Shoppers became a bit more optimistic in June after sentiments reached a three-year low in May, according to a Numerator Consumer Sentiment Tracker report,
The Consumer Confidence Score rose to 54.6, up 0.5 points month over month, with 50 being the breakeven between positive and negative sentiments. In May, the drop in consumer confidence, to its lowest level since 2022, was mostly due to rising gas prices, Numerator noted.
Consumers remain value-conscious, but they have eased cutbacks from last year. Almost four in 10 consumers continue to shop sales, cook at home or use coupons, yet most tracked saving behaviors were less prevalent versus this time in 2025, according to the market researcher.
Better household finances and spending comfort levels supported the rebound in shopper confidence, with 48% of consumers rating their finances as good or very good and 40% saying they are comfortable with discretionary spending, slightly better than but essentially in line with May’s figure.
Overall, confidence is down a point from June 2025. Numerator noted that job market concerns, which have recently grown, remained high in June as 36% of consumers told the market researcher jobs are difficult to find, up four points.
Spending less overall saw the largest decline among the factors considered in the report, down 2.4 points, suggesting consumers are slightly less defensive in what outlays they are willing to make, Numerator pointed out, indicating stabilizing financial circumstances. Still, consumers are becoming more restrained with their spare cash. For those with extra money, savings remained the most common choice of what to do with spare cash at 34%, but that number was down 1.2 points versus June 2026, according to Numerator. Compared to May and to last year, fewer consumers said they are using spare cash for debt repayment, vacation, home improvement, investing and retirement contributions.
The future financial outlook reading showed a modest rebound in line with overall confidence. The June Financial Outlook Score was 49.5, up 1.4 points from last month but 2.4 points behind what it was last year. In looking a year ahead, Numerator reported slightly more shoppers expect their finances to be worse (25%), than better (24%), and 52% expect them to stay essentially the same.
