Grocery shopping patterns shifted notably in 2025 as inflation and tariff uncertainty continued to strain household budgets, according to a new Placer.ai analysis. The location analytics firm found that consumers increasingly prioritize value, convenience, and health-conscious options, reshaping traffic trends across grocery formats and setting the stage for 2026.
Overall grocery visits increased year over year, a trend Placer.ai linked to consumers cooking more at home to offset higher expenses elsewhere. However, traffic growth varied significantly by store format, indicating that shoppers adjusted their perceptions of value.
Fresh and Value Formats Outperformed
Fresh-format grocers experienced the strongest year-over-year visit growth in 2025, fueled by demand for prepared foods, salad bars, and wellness-focused selections that serve as alternatives to restaurant meals. Value grocers and wholesale clubs also outpaced traditional supermarkets, benefiting from price-conscious shoppers looking for savings at scale.
Placer.ai stated that the data indicates consumers are considering price and quality more carefully in the grocery aisle, a trend that continues to drive the growth of private-label products across banners.
Grocery Gains Share of Lunchtime Trips
The analysis also revealed that grocery stores are capturing a growing share of short midday visits, defined as trips under 10 minutes between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. From 2024 to 2025, groceries gained relative market share compared to quick-service restaurants, indicating a shift toward in-store grab-and-go meals.
Traditional grocers experienced the biggest growth in short lunchtime visits, while fresh and value formats saw smaller increases. Wholesale clubs stayed flat, due to their limited selection of single-serve and ready-to-eat options.
Placer.ai observed that the trend indicates increasing opportunities for grocers and CPG brands to develop on-the-go meals, prepared foods, and single-serve products for busy shoppers.
Holiday Shopping Peaks Remained Concentrated
Holiday-driven demand remained a key traffic driver in 2025. Turkey Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, was once again the busiest grocery shopping day of the year, with visits 80 percent above the daily average.
Other high-traffic days tend to cluster before major holidays like New Year’s Eve, Easter, Mother’s Day, and the Fourth of July. In the days before Christmas, traffic was spread across several peaks, indicating many consumers made multiple restocking trips rather than doing one big shop.
According to Placer.ai, this pattern underscores the importance of inventory readiness and promotional execution during the long holiday lead-up.
Shopping Preferences Split by Household Type
Placer.ai also found clear differences across household types. Singles prefer fresh-format grocers, while households with children tend to shop at wholesale clubs and value-oriented chains.
The firm stated that grocers and CPG companies can drive growth by customizing their assortments and messaging. They should focus on bulk savings and low prices for family shoppers, while also emphasizing convenience, curated selections, and prepared foods for singles.
Several trends observed in 2025 — such as value-seeking behavior, demand for convenient meals, and concentrated holiday shopping — are expected to continue influencing the grocery landscape in 2026, according to Placer.ai.
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