If you ask the average American, they’ll tell you the U.S. economy is on shaky ground. Job gains are weak, and the consumer price index (CPI) just increased again, with food prices on the steepest upward rollercoaster. This hard truth is echoed by SmartSense’s “Frozenomics” study of 1,000 U.S. adults (21+). Sixty-three percent (63%) of respondents say their financial situation has worsened over the past 12 months, and 65% report their grocery budgets have tightened. More than half — including 66% of Gen Z (respondents born 1997–2004) — are finding relief in an unlikely place: the frozen aisle.
