Consumer Expenditure Survey Designs

Nhien To, Jeanette Davis, and Brett Creech

February 2011

This document summarizes the major design features of international consumer expenditure surveys, as 

well as U.S. surveys with consumer expenditure questions. The purpose of this document is to present a 

consolidated overview of major and/or notable design features of various consumer expenditure 

surveys as input to the ongoing process of redesigning the U.S. Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE). 

Successful alternative methods for asking questions and collecting information about consumer 

expenditures can serve as launching points for further research into potential use in the CE. As such, 

this document does not attempt to capture all design elements; only selected elements to initiate 

discussion.

Surveys: The characteristics for each survey are presented in two sections. The first section focuses on 

international consumer expenditure surveys, the second on U.S. surveys with consumer expenditure questions. 

These surveys were selected because the information was readily available and had design elements of interest 

for CE’s redesign. This document may be updated over time and additional surveys may be added.

Section 1 United States, http://bls.gov/cex/

Australia, http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6530.0/

Canada, http://www.statcan.gc.ca/imdb-bmdi/3508-eng.htm

Denmark, http://www.dst.dk/homeuk/Statistics/focus_on/focus_on_show.aspx?sci=404

Finland, http://www.stat.fi/keruu/kul/index_en.html

Hong Kong, http://www.censtatd.gov.hk/major_projects/2009_10_household_expenditure_survey/

Korea, http://www.kostat.go.kr/portal/english/surveyOutlines/4/1/index.static

Norway, http://www.ssb.no/fbu_en/

Singapore, http://www.singstat.gov.sg/stats/themes/people/house.html

Sweden, http://www.scb.se/Pages/Product____22952.aspx

United Kingdom, http://www.statistics.gov.uk/ssd/surveys/expenditure_food_survey.asp

Section 2 American Life Panel (ALP), http://www.rand.org/labor/roybalfd/american_life.html

Current Population Survey (CPS), http://www.census.gov/cps/

National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS), 

http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/DietQuality/food_aps.htm

Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/

Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF), http://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/oss/oss2/scfindex.html

Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), http://www.census.gov/sipp/

Characteristics1: For each survey, the following characteristics are presented.

a. Country and Survey

b. Notable Design Features: includes the use of global questions, interview structure, proxy reporting, 

recall period, split questionnaire design, new technology, and records and receipts

c. Sample Size: where one sample size is reported, the survey only uses one sample; where two are 

reported, the survey uses multiple either independent or subset samples. All sample sizes are actual 

except where target is specified

d. Data Collection Method: includes the mode, instrument, and level of data collection

e. Reference Period

f. Response Rate: dates are indicated where reported

 

1

 Average interview length has been excluded because it is either often not reported or similar to CE
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Section 1: International Consumer Expenditure Surveys

Country 

and Survey Notable design features Sample size Response rate (%)

Data Collection 

Method Reference period

United 

States

Consumer 

Expenditure 

Survey (CE)

Respondents are encouraged to keep records/receipts 

to aid recall.

Interview: An accordion file is sometimes given to 

respondents to store/organize receipts.

Diary: A pocket is included on the inside of the back 

cover for respondents to store receipts.

Interview:

35,300 (target)

Diary: 

14,100 (target)

Interview:

73.8

(2010)

Diary: 

76.5

(2010)

Household Interview 

(CAPI)

3 months

Household Diary 

(Paper)

14 days

Australia

Household 

Expenditure 

Survey 

(HES)

The HES sample of 6,957 households is a subsample of 

the Survey of Income and Housing (SIH) sample of 

11,361 households. The use of a subsample reduces 

respondent burden.

6,957 71.0

(2003-04)

Household Interview 

(CAPI)

Not reported

Individual Diary 

(Paper)

14 days
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Country 

and Survey Notable design features Sample size Response rate (%)

Data Collection 

Method Reference period

Canada

Survey of 

Household 

Spending 

(SHS)

The SHS integrates detailed food data collected through 

the Food Expenditure Survey (FES) for cost efficiency.

To reduce burden, respondents are given the option to 

provide their receipts.

Respondents are categorized into three groups: those 

who provided receipts only, those who only provided 

transcribed expenditures and those who combined the 

two modes of reporting.

Last payment approach and recall periods of one, three, 

or twelve months for less frequent expenditures are 

used.

24,000 (target)

Due to budget 

constraints, only a 

sub-sample of 

households are 

asked to report 

their expenditures 

in the diary.

Interview:

60.0

(during pilot test)

Diary:

66.0

(during pilot test)

Household Interview 

(CAPI)

1 month, 3 

months, 

and 12 months

Household Diary 

(Paper)

14 days

Denmark

Household 

Budget 

Survey 

(HBS)

No incentives are provided but participating households 

receive a gift and participate in a lottery in return for 

their participation. 

To reduce burden, questions regarding topics which 

Statistics Denmark already have usable data are left out 

(e.g. income, taxes, dwellings, education, and 

occupation).

2,449 54.9

(year not reported)

Household Interview 

(CAPI)

1 year

Household Diary

(Paper)

14 days
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Country 

and Survey Notable design features Sample size Response rate (%)

Data Collection 

Method Reference period

Finland

Household 

Budget 

Survey

(HBS)

During the interview, the structure of the household is 

verified against register data.

Administrative records are also exploited for the 

collection of background information (e.g. data on the 

incomes and education of household members, are 

obtained from registers).

Purchase receipts are accepted to supplement self 

reported data

8,792 Interview: 

69.3

Diary:

93.2

Household Interview 

(CAPI)

Not reported

Household Diary 

(Paper)

14 days

Hong Kong

Household 

Expenditure 

Survey

(HES)

The HES is conducted once every five years, for a oneyear period which is broken down into 26 cycles (each 

comprising two weeks)

Consists of 3 parts:

1. Household Schedule – collects housing 

conditions and household characteristics

2. Expenditure Diary – individuals aged 12 and 

over each kept the diary

3. Questionnaire on Infrequently Purchased Items

A Supplemental Questionnaire is specially designed for 

non-respondents for analysis of non-response bias

10,000 (target) 80.9

(2005)

Household Schedule 

(Paper)

Not reported

Individual Diary 

(Paper)

14 days

Questionnaire on 

Infrequently 

Purchased Items 

(Paper)

3 months
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Country 

and Survey Notable design features Sample size Response rate (%)

Data Collection 

Method Reference period

Korea

Household 

Income and 

Expenditure 

Survey

(HIES)

An Interviewer visits a household six times a month for

diary distribution, diary collection, and weekly guidance.

Monthly cash incentives are provided:

$10.00 for regular paper diary

$40.00 for e-diary

$50.00 for B-case who have their e-diary 

connected to their credit accounts or bank records

8,700 (target) 82.5 Household Diary 

(Paper) 60%

3 years

Household E-Diary 

(Web)

3 years

Household B-Case 

(Web) Diary 

connected to 

credit/bank record

3 years

Norway

Survey of 

Consumer 

Expenditure 

(CE)

The survey also uses information collected on income 

and education from other surveys and administrative 

data.

2,200 (target) 50.0

(2007)

Household Interview 

(CAPI)

Not reported

Household Diary

(Paper)

14 days

Individual Diary 

(Paper)

14 days
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Country 

and Survey Notable design features Sample size Response rate (%)

Data Collection 

Method Reference period

Singapore

Household 

Expenditure 

Survey 

(HES)

PDAs are used in place of hardcopy survey forms to 

capture remaining information required.

Reference period varies based on question (1 month, 3 

months, and 12 months).

7,441 84.0

(2007-2008)

Household Interview 

(CAPI)

1 month, 3 

months, and 12 

months

Household Diary

(Paper) 

14 days

Individual Diary

(Paper)

14 days

Sweden

Household 

Budget 

Survey 

(HBS)

After completing the survey, each household may select 

a gift, consisting of either a gift certificate to ICA 

supermarkets, movie tickets or triss lottery tickets (with 

a value of SEK 100 to 200, depending on the size of the 

household). 

Respondents have the opportunity to submit receipts 

instead of recording in the diary and the inquiry has 

been replaced by telephone interview. 

Three telephone interviews to discuss expenditures

over the past year.

4,000 (target) 56.0

(2007)

Household Interview

(Telephone)

Not reported

Household Diary 

(Paper)

14 days

Household Interview 

(CAPI)
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Country 

and Survey Notable design features Sample size Response rate (%)

Data Collection 

Method Reference period

United 

Kingdom

Expenditure 

and Food 

Survey 

(EFS)

Each individual aged 16 or over who keeps a diary (and 

whose income information is collected) is paid £10, as a 

token of appreciation. 

Respondents aged 7-15 who keep a Children’s diary

are given a £5 payment.

In the last two months of the 1998–99 survey, as an

experiment, a small book of postage stamps was 

enclosed with the introductory letter sent to every 

address. It helped with response and the measure has 

become a permanent feature.

11,484 53.0

(2007)

Children’s Diary

87.0

(2007)

Household Diary 

(Paper)

14 days

Individual Diary 

(Paper)

14 days

Children’s Diary

(Paper)

14 days
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Section 2: U.S. Surveys with Consumer Expenditure Questions

Country 

and Survey Notable design features Sample size Response Rate 

(%)

Data Collection 

Method Reference period

United 

States

American

Life Panel

(ALP)

The ALP takes advantage of internet technology, which 

allows a short turn-around time between questionnaire 

design and the fielding of a survey and facilitates rapid 

responses to new events or insights. Thus, surveys can 

be operated at high frequency, reducing risk of missing 

events or the effects on households. This speed is in 

contrast to large household surveys where the time from

planning to fielding can be as much as a year, and the 

time from fielding to data availability can exceed a year.

Those who do not have access to the Internet are 

provided with a Web TV, including an Internet access 

subscription with an e-mail account.

Incentive of $2 is provided for every 3 minutes of survey 

time.

2,500 (target) 80.0 - 95.0 

(December 2010)

Internet Panel 

Survey

(CASI)

Administered 

monthly for 1 year

United 

States

Current 

Population 

Survey 

(CPS)

The CPS is sponsored jointly by the Bureau of Labor 

Statistics and the Bureau of the Census. 

Respondents are interviewed to obtain information about 

the employment status of each member of the household 

15 years of age and older. However, published data 

focuses on those ages 16 and over.

For households in sample for the second, third, and 

fourth months, the FR has the option of conducting the 

interview over the telephone. Use of this interviewing 

mode must be approved by the respondent. Such 

approval is obtained at the end of the first month’s 

interview upon completion of the labor force and any 

supplemental questions.

60,000/month 

(target)

92.0 

(September 2010)

Household 

Interview 

(CAPI)

Monthly, calendar 

week (Sunday 

through Saturday).

A housing unit is 

interviewed for 4 

consecutive 

months, dropped 

out of the sample 

for the next 8

months, then 

interviewed again in 

the next 4 months.
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Country 

and Survey Notable design features Sample size Response Rate 

(%)

Data Collection 

Method Reference period

United 

States 

National 

Household 

Food 

Acquisition 

and 

Purchase 

Survey

(FoodAPS)

Also called 

the National 

Food Study

A household gatekeeper scans a UPC or barcode book, 

fills out the FAH (Food at home) form, saves receipts, 

reviews/completes food diaries, and reports by 

telephone.

Additionally, each household member saves individual 

receipts and completes an individual food diary.

5,000 (target) Field Test 

will begin on 

January 15, 2011

CAPI for 1st and 

3

rd Interview and 

CATI for 2nd

Interview

Household and 

individual food 

diaries

Scanner and 

UPCs and 

barcode book 

1 week

United 

States

Medical 

Expenditure 

Panel 

Survey 

(MEPS)

MEPS-HC (Household Component) is a household 

survey that contains individual and household-level 

estimates of health care expenditures and use, health 

insurance coverage, and a wide range of other healthrelated and socioeconomic characteristics.

MEPS-HC collect data on individual household 

members, compared to CE data collection on consumer 

units.

MEPS-IC (Insurance Component) collects data from a 

sample of private and public sector employers on the 

health insurance plans they offer their employees. The 

survey is also known as the Health Insurance Cost 

Study.

12,811 59.3 

(2008)

Household 

Interview 

(CAPI)

For each panel, 2 

years of data are 

collected in five inperson interviews 

over 2 1⁄2 years. 

The recall period is 

3-6 months 

depending on when 

the interviews can 

be scheduled.
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Country 

and Survey Notable design features Sample size Response Rate 

(%)

Data Collection 

Method Reference period

United 

States

Survey of 

Consumer 

Finances 

(SCF)

The SCF is conducted every three years to provide 

detailed information on the finances of U.S. families. 

The survey is sponsored by the Federal Reserve and 

the data have been collected since 1992 by the National 

Organization for Research at the University of Chicago 

(NORC).

To retain the scientific validity of the study, interviewers 

are not allowed to substitute respondents for families 

that do not participate. Thus, if a family declines to 

participate, it means that families like theirs may not be 

represented clearly in national discussions.

4,500 (target) Area-probability 

sample: 

Approx. 70.0 

(2001 and 2004) 

List sample:

Approx. 30.0

(2001 and 2004)

Household 

Interview

(CAPI)

Respondents are 

interviewed just one 

time. Interviews 

are conducted 

between the 

months of May and 

December in the 

data collection 

year. 

United 

States

Survey of 

Income and 

Program 

Participation 

(SIPP)

SIPP interviews the household, not the address. In 

other words, if the household moves to a new address, 

SIPP follows the household.

The sponsor is the US Census Bureau.

The SIPP interview is primarily for individual household 

members, although there are occasionally some extra 

household level questions only asked of the primary 

householder.

The survey is currently being redesigned to use an 

Event History Calendar.

52,301 78.0

(September 2010)

Household 

Interview 

(CAPI)

SIPP interviews 

households every 4 

months for 3-4 

years. Each 

interview 

references the last 

4 months. 

SIPP is being 

redesigned to use 

an Event History 

Calendar and go to 

a year-long 

reference period.