Gen X CONSUMER INSIGHTS & SHOPPING BEHAVIOR
Discover the Gen X consumer.
Gen X remains one of the most powerful consumer groups, driving more annual spend than any other generation across CPG, general merchandise and QSR. As many enter empty-nester life stages, Gen X shopping behavior is shifting from private label to everyday goods. Understanding evolving Gen X consumer behavior is key in maintaining growth.
What are the buying behaviors of Gen X?
Gen X (born 1965–1981) makes up 30% of US households and continues to represent one of the most powerful spending groups. On average, Gen X households spend $25.5K annually across CPG, general merchandise and QSR—more than any other generation. They shop often, making 824 trips per year and spending about $31 per trip.
When it comes to retailers, Gen X largely reflects the broader US population, with top spend going to Walmart, Amazon and Costco. Their brand choices, however, highlight a distinct generational fingerprint. Gen X overindexes on a mix of nostalgic snacks and indulgent treats like Whatchamacallit, Combos and Munchos, as well as beverages and lifestyle brands including Malibu, Crown Royal and Don Julio. This blend of comfort-driven snacking and premium alcohol suggests a generation balancing familiarity with moments of indulgence.
30%
of Total US Households
$25,468
Spend per Household
824
Trips per Household
$31
Spend per Trip
Source: Numerator | Industries include: Consumer Packaged Goods, General Merchandise and Quick-Service Restaurants. Only showing brands with Total US penetration >5%.
Who is the Gen X shopper?
Gen X remains a predominantly White shopper base at 61%, though diversity is notable with 16% identifying as Black/African-American, 16% as Hispanic/Latino and 5% as Asian.
This generation is clearly moving into a new life stage: nearly 7 in 10 Gen X households (69%) no longer have children at home. Household size reflects this shift, with the largest share being two-person households (29%), while one in four Gen X households (25%) still have four or more members, underscoring the need for brands and retailers to segment messaging between smaller empty-nester homes and larger, multigenerational households.
Gen X incomes skew higher than average, with 45% of households earning more than $125K annually, signaling that this generation has strong spending power. Geographically, Gen X is most likely to live in the suburbs (39%), followed by urban areas (35%) and rural regions (27%).
What are the major trends happening with Gen X?
Influence beyond the screen.
The What: Gen X draws from a diverse and practical mix of influences when making purchase decisions, blending personal trust with institutional credibility. Gen X draws from the opinions of others like their friends and family (51%) and online reviews (34%) like the rest of the US, but traditional advertising (18%) still overshadows influencers and celebrities (5%).
The So What: Gen X’s sources of influence reflect their life stage and media habits, relying on trust, expertise and familiarity over social buzz. Brands and retailers targeting Gen X must prioritize credibility and consistency to win their attention and dollars.
The How: There are many sources of influence at play. With Gen X being harbingers of consumer spending, ensuring your media mix still captures them is important. Understand how sources of influence are specific to your brand and category by surveying verified purchasers.
Retailer relationships.
The What: Gen X carries the lowest private-label share across CPG and general merchandise among all generations.
The So What: Although 32% of Gen X say that retailers they shop at influence their brand choice, retailer sway doesn’t automatically translate to private-label purchasing. In short: the retailer may guide the trip, but Gen X often reaches for national brands they trust. With private label having a moment among Gen Z, retailers need a different playbook for Gen X, where equity, reliability and value assurance matter more than a store-brand default.
The How: Retailers should look at Gen X behavior by individual private-label brands to find where banner influence converts to brand choice. Surveying purchase-verified private-label buyers and segmenting them into loyalty tiers could also help surface behaviors and drivers for brand choice and affinity.
Family shift.
The What: Gen X households without children, many now dual-income-no-kids (DINK) or empty nesters, spend more on pet care (+15%) and less on household products and groceries, signaling a transition of “family” focus toward pets.
The So What: Child-free Gen X households no longer need to focus on taking care of dependents and are free to channel their spending into pets and other channels. These differences show why treating Gen X as a single, uniform cohort risks missing critical nuances in both purchasing power and household priorities.
The How: To win with Gen X, brands and retailers must adjust strategies based on household composition. For Gen X without children, spend is declining in core categories, making it critical to encourage purchases through premium positioning and differentiated value to avoid share loss. At the same time, campaigns that broaden the definition of “family” to include pets can capture emotional resonance and incremental dollars from DINK and empty-nester households.
Understand the consumer across generations through our deep dives.
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