Grocery shoppers weigh convenience, trust and time alongside price: report

[Viable Food News Desk]

Publisher: Supermarket News
Published: August 6, 2026
Source: Read at Supermarket News
Category: Research & Data

Knit released research conducted with McCormick on how grocery shoppers define value beyond price. More than 500 grocery decision-makers participated, including 102 people interviewed by video. The study found that 72% of respondents would visit a second store to save $25 to $30, while 43% would pay a delivery fee to avoid a 45-minute round trip. It also found that shoppers see more risk in choosing the wrong fresh item than in choosing the wrong snack or packaged good, and that in-stock reliability, substitutions, assortment clarity and basket completion shape value perceptions.

Why this matters: Independent grocers may need to compete on convenience, reliable inventory, useful substitutions and trusted products, not price alone. The findings suggest that shoppers may accept higher costs when a store saves time or reduces the risk of an unacceptable purchase.

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