Most Consumers Making Impulse Buys
Most Consumers Making Impulse Buys
Despite inflation and rising costs, four out of five consumers said they’ve made an impulse buy in 2026. A new survey from marketing agency PartnerCentric found that more than half of shoppers say their budget is tighter this year. Gen Z and Millennial consumers are the most likely to have made an impulse buy, with food being the top category. Clothes came in a close second followed by electronics. The head of PartnerCentric credits the desire for a small reward when things get expensive and stressful.
Half Of America Holds 89% Of The Wealth
New Federal Reserve data shows older Americans control the majority of the nation’s wealth. According to the report, baby boomers hold 51-percent of American wealth through real estate, stocks, pension benefits, private businesses and other assets, collectively valued at 90 trillion dollars at the end of 2025. Meanwhile, Generation X owns 26-percent of the wealth, worth 46 trillion dollars. A shrinking group of Americans over age 80 holds 12-percent of the wealth, worth 21 trillion dollars.
Fast Food Chains Emphasize Value Amid Soaring Gasoline Prices
Fast food chains are leaning more heavily into their value menus to try to lure customers squeezed by soaring gasoline prices. Restaurant Business editor-in-chief Jonathan Maze says those companies are also paying close attention to what’s going viral on social media as they try to entice consumers to spend their limited dollars with them. He says “value is a very big deal right now” with folks feeling the pressure of inflation. According to Maze, roughly three in four fast food visits are based on some form of deal. It comes as gas prices are up about a dollar-40 a gallon from a year ago, with Triple A putting the new nationwide average at over four-50 a gallon. McDonald’s, Burger King and Taco Bell are reporting strong sales to start the year. But other chains, including Papa John’s and Shake Shack, have not done as well.
