Characteristics Analysis On Chinese Urban Residents’Consumption Structure

Consumption is one of the three carriages stimulating national economic development, and it is not only the end of social reproduction, but also a new beginning, even more the key to realize the benign cycle of national economy. Consumption is critical, and the consumption structure is the most important part of consumption. In the wake of our country economy development and residents replenishing their cash cushion, the upgrade of consumption structure is accelerating, consumer demand is not restricted to food and clothing stage any more, but changes to the higher levels of consumption. With the difference of income being widened up day by day, this article discusses the consumption structure, taking features of the times into account, which is beneficial to realize the change of consumption structure in different income levels, and it is very important to give the guidance to upgrade residents’consumption structure. This article uses the combination of the theory and empirical method, describing the consumption status of city dwellers in China, analyzing variation characteristics of residents’consumption structure. I construct a dual effect panel ELES model, considering the time effect and individual effect of marginal propensity, and make a comparative study of different income level and different regions during2002-2012. According to the study, I give reasonable suggestions to upgrade residents’consumption structure.The research results show that:(1) During2002-2012, the total basic expenditure increases with5.13%annual growth rate, but all kinds of expenditure’s growth rates are different; In survival consumption, food and residential growing slowly, but clothing and habitation appliances are rapid; In developmental consumption, health care and transportation grow fastest, while entertainment grows slowly.(2) Spontaneous consumption of all kinds goods increasing year by year, but marginal consumption tendency of food, equipment is in a gradual decline, while the marginal consumption tendency of transportation and clothing is in the rapid lifting.(3) There are significant differences between different income groups. The marginal consumption tendency of food and medical in high income group is lower than that of low-income groups. The middle income groups’marginal consumption tendency of clothing is highest, and the second is high income group, while low income group is the lowest. The higher the income layer level, the greater the marginal consumption tendency of transportation and education. Middle income family groups emphasis on clothing, with income levels increasing, education consumption is more, and high income households reduce food, medical consumption and increase transportation, education and clothing consumption.(4) There are visible differences between different regions. For spontaneous consumption, the spontaneous consumption of eastern residents on clothes, equipment, medical and living is large in other regions, but the difference between other regions is small; central and western regions is larger than the eastern and northeastern regions about the spontaneous consumption of education, transportation and other aspects. For the marginal propensity of consumption, when the income level of residents increasing, compared with the eastern regions, central region residents increase clothing, equipment, medical and living expenditures, and western region residents increase the proportion in clothing, equipment, medical and food, and the residents in the northeast area increase the clothing expenditure proportion firstly.This study does a reasonable explanation why the residents’ consumption structure upgrading with a slow pace under the background of new era, and according to the root of the problem, the article put forwards specific policy recommendations.