Consumer Behavior

Consumers dip into savings citing higher grocery costs

Photo: Adobe Stock

December 16, 2025

American consumers are looking for deals and dipping into savings when it comes to grocery shopping.

Most have noticed higher prices than usual for food, gift and electricity, according to a survey released by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

About half of consumers report that it's tougher than usual to buy what they want as gifts and many are delaying big purchases and reducing nonessential purchases, according to an AP report on the findings.