This Report delves into the complexity of American consumers’ values in 2025, highlighting the influence of political division, economic uncertainty, and shifting definitions of the American Dream. Generational differences and growing multiculturalism in the US are creating a shift in American values as well as redefining the American Dream. Homeownership remains a key aspect of the American Dream, but its attainment is increasingly out of reach for many, driving consumers to reevaluate markers of personal success.
At the same time, ongoing political division and economic uncertainty are shaping consumers’ financial outlook and spending behaviors. Brands have the opportunity to address consumers’ widespread concerns by offering value-driven promotions paired with unifying messaging that appeals to the importance of community, empathy and perseverance.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Examination of US consumer attitudes towards American values and the political divide
- A look at the evolving definition of the American Dream
- Impact of economic uncertainty on consumer financial comfort and spending
- Consumers’ concerns about and perceived impact of tariffs across categories
- Consumer attitudes towards buying American-made products and the associated benefits
- Opportunities for brands to connect with American consumers through messages of community, resilience and value
Political division, economic uncertainty and growing multiculturalism are driving a shift in American values and perception of the American Dream.
Lisa Dubina, Associate Director, Culture & Identity
Market Definitions
For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions for its political profiles.
- Conservative Republican: respondent who affiliates with the Republican Party and self-identifies as very or somewhat conservative. Previous Mintel data indicates this segment includes some of the most politically engaged consumers.
- Lite Republican: respondent who affiliates with the Republican Party but self-identifies as liberal or in the middle.
- Liberal Democrat: respondent who affiliates with the Democratic Party and self-identifies as very or somewhat liberal. Previous Mintel data indicates this segment includes some of the most politically engaged consumers.
- Lite Democrat: respondent who affiliates with the Democratic Party but self-identifies as conservative or in the middle.
- Independent/other: respondent who affiliates with an independent party or a party other than Republican or Democratic, with political beliefs across the spectrum.
- No affiliation: respondent who doesn’t affiliate with any political party or ideology or preferred not to answer.
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- Market definition
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Future outlook for American consumers and their values
- Opportunities
- Opportunities to appeal to shifting American values
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THE MARKET
- Market context
- Growing multicultural population drives a shift in values
- Graph 1: population growth (% annual change), by race and ethnicity, 2010-23
- Uncertainty surrounding global trade and the full impact of tariffs is far from over
- As housing affordability continues to fall, homeownership rates in the US decline
- Graph 2: homeownership rate, 2019-25
- Graph 3: Housing Affordability Index (HAI), 2019-25
- The country’s ongoing political and cultural clashes continue to polarize Americans
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CONSUMER INSIGHTS
- Consumer fast facts
- American values: the basics
- Consumers’ outlook on US politics has remained stable – concerns over political division persist, but optimism continues to endure
- Older consumers are more concerned about the political divide, but younger consumers remain more optimistic
- Graph 4: any agree – outlook on US politics, by generation, 2025
- The disconnect between consumers’ perceptions of conservative and liberal values demonstrates the country’s continued political divide
- Recent brand controversies demonstrate how the country’s sociopolitical backlash continues to get louder, more frequent – and more trivial
- Consumers identify equality, hard work and family-focus as the country’s top American values
- Graph 5: top three American values, 2025
- Consumers’ outlook on the top American values varies across racial identity and by political affiliation
- Graph 6: top three American values, by race/ethnicity, 2025
- Graph 7: top three American values, by political affiliation, 2025
- Polo Ralph Lauren celebrates Black American heritage with its Oak Bluffs collection
- Outlook on the American Dream
- Homeownership remains the top defining aspect of the American Dream, even as the reality of homeownership falls further out of reach
- Graph 8: perceived requirements to achieve the American Dream, 2025
- As homeownership becomes more challenging to achieve, consumers are finding new signs of success and personal prosperity
- Graph 9: perceived requirements to achieve the American Dream, by generation, 2025
- Graph 10: perceived requirements to achieve the American Dream, by race/ethnicity, 2025
- The American Dream and markers of success are strongly intertwined
- The American Dream: in their own words
- Nearly half of consumers believe they’ve already achieved the American Dream
- Graph 11: perceived personal achievement, by race/ethnicity and generation, 2025
- Brands can appeal to and help support the aspirations of consumers who haven’t yet but are optimistic they will achieve the American Dream
- Graph 12: perceived requirements to achieve the American Dream, by perceived personal achievement, 2025
- Chase for Business uses a personalized approach in its advertising, highlighting stories for real, family-owned businesses
- Financial planning & spending
- Since the election, consumers have become slightly more willing to invest a large purchase or investment
- Graph 13: any agree – outlook on financial future, 2024-25
- Economic uncertainty continues to loom over American consumers
- About half of consumers have put off buying an essential or non-essential purchase in the two months since “Liberation Day”
- Graph 14: spending adjustments in the past two months, 2025
- Women, Millennials and Gen Xers are most likely to have adjusted their spending due to economic constraints
- Graph 15: spending adjustments in the past two months, by gender and generation, 2025
- Target announces back-to-school price freeze on a list of 20 supply essentials
- Tariff concerns & considerations
- 40% of consumers remain “very concerned” about the economic impact of tariffs
- Concerns about tariffs are politically and generationally-influenced
- Graph 16: consumer concerns about tariffs, by political affiliation, 2025
- Graph 17: consumer concerns about tariffs, by generation, 2025
- While Trump’s supporters maintain faith in his tariff strategy, others fear the compound impact tariffs will have on their personal finances
- Concerns about tariffs impacting the cost of cars, electronics and homes/home improvement have slightly increased since early 2025
- Graph 18: top three categories consumers are most worried about tariffs are impacting (any rank), March vs June, 2025
- Parents are some of the most worried about the impact of tariffs, and many are already experiencing the financial effects
- Graph 19: attitudes towards tariffs, any agree, by generation and parental status, 2025
- Olive Garden brings back its “Never Ending Pasta Bowl” deal amidst growing economic uncertainty
- Buying “Made in America”
- The majority of consumers feel it’s important to buy American, but there are differences along political lines
- Graph 20: any agree – “It’s important to buy American-made products as much as possible,” by political affiliation, 2025
- Mass-market US brands should highlight the local and community benefits of buying American-made rather than appealing to a sense of patriotic duty
- Besides supporting the economy, product quality and safety are key associations with “made in America”
- Graph 21: associations with products “made in America,” 2025
- Younger consumers are more likely to associate American-made products with alternative benefits, rather than economic ones
- Graph 22: associations with products “made in America,” by generation, 2025
- Aligning with the associations of quality and safety, consumers prioritize buying American-made for health and fresh food products
- Graph 23: importance of buying “made in America” across categories, 2025
- Graph 24: importance of “assembled in America” across categories, 2025
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INNOVATION AND MARKETING STRATEGIES
- Marketing and advertising
- Québec invites US tourists to “Come hug it out”
- 7-Eleven celebrates being a cultural pitstop for two of America’s diverse subcultures: skateboarders and car enthusiasts
- Lay’s Little Farmer speaks to entrepreneurial resilience among even the smallest of Americans
- Prudential helps every type of “Al” protect their life’s work
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APPENDIX
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology
- Consumer qualitative research methodology
- Generations
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