Good memory! Worn tread is thinner tread, so it bends more easily. My Escape Hybrid's OEM Ecopia's were almost flimsy, and I did see a slight uptick in mileage in their last few thousand miles... but it was a very small shift just before I put the CC2 on in 11/21. This past Winter wasn't far off the past, but Summer sure is. Barely seeing 45 mpg, not 50 mpg.
This is an even more analytical picture, because I do volunteer courier work to the tune of 1K miles per month (lower curves). Since you can't average MPG, I plot "fuel usage" so I can take averages. Two seasons on OEM overlap, but average of CC2 are 10% higher.
And I should include some C-Max data... OEM Energy Savers vs. X-Ice 3, whose curves overlap. Snow tires don't have to hurt mileage, even if Winter will.