FMI’s September Grocery Shopper Snapshot offers insights into shoppers' current mindset, which is a mix of uncertainty and angst.
By Steve Markenson, Vice President, Research & Insights, FMI
Between the pumpkin spice lattes and the early changing fall leaves, summer is coming to an end and shoppers are 
setting new routines. As the seasons change, now is a good time to check the pulse of grocery shoppers and see how they are feeling. FMI regularly checks in with shoppers through our Grocery Shopper Snapshots, with our most recent survey conducted from September 4 to 8. Overall, we find consumers express a mix of uncertainty and angst.
What is the Current Mindset of Grocery Shoppers?
Grocery shoppers’ perceptions of 2025 wane over the course of the summer. Some shoppers continue to have positive perceptions of how things are generally going (39%, down from 42% in June), offering descriptions such as “optimistic,” “hopeful,” and “good.”
But almost as many grocery shoppers offer negative perceptions (36%, up from 34% in June), using descriptions such as “worried,” “anxious,” “concerned,” “depressed,” “pessimistic,” “frustrated,” and “scared.”
Over the course of the long, hot summer, shopper uncertainty and angst have only grown. Early in the summer, grocery shoppers shared concerns about the impact of tariffs, which continues to be strong (57% very or extremely concerned). Now, shoppers’ concern is focused on an expanded list that includes access to accurate information about food safety, vaccines and medication costs.
Macro Concerns on Shoppers’ Minds
On top of these issues, shoppers are showing growing concerns about macro issues such as the ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, decreased availability of crops due to weather, and decreased availability of low-wage agricultural workers. In addition, most shoppers are very or extremely concerned about:
- The U.S. economy (60%).
- Inflation (63%).
- Rising food prices (67%).
We also see increasing concern about the job market (48%, up from 41% in June).
How Shoppers Are Reacting to Current Concerns
With these economic concerns, most shoppers (72%) have changed their spending habits in some way over the past few months. The most common change is a general reduction in their household spending (45%). Some cite cancelled or modified travel plans (22%) or deciding not to make a major household purchase (22%).
Despite these continued and growing concerns, shoppers remain resilient, with 81% saying they do feel in control of their grocery budget.
As the seasons change, FMI will continue to monitor shopper behavior with our regular Grocery Shopper Snapshots and U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends series.
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