Meat, Berries and Prepared Foods Among 2024 Grocery Standouts
New data shows that shoppers are continuing the positive momentum that made 2024 a mostly solid year for sales across many departments. According to fresh research released by 210 Analytics, LLC, U.S. consumers shopped for groceries an average of 219 times in 2024, up nine visits from the prior year. The firm shared numbers from Chicago-based Circana showing that total food and beverage sales at grocery retailers reached $922 billion, with a 3% gain in sales and a 1.3% uptick in units.
The meat department had an especially strong year, even as beef prices spiked due to marketplace issues. 210 Analytics reports that meat sales topped $105 billion, with a 4.7% jump in dollar sales and a 2.3% lift in pounds moved in the calendar year. Moreover, meat was purchased more than once a week, the highest stat for those visits in several years.
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Other strong categories included fruit, which posted a 3.8% gain in dollar sales fueled by continued clamor for berries, and deli prepared foods like ready-to-eat meats, pizza and appetizers, which enticed more shoppers as they ate at home more due to higher food-away-from-home prices. Although egg prices spiked due to bird flu outbreaks and other supply and regulatory issues, unit sales increased on a year-over-year basis.
Anne-Marie Roerink, president of San Antonio-based 210 Analytics, said that even as inflation is ebbing and some restaurants sales are picking up again, grocers are in a good spot as this year gets underway. “2025 is off to a good start,” she declared, adding, “Looking at these stats, the biggest opportunities for 2025 in my mind are conversion and trip optimization. For departments such as frozen and seafood, bringing back lost households are added keys to continued/renewed growth.”
