Hey, anyone who voted for him, don’t complain. Suck it up. This is on you
We never were the same after last summer.
Stubbornly high inflation rates in recent months and several interest-rate hikes by the Federal Reserve are impacting consumer behavior. That’s according to company earnings reports, market-data analytics and consumer surveys.
Sales at retailers fell flat in September, the government said Friday, another sign that the economy is likely to slow in the coming months as consumers pull back on spending in the face of 40-year high inflation and the end of pandemic-era government stimulus programs. (snip)
Rattled by the rise in the cost of living in recent months, millions of people have already been taking action to conserve their cash, according to a recent McKinsey & Co. report that explored the ways people are trading down.
“Whether it’s at gas pumps or in grocery stores, people across the United States have been feeling a pinch in their pocketbooks this summer,” it said. “Inflation is the highest it’s been in decades, and consumers are worried and jittery.”
With inflation at a 40-year high, McKinsey said, “The mood has turned darker. Thirty percent of our respondents say they are feeling pessimistic, and that we may be headed toward one of the worst recessions we’ve ever seen.”
Recession, or depression? Of course, Joe might talk us into a nuclear war, so, there’s that
Three-quarters of consumers said they were engaging in some sort of deal-seeking, and 60% were adjusting the quantities they were buying. That means either opting for large amounts at lower unit prices or smaller amounts.
But, not the elites like Joe
44% of people told McKinsey they were delaying purchases of nonessential items. Lower-income shoppers tended to single out certain groceries, home improvement, footwear and apparel as purchases to pause.
The price of many non-essential items and goods has been dropping, because people aren’t buying. Now, they’re buying less. But, fortunately, the Inflation Reduction Act will give us a slight break on $20k solar panels.
Read: Bidenconomy Turning Darker, Causing Changing Shopping Habits »