CHICAGO, June 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Numerator, a data and tech company serving the market research space, announced the release of its Tariff Sentiment Tracker, which provides ongoing updates on consumers’ tariff perspectives, based on a custom Numerator survey fielded to 5,000 U.S. consumers on a bi-weekly basis. The tracker now includes data from four waves of the survey, fielded the weeks of April 21, May 5, May 25, and June 2. The majority of U.S. consumers express both knowledge and concern about tariffs; 83% of consumers say they understand what tariffs are and how they impact prices, and 88% are concerned about the impact on their personal finances or shopping habits.
Tariff Consumer Sentiment Survey Findings:
- More than three-quarters of U.S. consumers are aware of tariffs. 77% of consumers say they are aware of new or proposed tariffs on goods imported into the U.S. Awareness is highest for Millennials (79%) and high-income consumers (84%) and lowest for Boomers+ (75%) and low-income consumers (68%).
- Understanding goes hand-in-hand with awareness. 83% of consumers say they understand what tariffs are and how they impact prices.
- One-third of U.S. consumers support tariffs. More U.S. consumers oppose tariffs than support (30% support, 45% oppose), a trend that intensifies at the margins, with 29% being strongly opposed compared to 12% who strongly support. Overall support of the tariffs is down 2 points vs. two weeks ago.
- There is a generational divide when it comes to support and opposition of tariffs. Boomers+ (38%) are more likely than the average consumer to say they support tariffs, while Gen Z (55%) and Millennials (49%) are more likely to say they oppose tariffs.
- Only a quarter of consumers believe that tariffs will have a positive impact on the U.S. economy over the next year. 27% of U.S. consumers say tariffs will have a positive impact, while 58% believe they will have a negative impact. 77% of consumers are concerned about the possibility of a recession in the coming year.
- Nearly 9 in 10 consumers continue to say that tariffs will impact their personal finances or shopping habits. 88% of consumers are concerned about the impact of tariffs, in line with survey results from early May. 64% of consumers are worried about higher prices on everyday goods, 59% are worried about general inflation, 48% are worried about higher prices on non-essential items, and 45% of U.S. consumers are concerned about limited availability of certain products.
- 81% of U.S. consumers still expect to adjust their finances or shopping habits in response to the tariffs. Consumers say they are most likely to cut back spending on non-essentials (47%), look for sales or coupons to offset price increases (42%), delay non-essential or big-ticket purchases (32%), buy fewer imported goods (28%), and switch to lower-priced retailers or discount stores (30%). The only reaction to see a notable decline since late April was “delaying purchases until prices stabilize” (25% in June vs. 28% in late April).
- Economic concerns have declined in the past month. 33% of consumers are concerned about the impact on the stock market and/or their investments (vs. 34% two weeks ago and 41% in late April), 29% are concerned about slower economic growth (vs. 29% two weeks ago and 33% in late April). Nearly 1 in 5 (19%) say they are worried about the impact on their job or industry, a percentage that has remained flat since late April.
- Nearly 1 in 10 U.S. consumers express no concern and do not expect to make any changes regarding tariffs. 9% of U.S. consumers say they have no concerns regarding tariffs, and 7% do not expect to make any changes as a response to tariffs.
Numerator’s Tariff Sentiment Tracker survey was most recently fielded to 5,054 U.S. consumers between 6/2/2025–6/8/2025. Prior surveys were fielded to 5,074 U.S. consumers between 5/20/2025–5/27/2025 and to 5,080 U.S. consumers between 5/6/2025–5/11/2025. The original survey was fielded to 5,037 U.S. consumers between 4/23/25–4/28/2025.
About Numerator:
Numerator is a data and tech company bringing speed and scale to market research. Numerator blends first-party data from over 1 million US households with advanced technology to provide 360-degree consumer understanding for the market research industry that has been slow to change. Headquartered in Chicago, IL, Numerator has 5,800 employees worldwide; 80 of the top 100 CPG brands’ manufacturers are Numerator clients.
Bob Richter Numerator 212-802-8588 press@numerator.com
