20 • September | October 2026 • abasto.com A Shield Against Inflation At a time of tight budgets, this nos- talgic segment behaves differently than the rest. Of those who say they feel “a lot” of nostalgic influence, 57% report that their recent weekly spending is “higher than usual” — nearly triple the rate among those who feel no influence at all, and more than 20 points above the overall average of 35%, according to CivicScience. A 2025 study from the same firm backs this up: more than 60% of U.S. adults felt nostalgia at least “a little” in the past week, and many are wi- lling to pay more for products that evoke the past, even amid economic uncertainty tied to tariffs. The Nostalgia Paradox Far from signaling an aversion to what’s new, nostalgia appears to open the door to other brands. Accor- ding to CivicScience, 49% of consu- mers heavily influenced by nostalgia describe themselves as “very open” to trying newly launched brands — nearly double the overall average of 28% and well above the 10% among those who feel no nostalgia at all. That means looking backward doesn’t slow forward consumption. On the contrary: nostalgic consu- mers are also the most willing to ex- periment, as long as the new offering comes wrapped in packaging, a fla- vor or a story that feels familiar. The Hispanic Case: Heritage as a Purchase Driver For the market Abasto serves, the evidence is even more compelling. A 2022 study by Numerator, “Hono- ring Hispanic & Latino Heritage in America,” found that 58% of Hispa- nic and Latino households consider cultural heritage a central part of their identity — the highest share among all ethnic groups the firm analyzed. The same study confirms that nos- talgia and familiarity shape both the brands Hispanic consumers buy and the stores where they choose to shop. Purchase data backs up the fin- ding. According to NielsenIQ, cited in a recent report from this publica- tion, Latino households spend more than other demographic groups on food, beverages and personal care — a pattern the firm links to nostalgia, cultural pride and a search for au- thenticity. Adding to that is a finding from Co- llage Group: 70% of Latinos say they feel more connected to brands that ce- lebrate their heritage. The phenome- non extends even to entire categories: interest in aguas frescas grew 42% in a year, according to Tastewise — an opportunity Hispanic grocers can ca- pitalize on by re-creating flavors from consumers’ countries of origin. What It Means for Hispanic Grocers For retailers and manufacturers serving the Hispanic community in the United States, the opportu- nity is twofold. Traditional brands and products hold a natural edge in retaining loyal customers who are willing to spend more, bac- ked by both consumer psychology and real purchase data. Emerging brands, meanwhile, have in nostal- gia a low-risk entry point: wrapping something new in familiar visual or narrative language can accelerate adoption. In a market where every percen- tage point of discretionary spen- ding counts, betting on the shared memory of Hispanic consumers is more than a nostalgic marketing strategy. It is, as both behavioral science and industry data suggest, a sound business bet. , 58% of Hispanic and Latino households consider cultural heritage a central part of their identity • Continuation of page 18 • ECONOMY FOCUS