• Behavioral Economics
• Consumption
• Demand patterns
• Engel curves
• Evolutionary Economics
• Food consumption
• Income elasticity
• Non parametric regression
• Positional goods
• Propensity to consume
• Satiation

In the theory of economic growth little attention is usually given on what is happening on the demand side in the process of economic growth. However, it is evident that a rise of real per capita income coincides with a rise of per capita consumption expenditures. Rising household income stimulates shifts in the composition of consumption patterns. How is it possible to sell always more goods and services to consumers in order to sustain growth of demand? Is the belief that human wants are insatiable acceptable? Utilizing a nonparametric re- gression technique, it is explored how different income level households change their behaviors regarding consumption and if some regularities exist across different commodity groups. The results suggest that, across different household classes, the propensity to consume varies, in particular, in the case of basic needs. Lower-income households have an higher propensity to consume necessary goods than higher- income households. Across different commodity groups, instead, a clear tendency is observed: in general, the needs for non-positional goods are easier to satiate than positional goods.