Economics
Inflation Concerns Aren’t Going Away — and May Get Worse
Report summary
Key Takeaways
- Even as inflation has eased considerably from its high, costs are still a top concern for the vast majority of consumers.
- Although U.S. adults feel better about the economy than a year ago, downside risks threaten to dampen the renewed optimism, especially as consumers are more price sensitive than ever.
- Most want prices to decline, and many would prefer this even if it leads to a recession – highlighting the deep frustration many hold when it comes to costs.
Data Downloads
Pro+ subscribers are able to download the datasets that underpin Morning Consult Pro's reports and analysis. Contact us to get access.
Highlights from this report
Inflation has eased considerably since its highs in mid-2022, but nearly two and a half years later, prices remain the top concern for consumers regarding the economy. Among all costs, grocery prices continue to reign supreme as a concern for the vast majority of respondents. Optimism about the economy is higher than it was a year ago, but downside risks threaten to dampen progress. As consumers are more price sensitive than ever, upside risks to inflation threaten to stress test consumer budgets already stretched thin by the past few years of sustained cost of living challenges.
Methodology
Morning Consult data featured in this report draws primarily from a survey conducted February 21 – February 23, 2025 among a sample of 2,200 adults. The interviews were conducted online and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on age, gender, race, educational attainment, region, gender by age, and race by educational attainment. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
Also included in this report is data from Morning Consult’s U.S. Supply Chain and Inflation Tracker and Global Consumer Confidence Dashboard, which have data available to download.
About the author
Sofia Baig is an economist at decision intelligence company Morning Consult, where she works on descriptive and predictive analysis that leverages Morning Consult’s proprietary high-frequency data. Previously, she worked for the Federal Reserve Board as a quantitative analyst, focusing on topics related to monetary policy and bank stress testing. She received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Pomona College and a master’s degree in mathematics and statistics from Georgetown University.
Follow her on Twitter @_SofiaBaig_For speaking opportunities and booking requests, please email [email protected]
