Optimism is Scarce: Two-Thirds of Americans Preparing for Economic Downturn

– 62% of respondents plan to increase comparison price shopping over the next year –

PLUS: High-end spending, such as new homes and vehicles on pause

DENVER, CO (June 24, 2025)—Adtaxi, one of the nation’s fastest-growing digital marketing agencies, today announced the results of its 2025 Consumer & Economy Survey. The findings were clear: the consumer psyche has swung from “soft landing” to “brace for impact,” with the majority (68%) of Americans expecting the U.S. economy to turn negative over the next year, ranging from a mild slowdown to inflationary recession. 

“For 15 years, Adtaxi has tracked and examined consumer, category, and economic data in the U.S. We have seen first-hand the shifts in consumerism in and out of times of economic uncertainty, including during the last recession and pandemic,” said Adtaxi Director of Research Murry Woronoff. “With consumer sentiment declining, brand messaging must recognize financial anxiety and promote messaging that couples optimism with cost-saving proof.”

Among Adtaxi’s survey findings on consumer behavior and economic expectations:

Brace for Impact: Roughly two-thirds (68%) of Americans are expecting the U.S. economy to turn negative within the next 6-12 months, with 21% predicting a mild slowdown, 20% predicting a classic recession, and 27% expecting a stagflation, with increased prices and inflation.

Middle-Ground Budgets Disappear: Household wallets are shifting into belt-tightening mode. Three-quarters of adults (76%) intend to rethink their spending, with six in ten plotting outright cuts (down 6% or more), versus just one in ten planning to spend more. 

Luxuries on Pause: High-ticket, non-essential categories are feeling the pinch, with 71% of respondents claiming they will delay or cancel their purchasing plans on new homes and vehicles. Not feeling the strain? Health-wellness and dining out are holding strong, with 67% and 46% of U.S. adults planning to continue spending, respectively.

Consumers Double Down on Essentials: 88% of Americans expect to change their approach to shopping based on their expectations for the economy, with 27% planning to focus on essentials, and another 27% doubling down on finding the best deals. Only 2% plan to splurge for stress relief—a stark signal of today’s defensive spending mindset.

Price Tag Wars: 6-in-10 (62%) of consumers plan to increase their level of comparison price shopping, proving that friction-free price tools and real-time inventory visibility are now entry tickets, not differentiators. Hide pricing and you hand traffic to aggregators.

“As Americans navigate ongoing economic uncertainty, marketers have an opportunity to maximize impact by investing in the channels and messages that resonate most,” said Chris Loretto, EVP of Adtaxi. “Adtaxi’s 2025 Consumer & Economy Survey was conducted to provide brands with insight into shifting consumer sentiment and help guide smarter, more effective marketing strategies.”

To view the full report, click HERE. 

Methodology 

This survey was conducted online using SurveyMonkey among a national sample of 1,004 adults across U.S. geographic regions, income levels, genders, and ages. The survey was conducted on May 29th, 2025.

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About Adtaxi
Founded in 2010 within MediaNews Group, Adtaxi made its mark in programmatic advertising before expanding into search, social, and connected TV. Over time, Adtaxi has refined and perfected its holistic performance-based strategy, which became the foundation of Quantum, originally launched in 2015. Leveraging the power of people plus technology, Adtaxi’s innovative full-funnel methodology leverages various tools and processes throughout the client lifecycle to drive omnichannel optimizations across channels to maximize performance and deliver superior value for advertisers. Adtaxi functions as a true partner with its clients, acting as a single point of contact and support through multi-platform campaign cycles. Find Adtaxi on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.