Quicktake: Fuel costs cause some shoppers to tap the brakes on spending

Quicktake: Fuel costs cause some shoppers to tap the brakes on spending Emily Johns Wed, 08/05/2026 - 10:30 Survey Image August 7, 2026 Fri, 08/21/2026 - 12:20 Search Aggregate Survey August 7, 2026 Fuel costs cause some shoppers to tap the brakes on spending Those concerned about gas prices are more likely to strategically pull back Consumers who report gas prices as a factor impacting their outlook on the U.S. economy (65%) are taking measures to curb their overall spending. They report their spending as less compared to a year ago (31%) — signaling an intentional effort to lower spend