How U.S. Shoppers Navigate Grocery Aisles: 4 Key Insights for Brands

At DataSense, we believe great strategy begins with understanding real human behavior. That’s why we’re constantly monitoring how U.S. consumers shop, compare, plan, and decide. Especially in categories as essential as groceries.

While we’re conducting our own immersive research using virtual reality to map in-store journeys, we also draw on external research to validate shifts in the market. Morning Consult’s report How Americans Shop for Groceries offers a timely look at what’s driving grocery behavior in the U.S. today.

Here are four data-backed insights that consumer brands and retailers should be paying attention to, plus strategic takeaways to inspire your next move.

1. Shopping is Habitual, But Loyalty is Fluid.

Grocery shopping is one of the most routine activities in American life. More than two-thirds of U.S. adults shop for groceries at least once per week. And yet, this routine does not always equal loyalty.

The data shows that 14% of all U.S. adults tried a new grocery store in the past month. Among Millennials and Gen Z, that number climbs to 20% and 22% respectively. These generations are less anchored to a single store and more open to experimenting based on convenience, value, or novelty.

Shoppers are not always rational, and their choices are often influenced by moment-to-moment factors like time of day, level of hunger, or whether they’re shopping alone or with others.

🔍 Strategic Implications:

• Retailers need to think beyond loyalty programs and focus on first-time experiences, especially for younger shoppers. Is the signage intuitive? Is the in-store journey smooth?

• CPG brands should focus on packaging and product messaging that grabs attention quickly, knowing that the decision window for a new shopper may be tight.

• For both, location-based marketing and seasonal in-store activations can increase visibility and drive discovery.

For our VR research, this insight reinforces the need to test different navigation flows and planogram layout. Especially when trying to capture the attention of those who don’t know the store by heart.

2. Online Grocery Is Now Routine (Especially for Millennial Parents).

Grocery e-commerce has matured. It’s part of a weekly routine and no longer a pandemic-driven behavior. 1 in 5 Millennials now shop for groceries online more than once per week, particularly parents with children under 18.

Urban residents and high-income earners are also strong adopters of digital grocery solutions, but the Millennial family segment is the most active.

For many families, online shopping is a way to manage mental load and save time during the week, not just a convenience.

🔍 Strategic Implications:

• Brands must optimize digital shelf presence, ensuring products are discoverable in app search, well-tagged, and visually consistent.

• Paid placements and “bestseller” badges influence trust. Invest in retail media platforms like Instacart Ads or Amazon Fresh integrations.

• Think about the unboxing moment. Does the packaging withstand delivery, and is it compelling out of the bag?

At DataSense, we’re exploring how shoppers move between digital and in-store contexts. We simulate cross-channel journeys and conduct packaging studies to help brands identify a winning design before launch, one that performs both on screen and on the shelf.

3. Price Sensitivity Is Driving Smarter, Not Just Cheaper, Choices.

Inflation has made price top-of-mind, but not all consumers react the same way. The top three behaviors cited to manage grocery costs are:

• Comparing prices before buying

• Using coupons or discounts

• Switching to generic brands

Different generations approach this trade-off differently. Gen X shoppers are more likely to reduce quantity, while Baby Boomers look for deals. Millennials are slightly more inclined to buy in bulk, contrary to the common stereotype of them lacking space for large packages. Gen Z is less likely to adopt most of these strategies, which may reflect their lower likelihood of being primary grocery shoppers.

🔍 Strategic Implications:

• If you’re a premium brand, justify the price with claims that resonate. Functional benefits, sustainability, or emotional reward are key.

• If you’re in the value tier, clarity is everything. Communicate price per ounce, meal-serving equivalency, or pantry-stocking potential.

• Use tools like dynamic pricing simulations in research to test thresholds before launching price changes.

At DataSense, we include eye tracking and heat map analytics in simulated shelf and pack studies to identify which packaging zones draw the most attention and which claims are actually seen before purchase. This helps brands optimize design and value communication before going to market.

4. Meal Planning Shapes the Purchase Path.

While grocery shopping often feels spontaneous, the data reveals that more than 2 in 5 U.S. adults plan most or all of their meals before going grocery shopping. This trend is especially pronounced among parents and those following specific diets or wellness goals.

Planning is driven by Pinterest boards, TikTok recipes, grocery apps, and subscription meal plans, it doesn’t just happen with pen and paper.

The influence of digital platforms on planning behavior creates an opportunity to meet consumers where they begin their meal journey.

🔍 Strategic Implications:

• Own the list. Whether via meal kits, shoppable content, or QR codes linked to recipes.

• Partner with nutrition influencers, dietitians, or cultural chefs to inspire and guide.

• For retailers, category adjacency planning (grouping ingredients for common meals) can make the store layout more intuitive.

At DataSense, we simulate planned vs. spontaneous shopper journeys in immersive testing. This helps identify key shelf zones for bundling opportunities or suggestive merchandising.

What This Means for Innovation

The grocery aisle is a series of decisions shaped by planning, habit, value perception, and format. And in 2025, shoppers are approaching each of these with more intention than ever before.

Whether online or in person, brands must learn to support the consumer journey from discovery to delivery. That means building insight-led strategies, testing environments that feel real, and adapting faster to evolving expectations. Connecting digital and physical behaviors through immersive research creates the conditions for truly holistic innovation.

At DataSense, we help brands decode shopper behavior through VR-powered journey simulations, packaging performance testing, price sensitivity modeling, and eye-tracking with heat map analysis. These tools work together to uncover what truly drives attention and decision-making, before the product ever hits the shelf.

Want to test your product or experience in a real-scenario grocery simulation?

Let’s talk about immersive research that moves your brand forward.

Source: How Americans Shop for Groceries – Morning Consult, 2025