Americans use their $1,200 stimulus checks to splurge at Walmart, Target and Best Buy — here’s what they’re buying

While many Americans have used their stimulus checks to cover basic needs such as groceries, mortgage or rent, there’s evidence people are also spending the money on non-essentials including electronics, clothes and toys, according to major retailers.

“Call it relief spending, as it was heavily influenced by stimulus dollars, leading to sales increases in categories such as apparel, televisions, video games, sporting goods and toys,” Walmart WMT, -0.36% CEO Doug McMillon said during the company’s earnings call Tuesday.

Target TGT, -0.79% and Best Buy Co. BBY, -4.36% also saw increased consumer demand for discretionary goods in mid-April as the stimulus payments from the $2.2-trillion CARES Act flowed into Americans’ bank accounts, the companies’ CEOs said this week. Apple AAPL, -0.74% saw an uptick in demand for its products “across the board,” CEO Tim Cook said April 30.

At Walmart and Target, shoppers bought more TVs, electronics, gaming equipment and apparel. Walmart also saw increased demand for adult-sized bikes.

At Best Buy, customers used their stimulus checks to buy computing and gaming equipment, Corie Barry, the company’s CEO, said on it Thursday earnings call.