Trend #2: Consumer loyalty shifts when value is questioned
In our research, spending-related conversations saw a 12% increase in new participants between February 2024 and February 2025.
Online discussions about consumers spending their money have grown increasingly negative, with 68% of all sentiment-categorized mentions leaning this way. Consumers are vocal about their frustrations when it comes to spending, often bringing up issues like unauthorized charges, poor customer service, and mismatched expectations – when the price doesn’t align with the perceived value of the product or service purchased.
Several streaming services were dragged into negative discussions around spending. People complained about the continued presence of excessive ads on paid subscriptions, especially as prices continue to rise.
Some people directly stated that the price they are paying for a particular service or product simply doesn’t match the quality of service they’re receiving.
As one consumer put it, “I pay £30 a month for this and I expect it to work seamlessly.”