How is Pressure at the Pump Affecting Spending?

Placer.ai: research suggests that consumers may be ‘driving less or holding out between fill-ups.’

June 04, 2026

As gas prices rose in the wake of the Iran war, consumers initially appeared resilient, but recent traffic patterns suggest that sustained pressure at the pump may finally be impacting consumer spending behavior, research firm Placer.ai said in a recent report.

“When gas prices initially began rising in early March 2026, both retail and fuel demand remained relatively resilient. … discretionary retail and gas station visits hovered near or above prior-year levels—indicating that consumers were largely maintaining their shopping and driving habits. Meanwhile, non-discretionary retail traffic continued to post modest year-over-year (YoY) gains, perhaps a product of ongoing macroeconomic instability and the overall strength of essentials-based retail,” the firm wrote.

However, following a temporary Easter-related lift, research suggests that consumer behavior reached an inflection point in mid-April. The week of April 13 marked the first week since the start of the supply disruption that gas station visits fell below year-ago levels. Since then, Placer.ai said that gas stations have experienced persistent YoY visitation declines, suggesting that consumers may be driving less or holding out between fill-ups.

Beginning the week of April 20, “discretionary retail traffic also slipped below prior-year levels—pointing to a potential pullback in non-essential shopping trips. Non-discretionary retail proved more resilient, remaining near or above the previous year’s levels from that week onward … And yet, even visits to essentials-based categories dipped below prior-year levels the week of May 18, indicating that consumers may be shopping more deliberately or consolidating trips as transportation costs rise.”

Placer.ai concluded that consumers initially appeared willing to absorb higher fuel costs, but now recent foot traffic trends suggest that prolonged high prices at the pump have influenced fill-up and retail behavior across the board.

The NACS Fuels Resource Center contains backgrounders on key messages and data points related to fueling.