Falling Consumer Optimism in the U.S. Could Impact a Number of Categories

The Chart

This infographic shows just some of the categories where consumers feel spending will decrease over the next quarter. See the data tab for the full list of categories.

3 Things to Know

1. Most of the hardest hit categories are discretionary (aka considered non-essential). This includes categories like jewellery, decorations, and entertainment.
2. Food is where a divergence occurs. This is mainly because groceries are a necessity (so consumers will buy despite high prices), but food from restaurants is considered discretionary, so consumers may be cutting back to save money.
3. One-third of respondents anticipated spending more on gas, in part because summer months typically involve an increase in driving.