High inflation drives 15 million Americans to use buy now, pay later for everyday essentials

• 15 million Americans, including those earning over $100K, are using "buy now, pay later" apps for groceries due to high food inflation • Gen Z shoppers dramatically increased buys of household essentials like contact lens and garbage bags with BNPL in 2022 • BNPL use for items like laptop parts and sleep apnea aids rose 300% among Gen Z last year • Food prices have risen over 22% since February 2020, while consumer inflation is up 20% • Some food categories like frozen juices saw steep annual price hikes recently, though grocery inflation showed signs of cooling in February