Opportunities to engage female consumers revolve around spruce-up spending and female-focused products putting them front-and-center.

CHICAGO, August 14, 2025 — Female consumers accounted for 59% of U.S. retail discretionary general merchandise spending over the past year. During the first half of 2025, as discretionary spending has been challenged by elevated prices across retail food and beverage, non-edible consumer packaged goods, and general merchandise, year-over-year demand for discretionary products among women fell flat, while unit sales from men were up 3%, according to Circana, LLC. Female discretionary spending grew just 1% during the same period, while male spending rose 2%.

“Female consumers are critical to retail performance, representing more than half of annual spending, and those purchase decisions,” said Marshal Cohen, chief retail industry advisor for Circana. “Shifts in spending behavior among female consumers reveal signs of broader consumer changes brewing.”

Women seem to be opting for purchases that allow them to spruce things up, rather than a bigger ticket spend. Between January and June 2025, the majority of the pullback in spending among female shoppers impacted furniture, apparel, juvenile products, and housewares. Home décor and team sports products gained the most ground among this demographic. Women also spent less in specialty apparel, department stores, and mass merchants at the start of this year, shifting more to ecommerce and warehouse clubs.

“A number of demographic spending shifts are happening across retail, making it more important than ever for brands to understand the mindset of each consumer group, and work to reach them in a more personalized way. Female-focused products are inspiring spending with front-and-center marketing that taps into lifestyle and fashion, and fuels momentum and gains,” said Cohen. “As goes the female shopper, so goes retail — the mantra that will help retail navigate one of the biggest changes in consumer behavior occurring right now.”