Thai consumers spend less on each shopping trip

Thai consumers are reducing the amount they spend on each shopping trip, according to The Nation Thailand's Retail Sentiment Index. The spending-per-bill component experienced the largest decline among the index's key measures. Households are now limiting purchases to essentials while removing less necessary items from their shopping lists.

Consumers are also opting for cheaper brands and private-label products, foregoing discretionary and lifestyle purchases. This shift suggests financial strain rather than a change in shopping habits or locations.

The Consumer Price Index for July 2026 increased to 102.10, marking a 1.95% year-on-year rise from 100.15 in the same period last year, as reported by Kaohoon International. Despite the higher inflation, the government maintained its Thais Help Thais Plus 60/40 stimulus program in July, with total spending remaining similar to June at around 43 billion baht (US$1.29 billion). Approximately 25.78-26 million individuals utilized the entitlement, with each person spending between 1,600-1,700 baht on average.

However, the stimulus was insufficient to fully counterbalance the underlying weakness in household income. In June, consumers accelerated spending to prevent losing unused entitlements, but by July, they had become more accustomed to the scheme and began distributing their expenditure more evenly. Once the support was utilized for basic necessities, households had limited personal spending power left for other product categories, thereby diminishing the program's overall economic impact.

Compounding the pressure in July, heavy rainfall and flooding in several regions led to reduced visitor numbers at medium-sized and large shopping centers.