Record-Breaking Close to 2025: eGrocery Sales Hit $12.7 Billion for Dec 2025

December 2025 marked a pivotal moment for the industry, with U.S. eGrocery sales surging 32% year-over-year (YOY) to reach a record high of $12.7 billion.

This dramatic acceleration signals that online grocery is no longer just an alternative channel—it is a dominant habit. The online share of total grocery spending reached 19% to close the year, an increase of 430 basis points compared to December 2024.

Here are the critical metrics and shifts executives need to monitor as we enter 2026.

1. Frequency is the New Loyalty

The surge was driven by structural shifts in behavior rather than just new customer acquisition.

• Habit Formation: Order frequency among monthly active users (MAUs) climbed 8% YOY, marking the 16th consecutive month of growth.
• High-Volume Users: More than half of all monthly users placed 3 or more orders during December, breaking previous records.
• Core Demographic: The 30–44-year-old cohort is leading this charge, increasing their frequency by 17% YOY to an average of 3.2 orders per month.

2. Basket Sizes are Growing

It wasn't just order volume that increased; the value of those orders grew as well. The Average Order Value (AOV) across all fulfillment methods rose nearly 11% compared to last year.

• Ship-to-Home: Led the pack with a 14% gain in AOV, largely boosted by Amazon’s expansion of same-day fresh grocery services.
• Pickup & Delivery: Both methods saw AOV gains of 9%.

3. The Affluent Shopper Dominates

While online spending rose across most income levels, high-earning households are consolidating their spend online.

• High Earners: Households earning $200k+ have nearly doubled their online spending since December 2023.
• Middle Income Pullback: In contrast, the $50k–99.9k demographic reported a slight pullback in online spend versus last year.

Strategic Outlook: Headwinds for 2026

While December’s numbers are celebratory, the landscape is shifting. David Bishop, Partner at Brick Meets Click, notes that while structural shifts drove 2025, the coming year will present challenges.

"Structural shifts in shopping behavior drove much of eGrocery’s growth in 2025, and this will create stiffer headwinds in 2026 – especially for regional grocers."

As consumers increasingly utilize multiple receiving methods (Delivery, Pickup, and Ship-to-Home), regional players must adapt to maintain share against mass retailers and Amazon.

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