In a fast-paced world, staying up to date with the latest trends is an asset. To help you keep up with the essential developments in the consumer and mobility market in France and Europe, find: the Consumption Minute and the Mobility Minute.
Every month, Flavien Neuvy, Economist and Director of the Cetelem Observatory, delivers 2 hot news in 1 minute, perfect for a coffee break! These trends cover 2 key markets for the company: mobility and retail.
This April 2026 edition of the Mobility & Consumption Minute highlights two key trends:
• The redistribution of global automotive production, with China consolidating its industrial leadership
• The in-depth recomposition of French households, which is transforming consumption patterns
The Mobility Minute of April 2026
Global car production 2025: China accounts for nearly 40% of the cars produced in the world
Find the full analysis in the Mobility Minute below:
According to figures published by ACEA, 77 million vehicles were registered worldwide in 2025. China is the world’s leading market with 24 million registrations, up 5.5%, confirming the strength of its domestic demand. The United States and Europe are at a comparable level, around 13 million registrations each. Germany remains the leading European market with 2.8 million units sold.
Top 5 car-producing countries in 2025
In 2025, more than 78 million cars were produced worldwide. The podium reflects a lasting shift in the industrial centre of gravity towards Asia:
- China: nearly 30 million vehicles produced
- United States: 7.3 million
- Japan: 7.2 million
- India: more than 5 million, confirming its rise to prominence
- Germany: 4 million, the only European representative in the top 5
France, for its part, is far behind with less than a million cars manufactured on its soil. An industrial stall that raises the question of the levers of European automotive reindustrialization.
Morocco, Africa’s leading automotive power
Another strong signal of this global reconfiguration is that Morocco has become the leading car producing country on the African continent, with nearly 500,000 vehicles leaving the factory by 2025. This trajectory is driven by the establishment of major European manufacturers and by a proactive industrial policy that makes the kingdom an export hub to Europe.
Discover the latest Auto 2026 study by the Cetelem Observatory
With this new 2026 edition, while we note a worrying situation, we identify five levers that could create a healthy rebound in the automotive sector. An obligation, as the economic and social stakes are so high.
The Consumption Minute of April 2026
31 million households in France: a demographic recomposition that is transforming consumption
Find the full analysis in the Minute Conso below.
Household consumption accounts for more than half of French growth. But behind this economic engine, the very notion of household has profoundly evolved. According to figures published by INSEE in its Social Portrait study two years ago, France has more than 66 million inhabitants in 31 million households. A demographic reality that no longer resembles that of the 1990s.
Smaller, lonelier households
Three structural changes are redrawing the map of French households:
- The average size of households is declining: 2.6 people per household in the early 1990s, 2.1 today
- One-person households are exploding: 27% of households in the early 1990s, nearly 40% today
- Households with at least one child are declining: 36% in the 1990s, 22% today
- Single-parent families are doubling: from 12% to nearly 25% of households in thirty years
To put it simply, French households are smaller, fewer in number with children and more exposed to the economic vulnerability linked to single parenthood. These changes were already highlighted in our 2016 study on the ageing of the population and the declining birth rate, the effects of which we are now fully measuring on purchasing behaviour.
Near-universal digital equipment
Despite this fragmentation of households, there is a consensus on one marker: 93% of French households have at least one digital tool at home. An almost universal rate of equipment, which crosses all types of households.
Find the new 2026 Consumer Study from the Cetelem Observatory
As early as 2016, we were interested in seniors with a study entitled “Towards the golden age of the silver economy?”. At the time, we were far from suspecting that the decline in the birth rate would accelerate to such an extent and that the question of demographic ageing would be so acute 10 years later.
Find out about the latest Consumption study.
FAQ – Mobility and Consumer Markets (April 2026)
Which country produces the most cars in the world in 2025?
China, with nearly 30 million vehicles produced in 2025, or nearly 40% of total global production.
What are the top 5 car-producing countries in the world?
China (nearly 30 million), the United States (7.3 million), Japan (7.2 million), India (more than 5 million) and Germany (4 million).
How many cars does France produce in 2025?
France will produce less than one million cars in 2025, far from the world leaders.
What is the leading car-producing country in Africa?
Morocco, with nearly 500,000 vehicles produced in 2025, has become the leading automotive power on the African continent.
How many households are there in France?
France has 31 million households for more than 66 million inhabitants, according to INSEE.
What is the share of single-parent families in France?
Single-parent families represent nearly 25% of households, compared to 12% thirty years earlier.
What is the rate of digital equipment in French households?
93% of French households have at least one digital tool at home.
