Cyclospora outbreak is crimping produce sales, data shows

[Viable Food News Desk]

Publisher: Grocery Dive
Published: August 21, 2026
Source: Read at Grocery Dive
Category: Food Access

More than 6.5 million U.S. households stopped buying salad mixes and kits during the month that ended July 26, while about 72 million households continued buying them, according to Numerator. Ten percent of households said they had reduced spending on salads and fresh greens, and more than a quarter said they had stopped buying those foods altogether. Numerator estimated that the response to the outbreak put approximately $280 million in monthly consumer produce spending at risk. The CDC reported almost 11,000 linked cases, about 450 hospitalizations, and two deaths, and said officials traced the outbreak to contaminated iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico and distributed by Taylor Farms.

Why this matters: Independent grocers that sell salad mixes and kits may see lower produce sales as shoppers avoid those items. The data can help stores and food-access groups gauge the scale of the demand change and plan around it.

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