Thanks for Visiting!

Register for free to get the full story.

Sign Up
Already have a Placer.ai account? Log In

Grocery Update - May Recovery?

by 
Ethan Chernofsky
 on 
June 11, 2020
Grocery Update - May Recovery?

The grocery sector has been among the most interesting to analyze during the pandemic. During the crisis, some brands grew, while others struggled. And even when looking at the visits that did happen, consumer shopping patterns changed significantly.

So as the US begins to reopen, how has the grocery sector been affected?

Grocery’s Pandemic Trend

Looking at twelve top grocers from across the country shows a fairly common trend impacting the sector, with a few exceptions. February grocery visits came in at fairly normal levels with a slight year-over-year boost. March continued the trend, though the full monthly lift was limited by state and company restrictions that began to come in during the middle of the month. Then visits dropped off significantly into April, as restrictions came into full force over a longer period of time. Across the twelve brands analyzed, April saw an average decline of 19.7% in visitors year over year.

While the rebound was already beginning to unfold in late April, the recovery certainly found a new pace in May. The average visit decline across the same brands was down just 10.1% year over year, even though many were still seeing significant in-store restrictions and state-level regulations.

Obviously, not all brands have felt the same impact. Albertsons and Lidl were already back to year-over-year growth in May, though the latter was heavily influenced by a significant expansion in locations. Brands like Publix, Kroger, H-E-B, and Aldi were inching closer to normal levels, while Trader Joe's and Whole Foods were still battling back from larger deficits.

The Recovery is in Full Swing

But the positive trend is being felt across the entire sector. Looking at changes in weekly visits year over year shows a clear shift back to ‘normal’ for every brand analyzed. This includes Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, two brands that have felt the impact more than others for a variety of reasons. The former saw the visit gap from 2019 shrink by nearly 10% since late April, while Trader Joe’s saw an improvement of nearly 16% during this same period.

What Do the Coming Months Hold?

The big questions that remain for the sector are far beyond the control of any of these brands - namely, how quickly will restrictions be removed and can a second surge of the pandemic be avoided. Publix, while benefiting from visit growth in Georgia, is being held back by a slower reopening process in Florida. But even with these challenges, the brand is driving growth. Publix saw a 7.4% increase in nationwide visits on Saturday, May 9th year- over year, though the Saturday before Memorial Day did seeee a decline of nearly 10% year of year.

And the same mixed bag held true for one of the strongest pandemic performers, Albertsons. Visits on Saturday, May 9th, were up 29.8% while the Saturday before Memorial Day was down 3.4%.

There are a myriad of reasons why this may be the case. From weather to a potential aversion by some parts of the population to major shopping days, the recovery will certainly not be predictable in its daily result. However, it’s critical to note the significant recovery that these brands are already experiencing. While recent events could hamper this growth, especially for city-oriented brands, the indications of recovery are very promising.

What’s Next?

If the last few months have taught us anything, it’s that there are no guarantees. A surge of cases could dramatically impact the recovery. On the other hand, the growing levels of normalcy and the desire to return to past routines could quickly help overcome lingering pandemic concerns. Additionally, there are brands that are still heavily limited by their geographic focus. As an increasing number of states remove restrictions, brands like Wegmans and Trader Joe’s could see a major uplift in visits while others that have benefitted from new trends could theoretically see short term declines.

How will the recovery continue to unfold in the grocery sector? Visit Placer.ai to find out.

Get 3 brand & industry
breakdowns every week

Subscribe to the newsletter

Great! Prepare your inbox for data-driven insights...
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Get a Demo

Please enter your first name
Please enter your last name
Please provide a valid email
Please enter your email
Please enter company name

Thanks for reaching out!

One of our experts will be in touch soon

Try Placer.ai Free
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
What’s in Store for Self-Storage?
Nike + lululemon Update: Strong Performance Amid Expansion Plans
Many Ways to Win: Midwest Grocery Deep Dive
Retail, Reinvented: The Rise of the Pop-Up Shop
Navigating a New Normal in Business Travel & Commutes
Placer.ai Office Index: February 2023 Recap
Retail Categories Staying Strong in Volatile Environment
Ulta Beauty: Poised for Success into 2023
Placer.ai Mall Index February 2023: Reasons for Continued Optimism
Catching Up With DICK’s & Hibbett
The Miami-Dade Arena: An Advertising Slam Dunk
Car Washes Revving Up Visits
Tuesday Morning and Sunrises in Home Furnishing
Dining & Valentine’s Day Recap
2023: The Year of the Discount Store
Aldi’s Success Highlights Growing Demand for Value Groceries
5 Retail & Service Categories Holding onto Pandemic Gains in 2023
Visitor Insights from Super Bowl 2023
2023 First Look: Home Improvement Update
How Are Target, Walmart, and Wholesale Clubs Faring in 2023?
Department Store Deep-Dive: Nordstrom
Off-Price: Taking Off in Uncertain Times
Checking in On Middle-Class Hubs
Who Attends the Super Bowl?
Placer.ai Office Index: January 2023 Recap
Focusing On Fitness: Q4 and January Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index: January 2023 – Returning Mall Normalcy?
Location Intelligence Insights Into Concert Attendance
Winning Dining Strategies for 2023
In-N-Out Burger: What to Expect as the Brand Moves East
Location Intelligence Breakdown: Coffee Caps-Off 2022
Digitally Native Brands Lean Into Brick & Mortar
Washington, D.C. Population Changes & Migration Trends
A Location Intelligence Perspective on Macy’s Rightsizing
Amazon-Powered Shopping: The Future of Brick-and-Mortar Grocery?
Cold Weather, Hot Visits: Diving into Winter Resorts
Wawa and 7-Eleven: Leaning Into the “Slurpee Effect”
2022 and Beyond: Catching Up With McDonald’s & Chipotle
Let’s Have Some Fun! Going Out Is In
Placer.ai’s Q4 2022 Quarterly Index
Placer.ai Adds Industry Executives to Leadership Team To Drive Company's Next Phase of Growth
5 Emerging Retail Formats: 2023’s Brick-and-Mortar Evolution
Grocery Update: Zooming in on the Lone Star State
2022 Office Recap: The Year of the TGIF Work Week
What Lies Ahead for Brick-and-Mortar Luxury in 2023
Placer.ai Mall Indexes: December 2022 Recap
Looking Back on 2022’s Holiday Shopping Season
Post-Pandemic Migration Trends in New York
Top Retailers for 2023
The Live Sports Advertising Opportunity
Domestic Migration to the Mountain States: Small Shifts with Big Implications
New Year, New Food: 5 Dining Trends For 2023
Announcing Placer.ai’s COVID RECOVERY DASHBOARD
This is Why Shop-in-Shops Are Everywhere
Super Saturday 2022 Recap
The San Francisco Shift
Grocery Year-End Update: Publix in the Spotlight
Three Ways Retailers Can Think Small to Increase Store Impact
Offline Beauty Is on an Upswing
The Evolving Migration Patterns of New York’s Florida Snowbirds
Placer.ai Office Index: November 2022 Recap
How Viral Social Media Trends Can Drive Offline Engagement
Are You Ready for Some Football? Experiential Marketing Shows Promise
Mall and Shopping Center Trends For 2023
Retail Corridors and Indoor Malls: A Holiday Head-to-Head
Placer Bytes: Nike, lululemon, and GameStop Update
Placer.ai Mall Indexes: November 2022 Update
Black Friday 2022: Consumers Hear the Call
Digitally Native Brands: Taking Off, Offline
Discount and Dollar Stores Leading the Pack
Turkey Wednesday 2022
Retail’s Evolving Holiday Season
Placer Bytes: Starbucks and Department Stores Ahead of Black Friday
Ulta: A Force to be Reckoned With
College Towns Drive Dining Growth
Foot Traffic Trends Reveal Consumers Ready for Holiday Cheer
How Retailers Can Win Big By Going Small
How Are Consumers Feeling Ahead of Black Friday 2022?
Off-Price, Hibbett, and Dick’s Pre-Holiday Check-in
Ho, Ho, Wholesale: Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s
October 2022’s Retail Rebound
Target and Walmart Ahead of the Holidays
Home Improvement: Leave it to the Pros
Despite Inflation, Holiday Season is Off to a Good Start
Placer.ai Office Index: October 2022 Recap
Placer.ai Mall Indexes- October 2022 Update
Americans Double Down on Fitness
The State of Grocery
CVS and Walgreens: The Wave Continues
Coffee Chains Brewing Up Visits
Placer.ai Spotlight: Pizza Players
What Drove COVID-Era Urban Migration Trends?
Kroger and Albertsons: A Merging of Strengths
Texas Roadhouse Innovations Dishing Up Success
Holidays on the Horizon: Mid-Range and Luxury Shopping
McDonald's and Chipotle's Post-Pandemic Success
Announcing Placer.ai’s Q3 2022 Quarterly Index
5 Hot Restaurant Brands for 2023
Target Finds a Winning Deals Day Formula
Five Trends to Watch for 2022’s Holiday Shopping Season