Survey: Grocery shoppers remain concerned prices could keep rising
Consumers are making tough decisions at the grocery store in the face of sustained high prices.
A recent survey of consumers in the United States and United Kingdom by retail and supply chain planning firm Relex Solutions revealed that 61% of shoppers have changed how much food they purchase due to higher grocery prices. More than seven-in-10 (71%) consumers are concerned that tariffs, geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions and more will continue increasing the cost of everyday goods over the next six months.
The Relex survey found that nearly half (46%) of consumers have cut back on snacks and junk food, while 39% have reduced beef purchases and 34% have cut back on alcohol. At the same time, more than two-thirds (68%) say fresh groceries remain worth paying more for, and almost half (49%) say the same for household essentials.
To save money on groceries, more than half (51%) of respondents said they stock up during promotions, while a similar percentage (47%) have switched to private label products. Forty percent shop at discount retailers more often, while 38% visit multiple stores to find the best prices.
More than half (54%) of those in Relex’s survey say lowering prices is the single most important action retailers could take to help consumers manage rising costs. Roughly four-in-10 (39%) say efforts to reduce food waste are influencing how much food they purchase.
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Relex noted that the consumer survey findings align with its 2026 State of Supply Chain report, which revealed that 86% of organizations report being impacted by tariffs and trade policy changes, and 40% cite customer demand fluctuations as a major disruption. More than a third (34%) of companies say demand volatility is complicating planning decisions, while 30% of retailers say adapting to changing consumer demand is a significant challenge.
“For retailers and manufacturers, the biggest risk is assuming consumers are responding to rising costs in the same way,” said Laurence Brenig-Jones, VP of product, platform at Relex Solutions. “Consumers are making highly individualized decisions based on price, health goals, value and household priorities. What’s interesting is that while shoppers are pulling back in some categories, they continue to prioritize fresh groceries. That creates a very different planning challenge than broad-based demand declines because retailers need to be able to respond to shifting demand at the category level.”
Relex’s consumer survey included 1,000 consumers across the U.S. and U.K., and was fielded June 2026.
