It is a fairly typical dollar store shopping haul: aspirin, facial tissues, a bag of flavoured popcorn and a bottle of Diet Coke.
And Yahaira Martinez, who is leaving a Dollar General store in Newark, New Jersey with a shopping trolley containing the items, is a fairly typical dollar store customer. The 45-year-old works nights as a security guard and days caring for a family member. Most days she says she feels like a robot just trying to keep up with rent, a car loan and insurance, let alone food.
She likes Dollar General’s prices but has been buying less there lately. “It’s horrible. Prices are going [up] too much,” she says. “It’s like we’re all being forced to go on a diet.”