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Survey: Consumers to continue opting for lower-priced retailers
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Price-sensitive consumers are shifting to discount grocers and embracing private label products as financial pressures reshape shopping patterns across retail categories, according to a Spring 2026 survey from Alvarez & Marsal's Consumer and Retail Group.
“Today’s consumers aren’t simply tightening their belts — they’re making thoughtful tradeoffs,” said Chad Lusk, managing director at A&M CRG. “They’re cutting back on volume and dramatically changing shopping routines to stretch their wallets. At the same time, consumers are choicefully investing in products that deliver recognizable differentiation and value at higher price points. Whether it’s a premium grocery item with better ingredients, an apparel piece built to last, or a beauty product that actually performs, consumers are buying less but expecting more.”