Maltese spending habits to be studied in survey
by a staff reporter
The spending patterns of families living in Malta will be examined in a year-long extensive survey being conducted by the Central Office of Statistics (COS).
A sample of 3,000 families will be taking part over a three-week period and the survey has been described as a "massive exercise" by COS director Alfred Camilleri. It is expected to cost nearly Lm300,000.
"The aim behind the survey is to establish consumption patterns of the Maltese as a people. A vast spectrum of the population will be included in the sample families to give the survey the widest possible scope," he said. The whole department will be participating in the compilation of the survey.
The specific items purchased by the sample families during the three-week period would also be evaluated and this would be done to upgrade the group of products used by the department to issue the monthly Retail Price Index.
The COS director stressed the importance of the survey which would eventually contribute directly to establish the price index which in turn would influence wage adjustments. Mr Camilleri said the rate of inflation, or movement of prices, would also be calculated through the exercise.
The survey will also be taking other family aspects into consideration such as income, age, education, type of work, living conditions and household facilities.
Because of its wide-ranging implications, the department is stressing on peoples' contributions which is vital for the success of the exercise and the HBS2000 will be using the logo "Your Contribution Counts" to highlight this fact.
The COS director said 800 families had already received information packs on the survey and others were being short-listed and screened.
"We have a sample of 5,000 families living in Malta and these will be reduced to around 3,000. The choice of the families was made by computer so as to ensure no human involvement," Mr Camilleri said.
The chosen families will be interviewed and will then have to answer a set of questions. A diary will have to be kept over a three-week period with all the money spent being logged.
At any one time, there will be around 170 families participating in the survey every week, he said. The survey will be carried out over 12 months to ensure no distortion of facts because of seasonal sales.
Each family participating will receive Lm20 in compensation and will automatically qualify for a lottery with all-inclusive trips to London, Rome and Greece.
This is the fourth Household Budgetary Survey being conducted
in the past 10 years. Mr Camilleri said a survey had been held in
1991 followed by two, in 1994
and 1995, which were aimed at establishing the effects of Value Added Tax.
The first results of the survey will start emerging after around eight or nine months. However, the final results will be completed by the beginning of 2001.
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