Consumer spending in the Netherlands has been weaker than other countries in the eurozone for the past ten years and is currently also lower than during the severe economic crisis of the early 80s according the Dutch Central Bank (DNB). They continue that the low spending is an important factor in the recession the Netherlands is now in. Dutch spending patterns have deviated from other European countries which is noteworthy since the Netherlands had one of the highest rates of consumption growth among eurozone countries between 1992 and 2001.
DNB says this is due to the less prosperous labour market in the past 10 years compared to both Europe and to the ten years previous. Weakness in the housing market in the 2000s also played a roll. Between 1995 and 2001 home values doubled. People have also been curtailing spending because their home values have been dropping and they want to pay down their mortgage principal.
[note: there is no such thing as mailing your keys to the bank here if you are under water and give up the struggle. There is however a mortgage guarantee program which most people are insured with. Whether the fund for this is sufficient is a big question mark.]
Rising pension premiums in the 2000s also played a role in declining consumption. DNB thinks spending will trough this year.
http://www.dnb.nl/nieuws/nieuwsoverzicht-en-archief/dnbulletin-2012/dnb268792.jsp [8]
http://www.nu.nl/economie/2758560/nederlandse-consumptie-zeer-zwak.html [9]
For an idea of total mortgage debt outstanding in 2010 in many countries:
http://www.hypo.org/content/default.asp?pageId=414 [10]