A new survey by the National Retail Federation said rising gasoline prices are a growing worry for consumers and retailers as prices at the pump hit a record high for a sixth straight day Friday.
The motorist group AAA said the average price for a gallon of self-serve unleaded hit $3.129 in its latest reading, based on a daily survey of up to 85,000 gas stations. That's up from Thursday's record of $3.114.
The group warned in congressional testimony this week it believes that more record prices could be on the way. It's forecasting prices will approach $3.25 a gallon over the next 60 days.
The run-up in prices is a big concern for store chains, according to the retailers' trade group. Its survey of consumers released early Friday found the average consumer believes that the price of gas will reach $3.32 per gallon by Father's Day.
As a result, 40.2 percent of consumers are taking fewer shopping trips, while 37.9 percent told the survey they plan to shop closer to home (37.9%). In addition, 30.7 percent said they are shopping for sales more often and 23.5 percent are using more coupons.