The trend: Value-seeking behavior is on the rise, though not without some volatility, per Deloitte.

• About 4 in 10 US consumers now qualify as value-seekers—exhibiting at least three deal-driven, cost-conscious, or convenience-compromising behaviors each month across categories like grocery, retail, dining, travel, and automotive.
• Value seekers span all age groups and income levels. For example, nearly 3 in 10 value seekers are part of young families with six-figure median incomes.

The details:

• Deloitte’s US Consumer Value-Seeking Index, which blends multiple data sources to track both perceived and actual behavior, has remained above its 100 baseline since January.
• It peaked in April, coinciding with the Trump administration’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, then dipped slightly in May as tariff policies stabilized. The fluctuation suggests macroeconomic uncertainty is playing a key role in shaping consumer mindsets and spending habits.

Our take: Consumers’ growing focus on value doesn’t necessarily mean they want the cheapest option. In fact, up to 40% of how consumers evaluate value comes from nonprice factors, per a separate Deloitte study.

• That’s a critical distinction for brands. While it can be tempting to lean into discounts, a narrow focus on price cuts can hurt long-term brand equity.
• Brands that offer added value—through better quality, service, loyalty programs, or other innovations—are seeing stronger purchase intent and increasing consumer share.

Brands should gauge their price and value perception against their peers, as well as look for ways to differentiate. A retailer like Abt in suburban Chicago, for instance, emphasizes high-touch service to build long-term loyalty.

In today’s value-conscious climate, brands can’t afford not to invest in value. But the key is delivering it in ways that resonate beyond cost savings.