Gen Z’s anti-capitalist brand says one thing. Its spending data says something more interesting

Gen Z has built its brand on anti-capitalist rhetoric. And when asked directly where their discretionary dollars go, 67% of Gen Z say they spend more on goods than on experiences—only 29% say the reverse. But the more structurally interesting number isn’t the savings gap—it’s what’s missing from Gen Z’s spending pattern. What that compression looks like in the receiptsIf Gen Z were serious about resisting consumer capitalism, the discretionary numbers wouldn’t look like this. Gen Z isn’t retreating from capitalism or from spending broadly.