"Voluntary Simplicity"

[Gordon Fitch]

> ...
> NEW TREND IN CONSUMER BEHAVIOR POSES CHALLENGES FOR
> MARKETERS 
> 
> FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- A new trend in consumption may
> be contributing to declining retail sales, according
> to University of Arkansas researchers.   ...
> "The trend toward voluntary simplicity has been
> expanding for more than a decade," explained Cherrier.
> ...

I don't understand this.  According to the U.S. Census,
( http://www.census.gov/svsd/www/artstbl.html ), retail
sales increased monotonically from 1992 through 1999 (the 
last year I saw data for).  Maybe the figures are not 
adjusted for inflation?  But in any case, I've been reading 
here and elsewhere how consumer spending has been holding 
the economy up in the face of declining business spending 
and layoffs.  Can anyone explain? Or am I once again being 
too earnest and missing the punch line?

-- Gordon