US Shoppers Shift to Bulk Buys as Average Grocery Receipt Hits $72.31 in 2026
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 5
US Shoppers Shift to Bulk Buys as Average Grocery Receipt Hits $72.31 in 2026
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 5
Summary
$72.31 average grocery receipts in 2026, up from $66.13 in 2024, show shoppers paying more per trip as affordability worsens amid faster inflation and the Iran war.
20 of 27 shoppers who resubmitted receipts said they are adapting by buying in bulk, switching to store brands, freezing sale items and leaning on low-cost staples like rotisserie chicken.
Meat choices shifted with prices: beef fell to 20% of raw meat purchases from one-third in 2024, while chicken rose to 47.5% from 41.9%.
Price pressure remained uneven across staples, with eggs ranging from $1.87 a dozen in South Carolina to $11.69 in Anchorage, while shoppers also reported shrinkflation in items like orange juice.
The changes add detail to a broader squeeze on US households, where grocery prices are up 33% since 2019 and some consumers have turned to savings or credit to keep buying food.