In troubled economic times, there is a shift in business from mainstream retail stores to discount retail stores as consumers aim to reduce their total monthly spending. For local discount stores, when unemployment rises or effective wages decline due to inflation or another cause, sales go up. By contrast, however, during periods of extreme economic hardship, business at discount stores stops improving and may even suffer.
Which of the following, if true, does most to explain the contrast described above?
【选项】
During extreme economic hardship, consumers may continue to reduce total spending even after they have shifted their purchases to the most economic outlets available.
选项是否正确？