The effect on consumption of household size and composition

The paper is about effects of household composition on household demand. Demand functions where prices are multiplied by consumer unit numbers (Barten-functions) are discussed theoretically and empirically. The theoretical part shows how Barten-functions may be derived from a simple model of distribution and decision-making within the household, incorporating the possibility of joint consumption. Regression analysis of two Norwegian surveys of consumer expenditure is used to inaminate the predictive power of Barten-functions. Equivalent adult scales are computed by a method of approximation using the budget percentage of foodstuffs.