Groceries have become America's most common gateway into credit card debt

  Credit cards were once reserved for emergencies or big purchases. For a growing share of Americans, they’ve become the default way to pay for groceries. A 2026 survey of 2,000 U.S. adults with at least $10,000 in unsecured debt, conducted by Atomik Research for Accredited Debt Relief, found that 66% have used a credit