New UserTesting study reveals sharp shifts in behavior, emotional strain, and a rising demand for brand transparency

BELLEVUE, Wash.: Rising costs driven by tariffs are reshaping how global consumers live, shop, and engage with brands, according to a new study released today by UserTesting, the leading provider of human insights for the enterprise. Conducted in partnership with Talker Research, the study surveyed 4,000 consumers across the U.S., U.K., and Australia and revealed that a growing number of people are scaling back spending, switching brands, and rethinking long-standing habits—from summer travel to everyday purchases.

Tariffs are no longer background noise, they’re triggering real lifestyle changes. Consumers across the globe are actively cutting back:

• 42% are buying fewer products overall
• 27% are switching to generic or store-brand alternatives
• 18% are shopping second-hand more often
• 20% are traveling less
• And notably, 39% say tariffs caused them to reconsider their summer travel plans entirely

Price hikes are especially visible: 72% of U.S. consumers, 55% of Australians, and 68% of Brits report noticing tariff-related increases. Many are voting with their wallets—nearly half of U.S. and U.K. consumers who noticed these hikes say they’ve already switched away from their favorite brands to find better value.

As tariffs push prices upward, many consumers are reassessing where their products come from—bringing new awareness, and in some cases, a preference for domestically made goods. 54% of U.S. respondents, 61% of U.K. respondents and 64% of Australians reported they would be more likely to buy domestically manufactured products due to tariffs. Day-to-day, a majority of global respondents (53% across all three regions) show a preference for domestic brands, with only a small fraction preferring international alternatives. This suggests that tariffs aren’t just shaping wallets, but may be actively transforming how consumers think about product origin and brand loyalty.

The impact of tariffs goes far beyond bank accounts. Across all three regions surveyed, consumers report a growing sense of emotional strain—from stress and anger to sadness and overwhelm—as rising costs disrupt not just their budgets, but their sense of control.

In the U.S., the emotional weight appears to be hitting hardest. Over one-third of Americans say tariffs leave them feeling stressed (37%), with nearly a quarter feeling overwhelmed (23%) when hearing about economic changes tied to trade policy. Emotions are just as raw in other regions, with anger and frustration rising sharply in both Australia and the U.K.

Notably:

• 31% of Australians and Brits alike say tariffs make them feel angry
• 26% of U.K. consumers report feeling sad about the current economic outlook, the highest across regions

As economic uncertainty stretches on, brands are now navigating an increasingly emotionally charged marketplace, where trust, tone, and transparency matter as much as price.

While many brands have raised prices, most consumers aren’t automatically assigning blame, yet. In fact, 54% (U.S.), 65% (Australia), and 55% (U.K.) say their perception of brands hasn’t changed.

The deciding factor? Honesty.

• 72% of Americans,
• 82% of Australians, and
• 80% of Brits

say that transparent communication about pricing changes is essential to maintaining their trust.

“Whether tariffs remain or not, it’s clear they’ve already reshaped consumer habits,” said Bobby Meixner, VP of Solution Marketing at UserTesting. “Consumers understand that price hikes may be out of a company’s control. What they’re looking for is honest, upfront communication—and they’re making purchase decisions based on it.”

A Global Shift in Sentiment

• 78% of Australians and 62% of Brits believe U.S. tariff policy has negatively impacted their national economies.
• More than 25% of global respondents believe their country’s economy will never return to pre-tariff conditions.
• In the U.S. and U.K., a majority of consumers expect at least 19 months before they’ll see economic recovery.
• And 19% of consumers in the U.S. and U.K. say they’re considering a second job, side hustle, or longer hours just to keep up.

About the Study

The study was commissioned by UserTesting and conducted by Talker Research. A total of 4,000 consumers were surveyed between June 4 and June 12, 2025, including a nationally representative sample of adults (18+) across the United States (2,000), Australia (1,000), and the United Kingdom (1,000).

For more insights and the full report, click here.

About UserTesting
UserTesting enables organizations to craft exceptional customer experiences through actionable human insights. With the world’s strongest participant network, AI-driven insights, comprehensive feedback solutions, and expert-level services, enterprises can validate decisions, co-innovate at scale, and accelerate their path to better products and experiences. Trusted by 3,000+ customers, including 75 of the Fortune 100, UserTesting is the partner of choice for businesses committed to delivering experiences customers love. Learn more at www.usertesting.com.

Fonte: Business Wire