"A generational reshuffling is under way, with younger shoppers gravitating more toward other food formats, leaving supermarkets to reevaluate how they engage this critical audience to remain relevant," said Brian Numainville, principal at The Feedback Group.

The reports goes on to say that supermarkets continue to win favor with older generations but are losing ground with younger shoppers. When considering their most recent visit, among Silent Generation and Boomer consumers, supermarkets register as the top destination for food shopping. However, Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X prefer other retailers, including Walmart, Aldi, dollar stores and club stores. Notably, supermarkets slipped from the second-most shopped format among Millennials and Gen X in 2024 to near the bottom in 2025.

Supermarket satisfaction remains high overall (4.39 on a five-point scale), with older shoppers and younger shoppers rating satisfaction more favorably than middle generations. Shoppers using cashier-assisted lanes report higher satisfaction (4.45) compared to self-checkout users (4.29), emphasizing the continued value of human interaction.

Food quality (4.48) and cleanliness (4.47) lead supermarket performance ratings, while value for money (4.19) receives the lowest score. Considering departments throughout the store, when expectations aren't met, the causes are mostly pricing, product availability and variety offered.

Shoppers unable to find all intended items rate their satisfaction significantly lower (3.99) than those who find everything (4.47). Sensory elements like pleasant aromas, enjoyable music and food sampling correlate with increased spending — shoppers who notice food aromas spend 25 percent more, those who notice enjoyable music spend 35 percent more, while those who try samples spend 67 percent more.

Digital circular use again surpasses print, with 52 percent of shoppers now using a digital ad, up from 48 percent in 2024. In-store mobile use remains strong, with one-third of shoppers using phones for tasks like finding specials and accessing loyalty programs.

"Our research makes it clear that sensory experiences, pleasant interactions, personalized recognition and perceived listening by supermarkets directly contribute to loyalty and higher spending," said Doug Madenberg, chief listening officer at The Feedback Group. "Retailers that close this gap will build stronger relationships and drive greater performance."

Despite strong social media use (88 percent), only 25 percent of shoppers are connected to their primary supermarket on any platform — an area of continued opportunity, particularly among younger consumers.

Just 45 percent of shoppers feel their supermarket seeks feedback, and 59 percent believe their store values them personally as customers. In both areas, stores perceived as responsive show significantly higher Net Promoter Scores. Further, when a shopper indicates they had a pleasant interaction, their overall satisfaction is much higher and they spend more.