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With rising living costs and stagnant wages, the American middle and lower classes are increasingly finding themselves in precarious financial situations. One noteworthy phenomenon is the surge in active users on the Walmart app. While the downloads of the app saw a stagnation late last year, engagement numbers reached unprecedented levels. This suggests that more consumers are shifting to budget shopping—adopting a "trade down" mindset. As disposable income dwindles, households are compelled to cut back on non-essential spending, a trend that raises alarms across the broader retail landscape.