In the dim shadows of grocery store aisles, a quiet horror unfolds — Americans are going into debt just to eat.

A chilling new survey from Lending Tree exposes a grim reality: more and more people are turning to buy now, pay later (BNPL) loans just to put food on the table. What was once a way to afford big-ticket items has now become a desperate lifeline for basic survival.

The survey, carried out in early April, asked 2,000 Americans aged 18 to 70 about their financial habits. Half confessed to leaning on BNPL services — and the numbers are only getting worse. Inflation, sky-high interest rates, and looming tariffs have squeezed wallets dry. There’s no relief in sight.

BNPL loans lure people in with promises of easy, interest-free payments and no credit checks. But behind the glossy marketing lies a sinister trap. Stack up enough loans, miss a few payments, and you’ll find yourself drowning in brutal fees and penalties. In fact, 41% of users admitted they’ve already missed payments — a spike from just 34% last year.

Even more disturbing, nearly a quarter of BNPL users are juggling three or more active loans at once, playing a deadly game of financial roulette. Yet many remain blind to the danger — 62% falsely believe that these loans actually help their credit scores. Another 26% are simply unsure, sleepwalking into ruin.

The most harrowing statistic? The number of people using BNPL just to buy groceries has nearly doubled — from 14% last year to 25% today. For Gen Z, borrowing to afford food has already become their fourth most common use for BNPL services.

Matt Schulz, chief consumer finance analyst at Lending Tree, didn’t mince words. “Inflation is still a problem. Interest rates are still really high. There’s a lot of uncertainty… and it’s all going to add up to a lot of people looking for ways to extend their budget however they can,” he warned grimly. “It’s only going to get worse.”

The beast is growing. And it’s feeding on America’s hunger, one loan at a time.