Diversities and similarities in international consumption patterns are
highlighted. A large body of data is used to identify cross-country c
onsumption differences and to understand these in terms of the familia
r utility-maximizing framework, in which observed differences in price
s and incomes play the key role. Taken as a whole, the results reveal
a surprising degree of similarity in international consumption pattern
s and support the idea that tastes are constant, at least with respect
to broad commodity groups.