Know What's Happening in Ecommerce

Buy Now, Pay Later Moves to Groceries, Utilities and Travel as Millennials Lead the Shift

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) and credit‑card installment plans are moving beyond discretionary purchases into everyday essentials like groceries, utilities and subscriptions. The PYMNTS Intelligence February 2026 report shows 45% of millennials and 42% of bridge‑millennials used credit‑card installments in the past three months, with a quarter also using BNPL, outpacing other age groups. Pay‑later usage is especially high among consumers living paycheck‑to‑paycheck, where 36% use installments and 18% use BNPL. This shift increases interest and fee exposure, as 32% of users financing essentials incur interest versus 25% for discretionary spending.