The world of consumer spending is an ever–changing landscape. Each year, countries shift in terms of where they fall on the list of biggest consumers. The country that takes the top spot as the world’s biggest consumer varies from year to year, with different countries vying for the title. For the past several years, however, the United States has been the world’s biggest consumer. The country’s strong economy and steady growth have allowed it to remain at the top of the list. In 2019, the US was responsible for close to a quarter of the world’s total consumer spending. This is an impressive figure considering that the country only makes up around 4.3 percent of the world’s population. The US is the top consumer in many categories, including entertainment and media, apparel, and electronics. In terms of total spending, the US was responsible for a whopping $14.6 trillion in 2019. This accounted for 23.6 percent of the world’s total consumer spending for the year. The US is followed closely by China, which has seen a huge surge in consumer spending in recent years. In 2019, China was responsible for close to $14.2 trillion in consumer spending, making up 23.1 percent of the world’s total. A big factor in this is the rapidly growing middle class in the country. Japan and Germany round out the list of the world’s biggest consumers. Both countries are responsible for around 9 percent of the world’s total consumer spending. Japan’s consumer spending comes to around $5.5 trillion, while Germany’s is slightly lower at $5.3 trillion. Consumer spending in the US has been on the rise in recent years, with the country continuing to dominate the list of the world’s biggest consumer. Many factors have contributed to this, including a strong economy and a large, growing middle class. As the US continues to be a leader in consumer spending, it is likely that it will remain the world’s biggest consumer for years to come.
