Growing up in western Massachusetts during the 1980s, I remember my mother shopping at our local IGA. She always brought along a grocery list scribbled on scrap paper, featuring creatively misspelled items that still make us laugh 40 years later.
Back then, there were no apps, digital coupons or grocery pickup services. Just a handwritten list and a neighborhood supermarket.
Four decades later, the biggest difference may be the number of shopping options available.
Two Shoppers, Two Different Grocery Markets
My mother still lives in a small western Massachusetts town served by two major regional grocery retailers. She now shops at Market Basket, still carrying that handwritten list.
I live in north metro Charlotte, where 10 to 12 retailers are within a 15-minute drive. During a typical month, I shop at Publix, Harris Teeter, Aldi, Target, Amazon, CVS, Walgreens, The Fresh Market and Sprouts.
Nine retailers competing for my spending through price, promotions, convenience and selection.
My mother’s routine isn’t necessarily a rejection of technology. She lives in a market with fewer choices. Meanwhile, my shopping habits reflect a highly competitive retail environment.
How much of today’s omnichannel behavior is driven by consumer preference, and how much by available options?
The Numbers Tell the Story
According to FMI and NielsenIQ’s 2026 Digital Engagement Transforms Grocery Shopping report, nearly 94% of grocery shoppers used both online and physical stores during 2025. Ecommerce accounted for nearly 75% of grocery dollar growth, with online grocery sales projected to reach $452 billion by 2028.
Brick Meets Click reported that online grocery represented 20.9% of U.S. grocery spending in Q3 2026, increasing 20.7% year over year.
Meanwhile, FMI research found consumers visit an average of 5.4 grocery banners monthly.
My nine-retailer routine might be above average, but it illustrates a broader shift. Consumers aren’t abandoning supermarkets. They’re distributing spending across retailers serving different shopping missions.
What This Means for Regional and Independent Grocers
For regional chains and independent grocers, the challenge isn’t matching Walmart or Amazon’s technology investments. It’s understanding why customers choose their stores and which purchases they’re making elsewhere.
A shopper might visit a neighborhood supermarket weekly for meat, produce and prepared foods while purchasing pantry staples, household essentials and health and beauty products from competitors.
Loyalty data might conceal those missed opportunities.
Regional retailers can respond through sharper assortments, competitive pricing on key items, targeted promotions and stronger fresh-food differentiation.
Wholesalers and CPG manufacturers can help smaller retailers identify category gaps, improve promotional effectiveness and strengthen digital visibility.
Capturing another $20 weekly from an existing household represents $1,040 in additional annual sales, assuming that spending continues throughout the year. Across thousands of households, it adds up.
Sometimes growth isn’t about attracting another customer. It’s about winning additional items in an existing customer’s basket.
The Shopping Trip Starts Before the Store
FMI reports that 77% of grocery shoppers engage digitally before shopping, while 71% use technology during their trips.
Consumers compare prices, activate coupons and build lists before entering supermarkets. Retailers can lose purchases before shoppers reach the shelf.
For independent grocers, digital relevance doesn’t require an expensive ecommerce platform. Accessible weekly advertisements, digital coupons and accurate product information can make a difference.
For CPG manufacturers, digital visibility matters alongside physical distribution. Search placement, promotional visibility and online availability influence purchasing decisions.
Artificial intelligence could intensify competition as shopping assistants recommend products based on price, availability and preferences.
The New Definition of Grocery Loyalty
For decades, supermarkets competed to become a household’s primary grocery destination. In 2026, that objective is becoming more complicated.
Some value familiar supermarkets; others split spending in search of price and convenience.
Geography matters, too. A shopper with two nearby supermarkets faces a different competitive landscape than someone with a dozen options minutes away.
My mother still shops at Market Basket with her handwritten list, complete with the occasional creative spelling. Meanwhile, I’m navigating nine retailers monthly.
Both approaches reflect consumers making the most of time and money.
Forty years ago, my mother walked into IGA with a handwritten grocery list. Today, she walks into Market Basket with essentially the same list.
The grocery industry around her has changed dramatically. Her approach hasn’t.
For regional and independent grocers, that’s an important lesson: Understand what customers value, protect the categories you already own and find opportunities to earn more of their spending.
Because the biggest competitive threat isn’t always losing the customer. It’s keeping the customer while gradually losing the basket.