FMI’s January Grocery Shoppers Snapshot measured shopper sentiment about grocery prices and feelings of control over household expenses in the opening week of 2026.
By: Steve Markenson, Vice President, Research & Insights, FMI
As we all turn the calendar from 2025 to 2026, the American grocery shopper has settled into a new rhythm, suggesting adaptive, watchful, and surprisingly empowered habits in early 2026. After years of economic whiplash, shoppers are approaching their grocery shopping with a blend of confidence and caution.
With the new year upon us and FMI’s Midwinter Executive Conference on the horizon, we wanted to assess shopper sentiment on numerous industry issues right at the start of the new year. These perspectives are derived from our first Shopper Snapshot of 2026, conducted from January 2 to 6 among 1,518 grocery shoppers regarding a number of issues related to their grocery shopping.
Let’s start with the big headline from this Snapshot:
Shoppers feel control over their grocery spending, while maintaining a positive sentiment towards grocery shopping.
Grocery Shopper Sentiment Index
We found that FMI’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Sentiment Index is holding steady at 71. This index accounts for shoppers’ collective feelings and attitudes toward grocery shopping, and how they rate their current primary store. Consumers have held a consistent level of favorable beliefs and feelings concerning their grocery shopping experience since 2020, ranging from 68 to 72.
Concerns About Rising Prices Ease
Compared to this time last year, concerns about rising prices have eased for all major household expenditures, such as groceries, rent, gas, childcare, and clothing. Concern about rising grocery store food prices dropped by 6 percentage points from January 2025.
Feeling of Control Over Household Expenses
While a majority of shoppers are still very or extremely concerned about grocery store food prices (62%), far more feel they have control over their grocery expenses (81%), up three percentage points from one year ago. Shoppers are more likely to feel in control of their grocery expenses than they are for gas, rent/housing, or health insurance prices.
Perceptions of Affordability
When it comes to shoppers’ perceptions of affordability:
- 74% of shoppers strongly or somewhat agree with this statement: “Grocery retailers try hard to provide options to help me stay within budget (e.g., by offering promotions, coupons, private label brands, smaller packages, and more)".
- 63% of shoppers find groceries to be at least somewhat affordable.
FMI will continue to monitor grocery shopper trends throughout 2026. So, stay tuned for more Shopper Snapshots. Our annual comprehensive U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends report is scheduled for release in May.
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