Dollar General CEO says consumers making $100,000 a year don’t feel like high-income shoppers anymore as high gas prices and inflation reshape habits

A six-figure annual salary used to be a milestone for career success and financial security, but it isn't what it used to be. The era of elevated inflation that began during the COVID pandemic has eroded the value of $100,000 to the point that Americans earning that much are hunting for bargains like everyone else. Walmart has previously noted that more affluent customers are shopping at the discount chain. And now they are patronizing deep discounters like dollar stores. At the Goldman Sachs Global Consumer and Retail Conference on Tuesday, Dollar General CEO Todd Vasos said core customers, whom he defined as those making less than $45,000 a year, change their shopping behavior when gas prices hit $4 a gallon.