Food Dive reported the development on 2026-02-05. Every decision, from pricing to packaging design, needs to reflect how people shop now, writes John Broderick.
The report places the news in a wider commercial context. From grocery aisles to newsrooms to boardrooms, 2025 has felt like a year spent in the eye of a perfect storm. Prices zigzagged, tariffs surged and stalled, consumer sentiment hit recession-level alarms, and manufacturers faced a constant state of “wait and see.”.
For the food sector, the practical implications extend beyond the immediate announcement. If last year was about economic fatigue, the coming years will be about economic vigilance. In our research, more than 90% of Generation Z and Generation X said they’re highly tuned in to the economy, politics and global news. Tariffs, traditionally a back-page topic, are now part of household conversation.
Attention now turns to how companies, customers and regulators respond. They’re not wrong: 75% of consumers expect tariff actions to push grocery bills higher. That perception alone shapes behavior, changing how people shop by becoming more price sensitive, rethinking their brand loyalty and questioning whether a brand is worth a premium price.
Food Dive
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