From Yahoo Finance: 2025-05-28 12:01:00

Americans are spending more despite feeling financially uncertain, with the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index dropping nearly 30%. Retailers are stoking fears of price hikes due to tariffs, causing consumers to change shopping habits, stockpile goods, and engage in “doom spending.”

Retailers are using tactics like preemptively raising prices before tariffs hit wholesale costs, then offering discounts to make consumers feel like they are getting a deal. FactSet reported that 91% of S&P 500 companies mentioning tariffs on earnings calls, surpassing AI as a buzzword.

Retailers are fueling inflation fears and doom spending by loudly mentioning tariffs on earnings calls. Many brands are aggressively messaging tariff risks, pushing sales, and publicly discussing possible business closures to prompt customers to hoard products.

Read more: 4 Ways Retailers Are Preying on Your Tariff Anxieties and Making You Spend More