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Yuanyuan (Gina) Cui, Assistant Professor of Marketing, Coastal Carolina University

Why Americans are buying $22 smoothies despite feeling terrible about the economy

A selection of smoothies are listed in front of the high-end grocer Erewhon in Culver City, Calif., on July 17, 2024. Photo by Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Americans are skipping restaurant dinners, delaying car purchases and scouring for grocery deals. Amid tariff anxiety and broader stress over affordability, consumer confidence has dropped to levels not seen in over a decade, according to The Conference Board, a business think tank. At this point, it’s wealthier consumers who are powering the bulk of spending in the U.S. economy.

So what explains the success of Erewhon’s US$22 smoothie?

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