According to a June report from the Wall Street Journal, citing data from Circana, youth aged 18 to 24 have reduced their spending on online and offline purchases by 13% from January to April 2025 compared to the same period last year. The video game segment showed the steepest decline, nearly 25% on average per week. In comparison, other age groups recorded a decrease of less than 5%, reports 'Glavkom'.
Spending on accessories, household appliances, home goods, and electronics has also decreased, but gaming has emerged as a leading segment in the anti-rating. Experts note that students and recent graduates are traditionally considered active consumers of entertainment, yet the challenging economic landscape is changing this image: graduates are finding it harder to find jobs, student loan repayments have resumed, and the level of overdue credit card debt has reached a peak not seen since pre-pandemic times.
It is worth mentioning that Generation Z, or Zoomers (youth born between 1997 and 2012), are facing a new problem. The results of recent surveys show that most Zoomers cannot afford relationships - they literally spend not a penny on dating. Nevertheless, this doesn't stop them from achieving success.
It was previously reported that Zoomers do not want to cook using traditional cookbooks, preferring to draw ideas and cooking tips from popular bloggers.
Notably, last year saw a record increase in the registry of gamblers in Ukraine, with currently 12,807 individuals listed. Over the course of a year, the list tripled: it was increased by 9,389 individuals, while 1,496 were removed due to the expiration of their limitation period. Almost all entries in the registry are voluntary. People voluntarily submit applications for self-restriction to block their access to gambling establishments and participation in gambling for a certain period. The duration of such restrictions is from six months to three years.
According to data from the Wall Street Journal, youth spending on purchases has decreased, especially in the video game sector. Survey results indicate that young people are not spending money on relationships, using social media and bloggers for advice. At the same time, the number of Ukrainians in the registry of gamblers has almost tripled, reaching 12,807 individuals.