U.S. Labor Day 2022 consumer trends

The first Monday of September every year is Labor Day, which is a statutory holiday in the United States. The arrival of Labor Day marks the end of summer and the end of the back-to-school season.

With Labor Day approaching next week, US platforms are starting to offer deep discounts on some back-to-school items to kick off the new season .

As you can imagine, this year's Labor Day sales may be different from previous ones, because of continued inflation, various retailers are doing their best to clear out their seasonal goods. On Amazon, school supplies can enjoy up to 80% off , and some electronic products are up to 40% off . So, what are the consumption trends of this year's Labor Day?

According to the 2022 Labor Day Weekend Consumer Survey Report released by Numerator, 94% of consumers said they would go shopping, with food being the key shopping category for consumers , with the proportions from top to bottom being: meat /seafood (58%), snacks (54%), fruits/vegetables (48%), side dishes (44%) and alcoholic beverages (43%).

Among non-food planned purchases, more than half (51%) of consumers planning to shop for Labor Day deals expect to buy groceries, and a quarter plan to look for Labor Day deals on clothing and home essentials. However, 25% said they will buy clothing/shoes and 24% will buy household essentials.

More than a quarter ( 26%) of consumers plan to buy grilling supplies, 8% plan to buy holiday decorations, and 6% plan to buy sporting goods or outdoor games.

Barbecues and parties remain the top Labor Day celebration activities, with 61% of celebrants planning a barbecue and 53% planning a get-together with family and friends, though all plans are down slightly from past years.

Plans for celebrations vary by generation. Compared to other generations, Gen Z consumers are most likely to go out for dinner/drinks (37%), travel (26%), or attend/host a party (26%).

Nearly nine in 10 consumers are likely to shop during Labor Day weekend sales . More than a third (34%) of consumers say they plan to shop during the long weekend, with another 52% saying they are likely to participate.

Consumers are prepared to change their shopping behaviors in response to inflation. They will respond to rising costs in a variety of ways, including comparing prices ( 45%), stocking up on bargains (31%), not buying non-essential items (29%), and waiting to buy specific products at a lower price (18%).

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Labor Day