Trendspotting: Grocery shopping impacted by financial insecurities
Trendspotting: Grocery shopping impacted by financial insecurities
Food, clothing and shelter. Generally, these three things are considered the essential, fundamental needs for human survival — of course that was determined before TikTok and Instagram were around.
Seriously though, it is becoming more and more difficult for far too many to adequately meet basic necessities — especially when it comes to food. Case in point: according to the February 2026 dunnhumby Consumer Trends Tracker report, for the first time mass-channel retailers have equaled traditional supermarkets at 79 percent penetration, marking a fundamental shift in American shopping behavior driven by persistent affordability pressures.
Since CTT’s debut in April 2022, mass-channel penetration has increased five percentage points, representing a shift of millions of consumers changing shopping patterns. Dollar stores have surged to 42 percent penetration, overtaking club stores for the first time since August 2023, with Dollar General, Dollar Tree and Family Dollar each gaining 4–6 percentage points year over year.
Walmart’s grocery penetration specifically has reached a record 72 percent as financial insecurity among Americans ages 18–54 climbs to 70 percent. Walmart serves over 190 million Americans monthly—2.5 times the reach of second-place Dollar General at 28.6 percent. Walmart’s penetration rose 6 percentage points year over year, marking the largest growth in penetration among all retailers.
“We are seeing that U.S. households are realigning where they shop based on affordability,” said Matt O’Grady, president of the Americas for dunnhumby. “What makes this different from the 2023 inflation spike is that consumer concern persists even as actual inflation moderates. The consumer is just not feeling it. Where they shop, how they use coupons, even how they adopt AI — everything aligns to saving money. When financial insecurity becomes this entrenched, grocery affordability becomes paramount and shopping behavior doesn’t just snap back.”
The surge in penetration for mass retailers and dollar stores reflects deepening financial pressure across American households. The report states that 70 percent of working-age Americans (ages 18–54) have difficulty covering an unexpected $400 expense, with the strain most acute among lower-income households (71 percent for those earning under $50,000) and families with children (67 percent).
Even middle- and upper-income Americans struggle as 48 percent of those earning $50,000–$100,000 and 36 percent earning over $100,000 report financial insecurity. Only seniors show relative stability, with 30 percent of Americans over 65 facing difficulty covering emergency expenses.
Other key findings from the study:
- Food insecurity affects nearly 40 percent of Americans ages 45–54 (the highest rate among any age group) and one in three families with children, with the South Central (34 percent) and West (32 percent) regions experiencing significantly higher rates than the Northeast (22 percent). Working-age adults face food insecurity at more than four times the rate of seniors over 65. Food insecurity for this report is defined as consumers who have reduced their meal size or skipped meals due to financial hardship.
- Nearly half of shoppers (47 percent) now redeem coupons through store loyalty programs, up 2.5 percentage points, representing the strongest behavioral shift tracked this wave. Fifty-two percent actively identify themselves to claim rewards. Sixty-eight percent of shoppers seek discounts on items they buy regularly, while 62 percent expect stores to offer abundant promotions.
- Just 15 percent of U.S. consumers use AI tools for grocery shopping, with trust emerging as the primary barrier. According to CTT, 38 percent of respondents do not see the need for it, and 37 percent prefer making their own shopping decisions. Consumers show significantly more distrust in AI recommendations (19 percent) than the broader Americas average (12 percent). Among early adopters, the U.S. stands alone in prioritizing the use of AI for shopping lists (13 percent) over price comparison (12 percent).
