Concern about rising prices has reached a fever pitch as Americans sit down to Memorial Day barbecues across the country. A majority of Democrats, Republicans and independents said that they had changed their purchases from grocery stores to stay within budget in the last several months, according to polling from CNN.
Another 59 percent of Americans said they had cut back on extras and entertainment.
More than three quarters of Americans, including 55 percent of Republicans, said President Trump’s policies had increased the cost of living in their community.
Survey after survey has found that Americans are feeling growing financial uncertainty. Nearly half of all voters gave the economy the lowest rating, “poor,” in the latest New York Times/Siena poll, up 11 percentage points since January.
And economic confidence has hit a four-year low, according to Gallup.
Gas prices have continued to soar nationally, rising above $4.50 a gallon, according to the AAA motor club.
Nearly 80 percent of voters — including a majority of Republicans — say the Trump administration is responsible for this price hike, according to polling from Fox News. Large majorities also blamed oil companies, the war in Iran and government regulations.
All in all, a solid majority of voters in the Fox poll, 57 percent, say that Mr. Trump’s policies have hurt the country, up from 51 percent who said the same one year ago.
The Times occasionally features polling that illustrates Americans’ views on issues of the day. The numbers come from high-quality polls with a record for accuracy and rigorous methods.
Ruth Igielnik is a Times polling editor who conducts polls and analyzes and reports on the results.
The post 61% of Americans Said They Had to Cut Back on Groceries appeared first on New York Times.
