The New Status Symbol Isn’t Luxury. It’s Spending Less

McKinsey’s latest consumer report reveals those who can afford full price are scrutinizing it hardest.

EXPERT OPINION BY VICTORIA WATTERS, MEDIA ENTREPRENEUR

The target customer premium brands built their financial strategies around is suddenly acting like a seasoned bargain hunter. She’s buying store brands, watching DIY tutorials, and listing her designer handbags on resale apps the minute she’s done with them. The kicker? She’s posting about it online, wearing her thriftiness like a badge of honor.

McKinsey’s State of the Consumer 2026 report, published last month, puts numbers behind this shift. Surveying nearly 5,000 consumers across........

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