A new AP-NORC Center poll reveals 80% of U.S. adults experience financial stress from persistent grocery price hikes, with younger generations and minority groups bearing the heaviest burden. Conducted July 10-14, 2025, the survey of 1,437 respondents highlights growing anxiety over basic necessities amid tariff uncertainties and economic pressures.
Nearly half of participants called grocery costs a "major" stressor, while 30% reported using installment services like Afterpay for essential purchases. Younger adults and racial minorities showed disproportionately high reliance on such financial tools, underscoring widening economic disparities.
While the Conference Board noted slight improvements in short-term economic confidence, 62% of consumers identified tariffs as their top financial concern. Residents in Fort Lauderdale shared vivid accounts of weekly price fluctuations with China Media Group (CMG).
"Prices change every time I shop – especially for fruit," said local resident Maria Oliveira. Neighbor Ulysses Jenkins described empty-handed grocery trips as "absurd," while Mary Miller lamented: "My savings now go straight to the supermarket."
The findings come as policymakers debate the long-term impacts of trade measures on household budgets, with food inflation emerging as a key pressure point across demographic groups.
