The Octus Download EP 11 | Del Monte in the Can, Consumer Spending’s Tapped & The IP Is Out of Ideas
Jul 23, 2025
This week, Mark Fischer, Head of Credit Research at Octus, joins to unravel the latest consumer spending trends. He shares insights on a trade-down economy, highlighting how essentials are thriving while big-ticket items languish. Discover why consumers are gravitating toward experiences over minor purchases and the surprising resilience of cruise bookings despite broader spending declines. The conversation also turns to the tired nature of blockbuster franchises, with a critique of Jurassic World and a call for fresh storytelling in an age of IP exhaustion.
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Childhood Canned Food Memories
- Kevin remembers his grandmother serving brown bread from a can as a staple of his childhood.
- Jason prefers canned corn as a survival spoon-food, reflecting different nostalgic ties to tinned goods.
The Walmart–Costco Trade-Up Effect
- Many shoppers 'trade up' to slightly pricier mass-market options like Costco rather than luxury brands.
- Mark frames this as a Walmart/Target/Costco effect where mid-range value captures spending.
Prime Day Shows Essentials Over Mid‑Ticket Goods
- Prime Day patterns show essentials and low-price items rising while middle-ticket goods decline.
- Mark notes TVs fell while dish soap and under-$20 items rose, signalling a trade-down economy.
