Here’s what Americans think they’ll cut back on due to tariffs

The Ipsos Consumer Tracker asks Americans questions about culture, the economy and the forces that shape our lives. Here's one thing we learned this week.

Why we asked about tariff impacts: We know that not all products will be impacted by tariffs evenly for a variety of reasons. But what are Americans more willing to cut back on?

What we found: We tested 12 categories, from large electronics, to snacks, to staples like paper products. In each, more would cut back than stock up. Household categories like dairy, detergents and cleaners, paper products and over-the-counter medications found people saying there would be no impact, they just need to keep buying them even if they cost 10% more. But for items that are more discretionary, at least one in three said they would have to cut back.

We’re just now starting to see empty ports on the West Coast and soon the last of the China-origin ships will reach the East Coast, too. So as goods stop coming and as the tariffs start to really take hold and/or pauses are lifted, we’ll come back to this topic.