This article introduces the special issue of Voprosy Ekonomiki, which focuses on household economic behavior. The issue is based on the “Economic behavior of households” project, which has been implemented at the Higher School of Economics since 2023. The project consists of two components: a field component, which involves collecting sociological data, and an analytical component, which analyzes the collected data, systematizes it, generalizes it, and compares it with other data sources. The authors of the article, who are the scientific supervisors of the project, emphasize the relevance and significance of this project in terms of combining economic and sociological aspects. They highlight the state of development of economic and sociological thought, which often remains disconnected from each other. This makes it difficult to view macroeconomic processes from the perspective of consumption. However, in a situation where households’ demand for goods is not clearly defined or predictable, macroeconomists need to have a better understanding of this demand to formulate appropriate programs and policies. The article also emphasizes the importance of collecting microdata on the economic behavior of households, including those with high incomes, to address questions about the future behavior of households if the situation were to change. To make it easier for readers to understand the articles in this special issue, the authors have provided detailed explanations of the data collection methodology, fieldwork specifics, and data composition. Additionally, the project’s microdata are available to researchers, experts, and business associations starting from March 2026.

The article examines personal consumption expenditures (PCE) in Russia during 2005—2023. The aim of the study is to identify the dynamic and structural features of Russian PCE. The analysis covers both volume and price changes in total PCE and PCE of specific product groups. The study period is divided into several phases, each characterized by different patterns of household consumption. A paradox of Russian consumption is highlighted: despite the doubling of total volume of per capita PCE over the past 20 years, its structure, including the share of food expenditures, has remained virtually unchanged. The paradox is explained by uneven volume and price changes of different product groups. Using Rosstat statistics, the article examines differences in the structure of consumer expenditures across household deciles since the mid-2000s. The approach to refining Rosstat data on the inequality of household expenditures by decile groups is described; a comparison of adjusted and official data on the structure of household consumption by decile groups in 2023 is presented. Recent tax changes affecting consumer expenditures are also considered. It is shown that the increase in value-added and income tax rates in 2019—2026 has the largest impact on reducing consumption among the top-income households and workers.

Drawing on the analysis of the consumer and financial practices of the Russian middle class, this article examines whether these practices represent its inherent characteristics or serve as factors of internal differentiation. Using a multidimensional definition of the middle class based on respondents’ income level, education, and occupational status, and relying on data from a specialized survey of the urban middle class, the study shows that its members are distinguished by a higher prevalence of savings and a stronger orientation toward the rational use of financial instruments compared to the general population. In terms of consumption, the middle class also differs by demonstrating higher spending, prioritizing investments in human capital, and expressing greater satisfaction with their consumer capabilities. The findings indicate that the Russian middle class is internally heterogeneous. Four groups of financial service users were identified, differing not only in their engagement with financial practices but also in their consumer orientations. The results suggest that while consumer and financial practices are core traits of the Russian middle class as a whole, they simultaneously act as drivers of its internal differentiation.

When making monetary policy decisions, the Bank of Russia relies on a wide range of information about the state of the economy and the financial sector, including the impact of monetary conditions on consumption and investment. Information on household savings is important in terms of its influence on the formation of consumer or saving sentiment among the population. The household savings rate can be used to assess saving behavior. Studying households’ propensity to save from the perspective of behavioral motives makes it possible not only to evaluate preferences regarding the liquidity of financial products, but also to identify key patterns in responses to economic shocks. The results of a factor analysis of household saving motives are presented, on the basis of which a decomposition of the savings rate is carried out. The relationship between the savings rate and changes in the Bank of Russia’s key policy rate is modeled.

The paper aims to assess the magnitude of financial fragility of Russians defined as the inability to cope with possible unexpected financial difficulties caused by a significant decrease in income or by large unforeseen expenses. The methodology includes three main indicators: (1) a broad definition — lack of liquid savings or the presence(s) of over-indebtedness; (2) a narrow definition — lack of liquid savings combined with a low subjective assessment of one’s financial situation or the presence(s) of over-indebtedness; (3) an assessment of confidence in their households’ ability to access a large sum of money to cover unexpected expenses in the next month. The database used is the results of seven waves of the all-Russian survey “Economic behavior of households”, covering the Russian population aged 18 and older and implemented at the HSE University from June 2023 to October—November 2025. The sample size for each wave was at least 6,000 people. Using the broad definition, the share of financially unstable households was 56.4%—65.0%, using the narrow definition — 20.5%—23.3%, and subjective assessment — 46.6%—48.5%. Analysis of the panel component revealed that 43.8% of respondents (by the broad definition) and 7.1% (by the narrow definition) were constantly in a state of financial fragility. The transition from financial fragility to resilience was most often associated with spending savings, and the exit from it was associated with exiting a state of over-indebtedness.

The article is devoted to the analysis of the economic profile of the highincome population in Russia, a group that, despite its status as a significant player in the economy, which largely determines the demand for goods and services, as well as setting consumer trends, remains understudied. This is a global scientific lacuna that is particularly relevant in the Russian context, given the level of heterogeneity in the distribution of wealth among the most affluent households. Studying high-income groups is an important task for the development of monetary and fiscal programs and policies. The relevance of this study lies in the need to identify the economic profile of the upper decile in Russia as a separate category of consumers in the economy. The empirical basis of the study is a set of primary data collected by the authors as part of a separate survey of the upper decile income group, which is part of the monitoring studies of the Economic Behavior of Households project at the Higher School of Economics (HSE). The scientific novelty of the study lies in the creation of a socio-economic profile of the upper decile households and the identification of differentiated strategies for saving and consumer behavior among this group. The stratification factor within this cohort is not only the number of disposable resources, but also the structure of assets and the type of sources of passive income. The analysis identifies two behavioral models of high-income households: the “rentier” and “depositor” strategies. The former is characterized by a predominant concentration of physical assets in the form of real estate, while the latter involves the use of financial instruments and a higher level of education. The transition to a diversified portfolio that combines both types of income is statistically associated with an increase in overall wealth and the stage of the respondents’ life cycle. The results obtained allow us to refine our understanding of the structure of Russian wealth and the behavioral incentives of the group that forms the country’s main investment and consumer potential.

The paper analyzes the specifics of status perception and its reflection in the consumption patterns among Russians belonging to the top decile of the income distribution. The study draws on data from a special survey conducted within the framework of the HSE University project “Economic Behaviour of Households”. A comparison of perceptions regarding status-signaling goods and services with actual consumption practices shows that the relationship between the perception of certain goods or services as markers of high status and their actual consumption is weak. Instead, consumption priorities are shaped more by the logic of expanding life opportunities and maintaining one’s achieved social standing rather than by the logic of demonstrating status. This is supported by evidence that, in a hypothetical scenario of income growth, additional resources would be allocated mainly to improving the quality of consumption, as well as to savings and investments, while in the event of income decline expenditures on luxury goods would be reduced first, indicating their high-income elasticity. Perceptions of status do influence the choice of specific goods and services, but they do not determine the overall allocation of spending. Overall, the findings suggest that high-income Russians tend to engage in nonconspicuous forms of status consumption — aimed at preserving their social position rather than signaling it externally. Given the structure of income sources in this group — with labor income predominating over capital income — the observed consumption patterns can be interpreted as a rational strategy for maintaining and reproducing the achieved standard of living under conditions of limited autonomy from the labor market and associated uncertainty about future socio-economic status. The observed differences in the perception of status markers and actual consumption patterns also reflect variations in lifestyle. Similar traits have been documented in studies of comparable high-income groups in Western countries.

In Russia, as in the rest of the world, there has been an increase in the prevalence of both eating out and ordering ready-made meals in recent years. The article analyzes the practices of eating out and consuming ready-made meals in modern Russia. The empirical basis of the study consists of data obtained from two sample surveys of the Russian population conducted by the HSE University in 2024: the fourth wave of the sample survey of the population “Economic behavior of households” and the third wave of a special sample survey of highincome Russians. The findings of this study indicate that active inclusion in eating out practices among the general population is driven by two main opposing motives: “excess time”, when visiting public catering establishments becomes a form of leisure (typical primarily for students), and “time deficit”, when eating out or consuming ready-made meals through delivery replaces cooking, i.e., part of the housework is outsourced (particularly prevalent among middle-aged individuals with substantial workloads, both in the labour market and in their familial responsibilities, as well as among high-income groups).

This article examines the phenomenon of the “attitude—behavior gap” — the discrepancy between environmental concern and actual individual behavior, using the example of five consumer practices among urban residents in Russia. The aim of the work is to empirically assess the scale of this discrepancy and to identify socio-demographic, psychological, and behavioral factors that determine it. The empirical basis is data from the online survey “Economic behavior of households”, which represents urban population of Russia with internet access, aged 18 and over. Through a series of multinominal logistic regressions, the study has found that despite the high level of environmental concern among urban Russians, engagement in specific practices remains low and selective. The influence of sociodemographic factors was mixed: of the significant predictors, age of 25—44 consistently increased the odds of a gap, while family income, education, and psychological distress were significant only for certain practices. A positive association was found between news consumption and environmental engagement; however, both traditional and new media were associated with inconsistent bridging the gap across different practices. To promote actions in the field of environmentally conscious consumption, it is necessary to reduce behavioral barriers and develop practical competencies among the population.