Grocery Stores NAICS 445110

Nov 14, 2025 - 'Tis The Season to be Thrifty

• Economic pressures and tariffs are reshaping holiday food sales, with consumers prioritizing affordability and value, Supermarket News reported in November citing the latest data from Numerator. Nearly eight in 10 US consumers say they’ll consider the economy when shopping this holiday season, and more than a third (39%) plan to be more cautious with spending because of current economic conditions. Shoppers are increasingly turning to value retailers and private-label products, impacting traditional grocery store sales. Food categories like snacks, baking goods, and beverages are seeing shifts in demand as consumers seek budget-friendly options. Tariffs on imported goods are also affecting pricing and availability, prompting retailers to adjust sourcing strategies. To win over cautious holiday shoppers, food manufacturers and grocers must adapt by offering competitive pricing, promotions, and alternative product lines to maintain sales volume.
• Online grocery sales totaled $11.6 billion in October, a 10.5% increase over the previous year, according to the Brick Meets Click Grocery Shopper Survey. October’s moderate growth rate compared to the 2024 surge was the result of an expanding base of monthly active users (MAUs), tempered by anemic gains in order frequency, and pullback in average order values (AOV). The overall base of e-grocery MAUs grew almost 13% year-over-year to end October 2025 with 83.3 million households, surpassing the previous high set in September. But order frequency in large metro markets declined vs. last year, limiting overall growth. By age group, only the 60-plus-year-old households increased e-grocery ordering activity for October 2025 vs. 2024; order frequency per MAU declined YoY across all the younger age groups. Meanwhile, ship-to-home’s AOV rose approximately 5% during the month compared to a year ago.

• Grocery shoppers in Florida have mixed reactions to Publix’s announcement that it will now allow customers to openly carry firearms inside its more than 900 Florida stores, CBS News reported in October. The announcement followed a ruling by Florida’s First District Court of Appeal that overturned the state’s ban on open carry on constitutional grounds. While some customers said they support Publix’s decision, others expressed safety concerns. Grocery stores are considered private businesses, so they have a choice to allow, or not, weapons inside their stores. In a statement, Publix said it was following the law. Rival Winn-Dixie said it would not allow open carry in their 355 Florida stores, while Walmart does not prohibit the open carry of firearms, but asks customers to refrain from such activity, according to Supermarket News.
• Retail price inflation and economic concerns are impacting sales of natural and organic products, according to a recent survey of retailers conducted by Supermarket News. A majority of retailers (61%) surveyed reported their sales of natural and organic products increased during the past 12 months, including about 23% who said sales were up significantly. However, nearly a third (31%) reported natural and organic sales were flat, while 8% said sales were down compared with the preceding 12-month period. Among those who reported natural and organic sales gains, 59% credited the resilience of the natural/organic consumer, who tends to skew higher on income. Looking ahead, 11% of retailers said they expect sales of natural/organic products to decline slightly over the next 12 months, although none said they expect significant declines.