Puerto Rico consumers cut back on entertainment, boost essentials
Amid inflationary pressures and potential cuts to federal aid programs, Puerto Rico’s consumers are adjusting their spending habits, prioritizing essentials while cutting back on nonessentials like entertainment, according to the Chamber of Food Marketing, Industry and Distribution’s (MIDA, in Spanish) 2025 Consumer X-ray.
Presented ahead of the MIDA Conference & Food Show 2025, the study revealed that all monthly household spending categories increased — except entertainment, which dropped by 5%.
Notably, food and household product expenditures rose 13%, from $452 in 2024 to $509 in 2025. Mortgage or rent spending increased from $569 to $615, utilities from $360 to $386 and transportation from $665 to $712 per month.
“Concern about new tariffs is widespread,” said MIDA President Félix Aponte, emphasizing that 82% of consumers believe tariffs will negatively impact the local economy, and 61% said their personal finances would be severely affected.
Manuel Reyes-Alfonso, MIDA’s executive vice president, highlighted growing anxiety about federal funding cuts.
“Among the Nutrition Assistance Program (PAN, in Spanish) beneficiaries interviewed, 92% indicated that their ability to purchase food and meet their health needs will be affected in some way. Forty-eight percent indicated that it will be severely affected,” he said.
Richard Valdés, chairman of the Consumer X-ray Committee, said consumers are looking for more than just price — they are seeking added value in their purchases, given the limits of tight budgets.
“We’re dealing with a buyer who, faced with economic pressure, has had to transform their purchasing decisions. We see that almost all monthly spending items have increased, but more than half of households have maintained or seen their income decrease,” Valdés said.
The 33rd edition of the study also revealed a shift in how consumers define value.
“The value equation is emotional, strategic and defined by the historical and social moment the [consumer] is experiencing,” said Diana Rodríguez, president of Lighthouse Strategies.
For 57% of consumers, value now means getting quality at the best price, she said.
Essential items such as meat (78%), rice (64%), bread (42%) and eggs (48%) top the shopping list. Eggs have recovered in popularity after a decline caused by the avian flu.
Home cooking remains strong, with more than 91% of consumers preparing meals at home. This behavior combines economic savings with a desire to eat healthier.
“Seventy percent are taking steps to eat better, favoring products low in sugar, without preservatives and prepared in an air fryer,” Rodríguez added.
Convenience and health remain critical, she said.
“Ninety-seven percent prefer products that are easy to prepare, don’t need refrigeration and cook quickly,” she noted, while 75% are seeking low-sugar options.
In choosing where to shop, consumers prioritize low prices and proximity. Brand loyalty is also shifting, with 64% open to switching brands, particularly among Generation X and millennials. Despite the growth of digital platforms, printed shopper guides continue to play an important role, especially among baby boomers.
This year’s study includes an expanded sample of 1,600 interviews — 1,350 in person and 250 online — and adds new modules on beverage, snack, pet and frozen food consumption.
The full findings will be unveiled June 19–21 during the MIDA Conference & Food Show 2025 at the Convention Center.
