Online Grocery Penetration: US (2020–2026)
The online grocery market in the United States is expected to reach nearly $220 billion in 2024, an 18.5% annual increase. This is set to continue rising in the coming years, with its value forecast to surpass $340 billion by 2027. The rapidly rising sales signal an increase in the popularity of shopping for groceries online and growing food prices.
But what is the online grocery market penetration? Or, simply put—what percentage of the sales from grocery shopping are generated online?
US online grocery sales statistics: 2024
According to recent data, the online grocery market penetration in the US is set to hit 12.5% in 2024. In other words, over $12 out of every $100 spent this year on groceries will be done over the internet. This marks a 1.4 percentage point increase from the previous year. It is also the highest-ever penetration rate recorded so far.
Statistics show that online grocery market penetration rates have been rising every year since 2020. That year, during the COVID-19 pandemic, just 8.8% of the overall grocery sales came from online sales. This is 3.7 percentage points less than the expected online grocery market penetration rate this year, which shows how quickly US consumers have adopted online grocery shopping in the past few years. The biggest percentage point increase so far is expected this year.
→ Click Here to Launch Your Online Business with Shopify
Online grocery market penetration rates in the US are projected to continue rising, reaching 13.8% and 15% in 2025 and 2026, respectively.
Analysts credit the rising online grocery market penetration to the pandemic, which forced consumers to stay home and accelerated their use of digital services to acquire products. Online grocery sales statistics also show that the number of shoppers buying groceries digitally doubled during the pandemic, and even though restrictions have been relaxed, consumers continue to use online grocery services.
Online grocery penetration: US stores by sales
If you’re thinking about starting an online grocery store, you’ll also need to understand the current market—particularly where consumers are buying their groceries from online.
Currently, the most popular online grocery stores are Amazon and Walmart, with their online grocery sales in 2022 hitting $48.3 billion and $25.5 billion, respectively. This is followed by Walgreens, with $14.7 billion, and Kroger and CVS, with $13.4 billion and $9.4 billion, respectively.