The phrase "Average Americans" was trending on social media after the business analysis website MarketWatch suggested the demographic in question was lamenting over paying $90 for one bottle of wine due to inflation.
On November 12, MarketWatch—which reports on stock market data, financial and business news—posted an article about the growing concern of consumers over the "highest annual U.S. inflation rate in almost 31 years," leaving one strategist saying the proverbial "genie is out of the bottle."
They shared the article on their social media accounts.
The article stated, without citing a source:
"Average Americans are paying as much as $100 to $200 for a single concert ticket, $90 for a bottle of wine, and $5 a gallon for gas."
@MarketWatch/Twitter
MarketWatch later revised the article by modifying the statistic and issuing a correction on Twitter.
But the change was not quick enough for social media users to scoff at the implication "average Americans" were paying the exorbitant amount for a bottle of vino.
There is zero chance the “average American" is paying $90 for a bottle of wine.
— Voting Rights is Job #1 (@KeepingSunny) November 20, 2021
How out of touch is this writer with average Americans 🤣🤣🤣
mfer said $90 for a bottle of wine 🤦♂️
I just paid $3.50 for gas 🤷♂️
Comedy show was $40 a ticket 😏 pic.twitter.com/yHe7r6TtEO
— betonjake (@betonjake) November 20, 2021
I'm upper middle class and I can say that I have never in my life paid $90 for a bottle of wine. I paid $3.44/gallon to fill up my car this morning as well, and Connecticut usually is among the highest for gas prices.
Many concert tickets have been over $100 for 10+ years
— Jeff is thankful BIden is president (@NewJeffCT) November 20, 2021
Average Americans aren't even spending $90 for a bottle of wine at restaurants and I live in downtown Chicago. https://t.co/hEsE6iJmbo
— Jess P. 😷 (@Jessnj4554) November 20, 2021
Average Americans are paying $90 for a bottle of wine? Something seems off with these estimates. pic.twitter.com/hEYuEVeu8p
— Stephen Kleinschmit (@profstevek) November 20, 2021
I literally have a family member in the booze industry for 30 years and I can tell you definitively that no AVERAGE consumer is paying $90 for a bottle of wine. This is disinfo on steroids.
— Diletta, Vaxxed & Masked Suburban “Housewife" (@lividddh) November 20, 2021
Political writer Bob Cesca hinted the average consumer would probably be more discerning when shopping for wine.
"Good job cherrypicking. If average Americans can't find a bottle of wine for less than $90, they should probably stop drinking and Google the correct way to buy things with money."
Good job cherrypicking. If average Americans can't find a bottle of wine for less than $90, they should probably stop drinking and Google the correct way to buy things with money. https://t.co/dhmkQdtqs3
— Bob Cesca (@bobcesca_go) November 20, 2021
Writer BrooklynDad_Defiant! commented on MarketWatch's previously out-of-touch statement.
"Average Americans know a bottle of wine is NOT $90, concert tickets have been $100-200 for decades, and this Market Watch headline is hysterically dishonest."
Average Americans know a bottle of wine is NOT $90, concert tickets have been $100-200 for decades, and this Market Watch headline is hysterically dishonest. https://t.co/UqvJfBqZOz
— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) November 20, 2021
Average Americans are spending up to a billion dollars for flights on their own rockets. pic.twitter.com/F23xCpa3bl
— SheMac (@LeonShe3) November 20, 2021
MarketWatch has since corrected their article and informed Twitter users with the following update.
"CORRECTION: MarketWatch deleted an earlier tweet that inaccurately implied that $5-a-gallon gasoline, $90 bottles of wine and $200 concert tickets were typical purchases of late among average Americans. The story has been corrected."
CORRECTION: MarketWatch deleted an earlier tweet that inaccurately implied that $5-a-gallon gasoline, $90 bottles of wine and $200 concert tickets were typical purchases of late among average Americans. The story has been corrected.https://t.co/Y8kBdRHPKI pic.twitter.com/n48rruC9h7
— MarketWatch (@MarketWatch) November 20, 2021
Without going into specifics, the article now states "the average American was lamenting the rising cost of everything from concert tickets to a burrito."