The Buy Now, Pay Later Bubble: A Rising Cost for All As I stood in line at my local grocery store, watching a fellow shopper finalize a "buy now, pay later" (BNPL) transaction on her phone, I wondered what this trend means for the rest of us.
Nearly one third of Americans have turned to BNPL apps like Klarna or Affirm to finance their grocery purchases, and economists warn that we're all about to feel the pinch.
A recent study from the University of Washington in St. Louis found that retailers may increase prices and slash inventory as consumers increasingly rely on BNPL for necessities like produce, milk, and eggs.