So why are consumers using this buy now, pay later model at this point?

Yeah.

It really comes down to a mix of economic pressure and consumer desire.

On one hand, persistent inflation means families are using credit just to manage weekly pla- cashflow and get by.

But on the other hand, forecasting experts point out that BNPL is changing how people view affordability.

For example, if a family wants to buy fresh produce, fish, or organic items, which are inherently more expensive, paying $25 today on $100 bill feels much more accessible than dropping $100 all at once.

So what does this mean for growers? What does it mean for retailers?

Yes.

Obviously, we can look at social media trends, but what does the lat- latest data from The Packer's Fresh Trend report tell us about the split between male and female shoppers?

Yeah, Hailey, um, it's really interesting because the data tells a different story than those viral videos.

The Packer's Fresh Trends 2026 report found that men are actually becoming a major power buyers in the produce section.

Over the past year, men reported higher purchase rates than women for differentiated produce, things like organics, specialty mushrooms, purple sweet potatoes, and super premium strawberries.

And when it comes to budget, men are much less price sensitive.

Nearly 18% of men said they buy healthy foods regardless of price, compared to just 12% of women.

In fact, when looking at organic produce, men were twice as likely as women, 8% versus 4%, to say they'd be willing to pay up to a 50% premium to get organic fruits and vegetables.

What about motives? Did they ask about their motives behind these purchases?