Shoppers continue to tighten their belts over worries of rising prices

US shoppers tightened their belts and spent less in May over fears of tariffs raising prices, as figures showed that consumer spending declined for the first time since January.

The findings, in a report by the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis released on Friday, showed that personal consumption expenditures declined by 0.3 percent (adjusted for inflation) in May after rising 0.2 percent in April.

"I've spent less on groceries and takeout in the last few months for sure," Abbi Smith, 27, from New York, told China Daily while shopping at Trader Joe's in Brooklyn midweek.