Online grocery purchases are surging as consumers head into the holiday shopping season, a new report found.
Shoppers opting to make online grocery orders from September 28 to October 4 rose 15.5 percent over the same period one year earlier, while in-store sales dropped 2.8 percent, according to a report published this past week by research firm Circana.
However, strong online growth couldn’t offset drops in brick-and-mortar and convenience store sales, the firm found. That’s largely due to consumers being “more focused” on what they buy as they wrestle with inflation and overall affordability.
“[Food and beverage sales] volumes continue to decline in the latest four weeks as consumers remain more focused and diligent in their food shopping,” Circana wrote. “This continues to manifest in the form of reducing waste, cutting excess but not quality and balancing price tiers, pack sizes, and private label.”
Produce sales remain sluggish because of July’s Cyclospora outbreak that led thousands to fall ill and increased concerns over the nation’s food supply, the report found.
Year-on-year, refrigerated meals and ingredients saw the biggest growth among the 15 categories Circana analyzed, followed by candy, ice cream and frozen desserts, shelf-stable meals and ingredients and baking.
The spike in online grocery spending falls in line with typical seasonal trends, according to analytics and software firm Adobe for Business’s 2026 holiday shopping outlook.
“Mobile shopping tends to peak on holidays when people are at home with family and less likely to be using a computer,” Adobe said.
Roughly $1 of every $4 in retail sales from October to December is spent online, the firm said.
Heading into this holiday season, consumers will spend 11 percent more on groceries this year than in 2025, Adobe noted. Sales are projected to rise from $23.5 billion in 2025 to 26.1 billion in 2026.
Consumers are keen on saving money in November and December on more than just gifts, Adobe observed in a separate online shopping forecast from September. They’re looking for deals on everyday items such as personal care products.
“While consumers have historically embraced holiday deals to buy gifts or adopt the latest gadgets, many are taking advantage of discounts to stock up on essentials,” Adobe said. “During Cyber Week, online sales of personal hygiene products are expected to jump 150% (compared to average sales levels in September 2026) and clothing basics by 210%.”
