How the Grocery Industry is Embracing E-Commerce, and Trying to Make it Profitable

While online grocery momentum slowed slightly for September compared to July and August, it remained strong as monthly eGrocery sales grew just over 16% versus last year, according to the Brick Meets Click Grocery Shopping Survey fielded September 28 – 30, 2026.

Online grocery shopping momentum continues to pick up steam as monthly sales jumped by almost 25% in August 2026 versus last year according to the Brick Meets Click Grocery Shopping Survey fielded August 29 – 31, 2026.

For July 2026, total eGrocery sales gains of 21.5% were primarily driven by higher order activity among monthly active users. Average order frequency was up 14.9% YOY according to the latest Brick Meets Click Grocery Shopping Survey fielded July 29 – 31, 2026.

The U.S. eGrocery market continues to experience significant year-over-year (YOY) growth for the first half of 2026, driven by faster order cycle times, lower user friction, and shifting shopper patterns.

If you’re in grocery retail and you feel like the ground is shifting beneath your feet, it isn’t your imagination. One of the physical grocery store's strongest draws—the "quick trip" for fresh everyday essentials—is facing its biggest threat yet.

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.

Welcome to the latest episode of US eGrocery Sales Trends from Mercatus, featuring David Bishop, Partner at Brick Meets Click. November was supposed to be a stress test for lower-income households online who did cut back online, but higher-income households expanded their share enough to offset the drop driving very strong results.

The latest data from Brick Meets Click and Mercatus (and the second month since Sept '25 with sales above $12 billion) provides a clear message: online grocery is no longer just a secondary option for U.S. households—it is rapidly becoming the primary method of procurement for high-value shoppers.

Welcome to a new episode of US eGrocery Sales Trends from Mercatus, featuring David Bishop, Partner at Brick Meets Click. Top-line: October’s eGrocery results reveal both resilience and strain across the market. Total online grocery spending rose 10.5% year over year.

The U.S. online grocery market continues its upward trajectory, with total sales reaching $11.6 billion in October 2025, marking a 10.5% increase year-over-year (YOY) according to the Brick Meets Click Grocery Shopper Survey, sponsored by Mercatus. The dynamics driving this growth are shifting, requiring retail grocery executives to take a deeper look and possibly reevaluate their eGrocery strategies.