Supermarkets and Grocery Stores in the US 2026: Industry Statistics & Trends

Industry snapshot

Key public data points

Historical & forecast

What does the Supermarkets & Grocery Stores in the US industry cover?

The industry encompasses retail brick-and-mortar storefronts that sell a general line of food products, including fresh fruits and vegetables, canned and frozen foods, fresh and prepared meats, poultry, and fish, alongside select non-food household goods. Operations are structured around self-service consumer shopping formats that feature specialized cold-storage infrastructure to ensure regulatory compliance and product quality. This classification excludes convenience stores that focus on a limited selection of goods, specialized single-line food merchants like standalone meat markets, and establishments that predominantly function as food service operations.

• •Classified strictly under NAICS code 445110 in the United States.
• •Requires dedicated on-site infrastructure including commercial freezers, refrigerators, and temperature-controlled display cases.
• •Excludes direct-to-consumer frozen meal delivery services and fuel stations operating convenience marts.

Who operates in the industry and how is it structured?

The industry comprises tens of thousands of storefronts nationwide, encompassing conventional supermarkets, supercenters, limited-assortment grocery retailers, warehouse grocery stores, and natural or organic specialty food markets. Operator networks range from independent single-store owners and regional grocery chains to vast national corporations that manage multi-regional distribution networks. The structure relies heavily on centralized wholesale distribution agreements, strategic cold-chain logistics, and multi-tiered warehousing networks to replenish high-volume inventory efficiently.

• •The sector included a total of 62,947 employer establishments according to the 2023 U.S. Census Bureau Business Patterns data.
• •According to the USDA Economic Research Service, retail trade establishments captured a 13.8 cents share of every domestic food dollar spent by U.S. consumers in 2024.
• •Operations maintain thin structural margins, with the average net profit margin for food retailers standing at 2.1% in 2025 according to FMI industry metrics.

What drives demand in the industry?

Consumer demand is fundamentally dictated by macroeconomic indicators, including disposable personal income levels, aggregate employment rates, and shifts in population demographics. Furthermore, relative pricing structures between retail groceries and food-away-from-home options strongly influence volume sales as households optimize their budgets. Inflationary adjustments within core agricultural supply chains directly spill over into retail pricing, altering purchasing patterns across various product segments.

• •According to the USDA Economic Research Service, U.S. food-at-home prices increased by 2.3% in 2025 compared with 2024.
• •Egg prices saw the most volatile shift, averaging 21.9% higher in 2025 than in 2024 due to highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks.
• •In 2024, U.S. consumer spending on food at home accounted for 5.0% of disposable income, compared to 5.6% spent on food away from home.

Who are the notable companies in the industry?

Competition in the US marketplace is intense and increasingly driven by price, product assortment, geographic convenience, and omnichannel fulfillment options. Traditional grocery store networks compete vigorously against general merchandise supercenters, wholesale clubs, and specialized organic merchants. The industry contains several prominent publicly traded corporations that manage vast brand portfolios and extensive supply chain assets across the country.

• •The Kroger Co. is a major pure-play grocery leader, recording fiscal 2025 total sales of $147.6 billion as reported in its public financial disclosures.
• •Walmart Inc. commands massive market share, leveraging its extensive U.S. supercenter network and digital fulfillment infrastructure as detailed in its 2026 SEC Form 10-K filings.
• •Other vital public corporate participants operating within the domestic retail ecosystem include Target Corporation, Albertsons Companies, Inc., and Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc.

What are the recent trends and outlook?

The sector is experiencing structural transitions toward digital integration, including automated inventory management, localized e-commerce pickup, and delivery services. Self-service technologies continue to capture a larger share of the front-end checkout process to mitigate rising operational labor costs. Additionally, operators are optimizing store layouts and supply networks to enhance real-time inventory tracking and fulfill omni-channel consumer preferences.

• •Online transactions rose to account for 8.9% of all grocery item sales in 2025 according to FMI tracking data.
• •Self-checkout systems were utilized in 33% of all physical supermarket customer transactions in 2025.
• •Average consumer transaction values varied significantly by channel in 2025, reaching $49.06 in-store compared to $106.00 for online orders.

How is the industry regulated?

Grocery retailers operate under strict oversight from numerous federal, state, and local regulatory bodies to guarantee public health and consumer protection. Food handling, sanitary display parameters, and temperature controls are tightly governed to prevent contamination and ensure food safety across supply chains. Compliance frameworks also cover product labeling accuracy, weights and measures verification, labor standards, and the secure handling of federally funded nutritional assistance programs.

• •Enforcement of food safety codes is regulated under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) guidelines.
• •Establishments must adhere to strict USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service regulations regarding the storage and sale of raw meats, poultry, and egg products.
• •Retailers must comply with federal electronic benefit transfer rules to participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Government, statistical and trade sources used for this Claight analysis.

• U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 ·
• USDA Economic Research Service Food Prices and Spending 2025-2026 ·
• FMI The Food Retailing Industry Speaks 2025 ·
• The Kroger Co. SEC Form 10-K 2025 ·
• Walmart Inc. SEC Form 10-K 2026