4 Ways Boomers Are Adjusting Their Shopping Habits in Response to Tariffs
Written by
Gabrielle Olya
Edited by
Molly Sullivan
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President Donald Trump’s 10% tariff on all imported goods and 30% tariff on Chinese imports has led several retailers to raise prices to recoup the extra costs. As a result, many Americans are changing their shopping habits. According to a recent Bread Financial report, nearly half of all consumers are making fewer purchases overall and 4 in 5 consumers have changed the way they shop.
Here’s a look at the three biggest changes baby boomers are making to their shopping habits.
Making Fewer Purchases
According to the Bread Financial report, 40% of boomers are making fewer purchases overall to try to save money. This is probably a smart choice, regardless of tariffs.
“It’s a good time to have an honest conversation with yourself about wants versus needs,” said Trae Bodge, shopping expert and founder of True Trae. “If you’re 61-plus, you probably have all the clothes you need, as an example. Remember to shop your closet versus buying new things.”
If you really want to shop, Bodge recommended buying items secondhand.
“You could take this approach with many categories, like cars, furniture, home décor, etc.,” she said.
Buying More American-Made Products
One-quarter of boomers said they are looking to buy more American-made products as a way to combat tariffs and higher prices. That percentage is comparable to Americans of other ages as well — 25% of Gen X, 29% of millennials and 23% of Gen Z said they are buying more products that are Made in the USA.
Stocking Up on Preferred Brands and Products and Making Purchases Early
According to the report, boomers are also stocking up on preferred brands and products (21%) and making purchases early to avoid tariffs (19%).
“I’m OK with the idea of buying something sooner rather than later if it’s something you need or something you planned to buy anyway,” Bodge said. “My concern is going over budget, so my advice is always to look for Buy Now Pay Later or 0% financing offers through your credit card or a retailer.”
You should also only buy things that you know you will use in a timely manner, she said.
“My other concern is stocking up on things that are perishable or have a shelf life because if they spoil or lose efficacy before you have a chance to use them, you’ve wasted money instead of saving it,” Bodge explained.
If you’re stocking up on specific brands in advance, choose products from countries where tariffs are currently on pause.
“Tariff price hikes are already hitting across many categories, so it’s going to be hard to get ahead of them at this point,” Bodge said. “But, if you have a favorite European product, like a wine, for example, it could make sense to order a case while the 50% tariff is paused. The 10% baseline tariff is still there, but this could be a preemptive purchase in case we land somewhere higher than 10% with Europe.”
Some Boomers Are Not Adjusting Their Shopping Habits
While many boomers are making changes to how they shop, a not insignificant amount — 32% — said they will not be adjusting their shopping habits due to tariffs. That’s a higher percentage than Americans from all other generations.
“The older we get, the more set in our ways we can become,” Bodge said. “It’s also experience. Boomers have decades of mistakes and successes under their belts, so they know what works for them.”
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