Dollar Tree CEO Mike Creedon has acknowledged that everyone is struggling, with low and moderate earners struggling to keep up with bills, while higher earners are feeling squeezed. In a CBS News poll, 19% of people with incomes of $100,000 or more rated their financial situation as "bad" by rating it as bad. In February, food costs rose 3.1% on an annual basis, and dining out costs increased 3.9%. In 2025, 92% of consumers expected to cut back on spending in 2025, according to Resume Now’s 2026 Cost-of-Living Crunch Report. However, Dollar Tree acknowledged that lower-income households are relying on its stores more than ever, but also noted that a growing number of higher-income earners are frequenting its stores. The retailer had 3 million more households shop at its stores in Q4 compared to the same period, but about 60% of these new shoppers came from households earning more than $100k.