American teenagers’ spending habits seem to have bucked the trend of being negatively affected by inflation. In fact, they’re actually reporting a higher anticipated spend than they did in both spring and autumn 2021 – where is all this extra dollar coming from?
US Gen Zers spending is up by 9% from spring 2021, and 4% from autumn 2021, amounting to around $2,300 in expected spending for 2022. But since many younger Gen Zers don’t have to worry about paying bills, rent, or even shelling out for groceries, it makes sense that teens’ spending, as a cohort, will be the least impacted by the financial burden of inflation.
So what are they spending that disposable income on? Food, video games, and fashion, according to a biannual Piper Sandler survey. And while men spend more on footwear and women more on clothing, athleisure brands like Nike and Lululemon are coming out on top for everyone, pointing to a further cementing of pandemic-acquired attitudes towards comfort dressing.
