How Gen Z is Grocery Shopping

By: Allison Febrey, Manager, Research & Insights, FMI

As a young Millennial, I find myself wondering how similar, or dissimilar, I am to Gen Z. While only a few years separate us, we are in different stages in life. I am a few years into my career, married, and a homeowner. On the other side, much of Gen Z is just graduating from college, entering the workforce, and figuring out how to live on their own. It’s curious how only a few years of difference can affect our grocery shopping habits. To learn more about how Gen Z is grocery shopping, I turned to U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2023 series and the Shopping Trends report.

Where Gen Z Grocery Shops

While overall, consumers shop at Supermarket and Mass channels, Gen Z is less likely to shop at Supermarkets than other generations. In the past 30 days, only 70% of Gen Z have shopped at a Supermarket, but 84% of Gen Z have shopped at a Mass store. As they adjust to adulthood, Gen Z may be finding the convenience of tackling all their errands, grocery or otherwise, at one store valuable.  

Gen Z and Online Grocery Shopping

Gen Z is also shopping for groceries online more frequently than other cohorts. Gen Z comprises 11% of online-reliant shoppers, up from 6% in 2022. They also spend 20% of their grocery shopping dollars online. Boomers, on the other hand, only spend 10% of their grocery shopping dollars online. Gen Z has grown up with the internet, so they are certainly comfortable shopping online in general.  

More Alike Than Different

Here is a commonality I share with Gen Z—both Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to enjoy grocery shopping than older generations. In fact, 48% of Gen Z likes or loves grocery shopping, compared to only 29% of Boomers/Matures. Personally, I enjoy finding new products or getting inspired to cook something new while grocery shopping.

Download U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2023, Shopping Trends