by Ireland Owens
DailyCaller.com
Dollar stores are reporting softened demand and increased financial stress among their lower-income consumers, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Some businesses say their customers are spending less money toward the end of the month and more focused on purchasing from cheap store brands, according to the WSJ. Dollar General said in a December earnings call that its best-performing category in its last quarter was its “value valley” aisle, which offers $1 products, the WSJ reported.
Dollar stores are also saying that consumers put off shopping for special occasions like Halloween until the last minute, according to the WSJ. Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said at a conference on Dec. 3 that the “inflationary cycle has been really detrimental” for lower-income families, the WSJ reported.