Delta Won't Send Us Back to Baking in Sweatpants
A resurgence of Covid cases hasn’t stopped shoppers from wanting to go out. But things are going to get complicated for retailers.
No, thank you.
Photographer: Meredith/Hulton ArchiveThe great consumer rotation is finally upon us. Americans are folding up their sweatpants, putting away their mixing bowls and even reining in their enthusiasm for home improvements. Unless states introduce lockdowns again, it’s hard to see another headlong dive into those early pandemic purchases.
As for what we’ll buy instead, this will look different everywhere. Infection rates differ markedly between U.S. states, and efforts to bring people back to school and the office are rolling out at variable speeds. So rather than one big consumer recovery, we’ll see many local and fast-moving cycles. Add in rising inflation and supply chain snarl-ups, and that’s a lot for businesses to grapple with ahead of the year’s peak spending period.