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Education



                              StreetSmarts                                                SM

























                  Rapidly changing consumer behaviors


                                        in major industries





        By Nick Cucci                                            the economy, more consumers are looking for ways to
        Fluid Pay LLC                                            save. This is impacting how they spend in several areas,
                                                                 including the following:
                  he United States economy is dependent upon
                  the buying power of its consumers, leading       • Food consumption: The way we eat often changes
                  companies to take a hard look at changes in        with the seasons, but some changes in consumer
        T behavior. More people are worrying about the               behavior are in response to elements of the economy.
        future of the economy due to the impacts of inflation,       Already, recent market insights have determined that
        including the rising cost of home ownership. Ultimately,     the number one focus for consumers when shopping
        these concerns are affecting consumer behaviors as peo-      for food is shifting from sustainability to value (see
        ple continuously reassess their priorities.                  https://bit.ly/3mqm8rB).

        In this article, I'll take a look at some of the rapid changes   As more people push toward enhancing value while
        we are seeing and how shifting consumer behaviors are        they shop, less room is left for anything other than
        impacting major industries.                                  the essentials. Adding to this, more people don't just
                                                                     want essentials—they want them in a way that brings
        Why do consumer behaviors change?                            more value. Choosing private labels and shopping in
                                                                     bulk are both becoming more common.
        No matter what time of year it is, you will always be able
        to find relevant data on consumer behavior trends. This    • Transportation: The transportation industry has
        is because, realistically, these behaviors are constantly    seen its fair share of changes, with consumers taking
        changing. When it comes to shopping and spending,            a closer look at the future of transportation. Behaviors
        consumers are known to change their interests and make       changed drastically in response to rising gas prices,
        new decisions accordingly—even if only temporarily.          with 75 percent of drivers sharing that they will and
                                                                     do change their driving habits when gas prices get
        Reasons for these shifts include changes in the economy,     too high (see https://bit.ly/3MA4rR0).
        debt rates, viral trends and breaking news, public opinion,
        and industry innovations.                                    Beyond gas, consumers are also looking at
        Recent changes in consumer behaviors                         transportation alternatives. When asked, more than
                                                                     30 percent of drivers in an Ipsos study said that they
        Some consumer behavior changes are drastic, and some         are  strongly  considering  investing  in  an  electric
        occur as a direct result of industry trends. Today's         vehicle for their next purchase (see www.ipsos.com/
        changing consumer behaviors are mostly in response           en-us).
        to the shifting economic climate. As fears grow about

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