The Doritos Sucker Punch economy: I once wrote about the Pancake Economy, where I noted that those slightly lower on the income ladder in the United States were turning away from eating out at Denny’s, Applebee’s and others, which was leading to restaurant closures. Then I wrote about the Campbell’s Soup Economy as Campbell’s announced a notable increase in soup sales, proving that the American consumer had indeed left Applebee’s and was making their own soup for dinner. Now we are what I call the Doritos Sucker Punch economy.
Kroger, a major American grocery store has announced that it is reducing its prices on 2,000 products, but they go onto report that more American consumers are buying value packs, using coupons and switching to private label brands. As a footnote to these observations, they even noted that there was a downtick in people buying snacks – yes, the once untouchable Dorito has just got a sucker punch. If you’re still talking about “soft landings,” you’re not listening.
No Slack Left: Why HR Needs a Strategic Rethink on Relocation
Corporate relocation policies have been shrinking for years — even before the pandemic. Full-service packages gave way to capped support and lump sums, often in the name of flexibility or cost control. But now, with the economy under pressure, many companies are realizing a hard truth: there’s no slack left in the system.
When cost pressure and decision fatigue collide, relocation is one of the first programs to be scaled back. But after years of quiet reductions, many policies are already cut to the bone. There’s nowhere else to go — and no reserve left to win over hesitant transferees.
This pressure is compounded by a frozen U.S. housing market. Many employees who might otherwise be open to relocation are staying put — not because they don’t like the opportunity, but because they’re locked into 3% mortgage rates. Asking them to move across the country into a 7.5% rate (while also absorbing relocation costs) is, in many cases, a non-starter. Some accept roles… and quietly withdraw when the math sets in.
According to Vanguard News Group, the U.S. is experiencing a “housing affordability collapse.” Home prices have risen 52% since 2019, while wages have grown just 30%. Then you layer in mortgage rates — now more than double for many — plus the looming threat of further hikes tied to the 10-year bond, and you’ve got the financial equivalent of being told to change seats on the Titanic… but bring your own chair.
And in many other instances, the recruit you were excited to relocate? They can’t even sell their house — not unless they’re willing to take a loss and walk straight into a mortgage rate that feels like punishment for ambition.
It’s called: “Yeah, thanks, but no — I’ll be staying exactly where I am until someone solves this Rubik’s Cube of economic nonsense for me.”
In Canada, the picture is equally challenging. Affordability issues remain persistent. The national average home price is down 1.1% year-over-year, but prices are falling faster in some regions. The sales-to-new-listings ratio sits below its long-term average, suggesting a buyer’s market — at least on paper.
Of course, not all markets can be treated the same. But in many cases, Canadian employers will soon see transferees struggling to sell their homes for what they once believed they were worth. The price they planned around may not be the price the market is offering.
Quick synopsis: real estate isn’t doing mobility any favours.
And let’s not forget — one reason companies were able to scale back relocation benefits in recent years was because employees were sitting on homes that made them feel wealthy.
“I don’t need home sale support. I just made $200,000 in two years.”
Well… they don’t feel quite so home-rich anymore.
So what can HR do?
It’s time to shift from “more relocations, less support” to “fewer relocations, better support.”
Strategic scarcity.
Relocation can no longer be treated as a cost center. It’s a talent lever — and it needs to be budgeted like one. That means working closely with recruiters to identify who will move with limited support, and who absolutely won’t — because there’s a line now. You either land the candidate, or you lose them to housing math. And that line isn’t just financial — it’s psychological. It’s about whether the employee believes the company is walking with them or leaving them to figure it out alone.
It also means having honest conversations internally. Business units need to understand that relocation costs may go up, not down — and that a well-supported move will still be cheaper than a failed hire, a ghosted acceptance, or a disengaged employee who never truly landed in their new city.
We may also be leaving the era of templated policies entirely. Many companies that relied on standardized tiers — gold, silver, bronze; executive, professional, new grad — are finding those labels don’t reflect today’s real-world differences in motivation, mobility, or economic pressure. A three-tier structure may need to become five. Or it may need to evolve into something more dynamic: a framework blending fixed elements with negotiated benefits tied to each recruit’s unique friction points.
This isn’t about opening the door to chaos. It’s about recognizing that a policy written in 2019 doesn’t hold in 2025 — not in this economy, not in this housing market, and not with these employees.
Smart HR leaders will act now — not by spending more blindly, but by reallocating wisely, anchoring support where it’s needed, and refusing to ask candidates to carry a relocation burden they didn’t create.
The rest will scramble in September, wondering why the offer was accepted — and the move never happened.
Companies pay All Points for the Doritos call. This is your Doritos call.
Your employees are already feeling it — and they can’t self-soothe in the chips aisle anymore.
About All Points Relocation
All Points Relocation is a Canadian-owned, independent relocation company specializing in high-touch services. Our dedicated team works tirelessly to ensure every relocation is handled with the utmost care and professionalism, providing customized solutions that meet the unique needs of each client.
For more information or to discuss your relocation needs, please contact us at clientservices@allpointsrelocation.com
