April 2025 eGrocery Sales Jump to $9.8 Billion: The Power of Memberships

Topline

The latest numbers are in—and they point to a growing shift in how Americans are buying groceries. According to the April 2025 Brick Meets Click Grocery Shopper Survey (sponsored by Mercatus), U.S. online grocery sales hit $9.8 billion last month—a 15.2% year-over-year increase. That’s now nine straight months above the $9.5 billion mark. But what’s driving this momentum, and more importantly, what should grocery retail leaders be doing in response?

Delivery Dominates (Again)

Delivery continues to lead the charge, accounting for $4.2 billion of April sales—up a staggering 29% YOY. This method alone drove nearly three-quarters of the month’s total growth. Ship-to-Home followed suit, with a 22.1% lift to $1.9 billion for the month.

In contrast, Pickup—at $3.7 billion in monthly sales—remained unchanged from last year as consumer preferences tilt toward Delivery.

The “Membership” Effect

Memberships and subscriptions are proving to be more than just retention tools that boost the value of current customers—they’re attracting shoppers from rivals, especially as those households search for more ways to save.

• Walmart+ is a prime example. Two-thirds of Walmart’s online grocery households were members in April, and those members outspent non-members by more than 40%. Increased order frequency and higher average order values are driving that delta.
• Moreover, Walmart+ members were nearly 10% more likely to indicate they’d reuse the service in the following month compared to non-members. For grocery executives, this data underscores the strategic importance of nurturing subscription ecosystems that reward loyalty while driving order frequency and spending.

And, while memberships and subscriptions are not the same as a loyalty program, they both enable firms to gain valuable customer insights and offer a more personalized experience.

Mass Merchandisers Expand Their Reach

Mass players—especially Walmart—are gaining household penetration and increasing eGrocery order frequency.

• Household reach grew from 46% in April 2023 to 50% in April 2025, driven by consumers' desire for savings and convenience.·  
• This signals a competitive challenge—and opportunity—for regional grocers.

What Grocery Leaders Should Do Now

Mark Fairhurst, Chief Growth Marketing Officer, Mercatus, puts it succinctly: “Discounted memberships have put Delivery in the spotlight, but lasting loyalty forms where speed, control, and value meet.”

For regional grocers, this is a clear call to action: “Combine fast, free Pickup with a compelling subscription program, data-driven rewards, and timely outreach to lapsed shoppers and turn trial orders into repeat business while protecting margins.”

Final Thoughts

The eGrocery battleground continues to evolve at a rapid rate. April’s results highlight how aggressive strategies—as observed around Delivery and subscriptions/memberships—are reshaping customer expectations and altering buying patterns.

Subscriptions and membership programs help retailers differentiate their services versus rivals, drive more predictable and recurring revenue via gains in order frequency and spending per order, and strengthen retention rates. Taken together, these outcomes assist providers in improving the economics of competing online.

For grocery retail leaders, the next steps are clear: Give your team the tools and information they need to more effectively evaluate your current business from an external POV and then double down on improving your eGrocery customer experience.  

eGrocery Monthly Sales Report

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About this consumer research

The Brick Meets Click Grocery Shopping Survey is an ongoing independent research initiative created and conducted by the team at Brick Meets Click and sponsored by Mercatus.

Brick Meets Click conducted the most recent survey on April 29-30, 2025, with 1,699 adults, 18 years and older, who participated in the household’s grocery shopping, and a similar survey in April 2024 (n=1,704).

Results are adjusted based on internet usage among U.S. adults to account for the non-response bias associated with online surveys. Responses are geographically representative of the U.S. and weighted by age to reflect the national population of adults, 18 years and older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The three receiving methods for online grocery orders are defined as follows:

• Delivery includes orders received from a first- or third-party provider like Instacart, Shipt or the retailer's own employees.
• Pickup includes orders that are received by customers either inside or outside a store or at a designated location/locker.
• Ship-to-Home includes orders that are received via common or contract carriers like FedEx, UPS, USPS, etc.