Online Grocery

Shopping 2023
Key Characteristics and Behaviors of
Today’s Online Grocery Shopper
Introduction

Chicory, the leading contextual commerce advertising platform, surveys consumers every year to
understand current online grocery shopping behaviors. Since Chicory’s first survey three years ago,
the online grocery space has evolved dramatically, having undergone everything from a pandemic-
driven adoption boom to unprecedented supply chain issues. Despite all of these shifts, one survey
finding asserts itself every year: online grocery shopping provides consumers with solutions to their
households’ most pressing challenges.

In this report, we explore the characteristics and behaviors of nearly 1,000 online grocery shoppers.
Insights include online basket value, order frequency, retailer preferences, cart composition, behavior
changes year-over-year and more. CPG brands and grocery retailers can leverage these data points
to build their 2023 digital strategies and drive online sales.

PA R T 1:
Key Characteristics of the Online Grocery Shopper

Most Americans Are Online Grocery Shoppers

Online grocery shopping activity Have you purchased groceries online in the
remains strong. In the past 90 days, past 90 days?
the majority (72%) of American
consumers have purchased groceries
online, the same percentage as last
year. Those who answered “No” to No
“Have you purchased groceries online 27.8%
in the past 90 days?” were removed
from the remainder of the survey in
order to extract the most accurate
Yes
insights about online grocery shopping 72.2%
behaviors and preferences.
Online grocery shoppers span all areas of the country. Although online grocery shopping is a particularly
helpful solution for consumers who lack access to grocery stores — such as those in urban or rural
areas — many suburban households adopted online grocery shopping during the pandemic to stay safe,
and now, as people return to busier schedules, they’ve continued the habit in order to save time and
simplify their lives. In fact, more than 55% of qualified respondents live in suburban areas.

Online Grocery Shoppers Aren’t Just City Dwellers

What kind of area do you live in (based on your primary residence)?

Other Urban
0.5% 25.1%

Rural Suburban
18.8% 55.6%

Consumers are upping their reliance on online grocery shopping. More than half (56%) of qualified
respondents said that they are ordering online more frequently than they were one year ago. Today,
approximately 40% of respondents order groceries online weekly.

Online Grocery Orders Are on The Rise

Do you order groceries online more frequently
now compared to one year ago?

56%
56%
Yes order groceries
35% online more
No frequently than
one year ago
9%
I’m not sure
 Online Grocery Orders Usually Occur Weekly or Monthly
How frequently do you typically order groceries online?

40%

30%

19%

6%
5%

Daily Weekly Monthly Every few months Rarely

Most of the survey respondents purchase groceries online on behalf of either three to five people or one
or two people. For families of three to five, online grocery shopping can save significant time and money.
For individuals or couples, online grocery’s main appeal is likely that it saves them from having to make
a trip to the store for a small number of items.

Most Online Grocery Orders Are for One to Five People

How many people are you usually shopping for when you purchase groceries online?

47%
42%

10%

1%

1-2 3-5 6 - 10 11+

Regardless of household size, most online grocery shoppers spend a healthy amount of money per
order. Approximately 42% of respondents spend $51 to $100, and 33% spend $101 to $200.

Most Online Grocery Shoppers Spend

Between $51 and $200 Every Order
How much do you typically spend on an online grocery order?

42%

33%

16%
9%

$0 - $50 $51 - $100 $101 - $200 $201+

Diving deeper, we found a relationship between online order value and frequency. Those who selected
the lowest spending tier ($0 to $50) order groceries the least frequently. In contrast, those who spend
the most ($201+) are the most likely to place orders daily or weekly.

High Spenders Order Groceries Online the Most Frequently

Order frequency by average spending tier

$0-$50
Daily

Weekly
$51-$100

Monthly

$101-$200 Every few months

Rarely
$201+

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

Year after year, online grocery shoppers prove how A D D - TO - C A R T VA LU E

+34%
valuable they are. Data from our network of 5,200
recipe sites validates this: average add-to-cart
value increased 34% year-over-year, while the
average item count stayed the same. Even amid YoY
inflation, in-recipe shoppers are powerful revenue
generators for retailers.

PA R T 2:
Key Behaviors of the Online Grocery Shopper

Convenience remains the number one driver of online grocery orders. In our last online grocery
shopping survey, we revealed that convenience, not COVID, drives online grocery orders. Today, we can
confirm that convenience is not only a driving factor but a primary force behind online grocery orders —
approximately 74% of respondents selected it as a top driver of their decision to order groceries online.
Convenience has a 37% lead on price, the runner-up.

Convenience Remains the #1 Driver of Online Grocery Orders

When you order groceries online, what are the top drivers of the decision? Select all that apply.
Convenience (i.e., Online grocery shopping saves me time or is less stressful)
74%

Price (i.e., Online grocery shopping is usually less expensive than in-store shopping)
37%
Accessibility (i.e., I lack easy access to grocery stores or certain products)
35%

Habit (i.e., This is where/how I’ve shopped for a while)

24%
Health concerns (i.e., Online grocery shopping helps me stay healthy/safe or keep others healthy/safe)
22%
Awards or loyalty program (i.e., I am part of a loyalty, awards or credit card program that encourages me to order online or with a specific online retailer)
20%

Preference for digital experience over in-store experience (i.e., I like grocery shopping online more than going to the grocery store)
19%
Other
2%
Since we know what compels consumers to order groceries online, we
wanted to better understand what stops them from doing it. According to
our respondents, the top challenge with online grocery shopping is high
fees, followed by lack of control over product selection. For retailers, high
fees is mostly their problem to solve. CPG brands, however, can address
— or even leverage — concerns over product selection.

Consumers trust brands more than the average gig worker to ensure
quality items are added to their carts. In a recent survey, we found that
60% of consumers are more likely to purchase prepackaged produce
when shopping online. This is a huge opportunity for prepackaged brands,
and an incentive for all brands to invest in their branding via packaging
and advertising.

Top Challenges of Online Grocery Shopping

What are your biggest pain points or challenges with ordering groceries online? Select all that apply.

High fees (e.g., delivery fees, service fees)

47%

Lack of control over product selection

43%

Product availability issues

41%

High product prices

39%

Concerns about products staying fresh or safe in transit

29%

Long waits or delivery times

28%

Difficulty using online or digital platforms

10%

None of the above

5%
Walmart received the most votes from respondents as their preferred retailer for online grocery
shopping, making it the most popular option out of a group of 20. The retailer was joined up at the top by
other large players, like Kroger and Albertsons. However, smaller players such as Aldi also fared well,
suggesting that a strong digital experience can go a long way with consumers. This is validated within
Chicory’s recipe network data too: in 2022, Walmart garnered the most add-to-carts of the 60+ retailers
available in the network, but smaller players that are available to shop via Instacart performed well too.

*The chart below reflects only the top ten most preferred online grocery experiences. If the respondent
typically uses an online grocery platform, like Instacart or Shipt, they were instructed to select the
retailer that they usually purchase from while using the app.

The Top 10 Most Preferred Online Grocery Retailers

Which of the following is your preferred retailer for online grocery shopping?

1 6

Includes Safeway, Randalls, Shaw’s, Star Market, United

2 7

Includes Food Lion, Giant, Stop & Shop, Hannaford, Fresh Direct

3 8

4 9
Includes Ralphs, Harris Teeter, Dillons, Smith’s, King Soopers,
Fry’s, QFC, City Market, Owen’s, Jay C, Baker’s, Gerbes, Pick ‘n
Save, Metro Market, Mariano’s Includes Central Market, Mi Tienda, Joe V’s Smart Shop

5 10
Now that we know consumers’ preferred online grocery retailers, let’s take a look at what they add
to their carts, and why. We asked respondents a series of questions about what items they have
ordered online in the past 90 days. Snack foods was the most popular answer choice, but all grocery
categories were well represented. For more category-specific insights, read our Top Grocery Trends
By Category report.

Snack Foods Are the Most Popular Online Grocery Item

Which items have you purchased online in the past 90 days? Select all that apply.
Snack foods (e.g., chips, pretzels, fruit snacks, rice cakes, jerky, etc.)
73%

Grains or starches (e.g., pasta, bread, cereal, rice, etc.)

64%
Condiments, sauces, dressings or dips (e.g., ketchup, mayo, hummus, ranch, etc.)
63%

Confections or sweets (e.g., packaged cookies, candy or snack cakes, etc.)

47%
Baking needs (e.g., chocolate morsels, halved walnuts, sugar, flour, pre-made pie crust, pie filling, boxed cake mix, etc.)
44%
Bakery (e.g., store-made pies, cakes or breads)
37%

None of the above

5%

Consumers Are Very Comfortable Purchasing Perishables Online

Which items have you purchased online in the past 90 days? Select all that apply.

Dairy Produce Meat

(e.g., milk, butter, cream, cheese, (e.g., fresh fruit, vegetables or (e.g., chicken breasts, ground beef,
yogurt, ice cream, etc.) herbs; salad kits; raw nuts; etc.) pork tenderloin, deli meat, etc.)
64% 60% 55%

Frozen food or meals Dairy or meat alternatives Seafood

(e.g., frozen fruit, veg., apps, (e.g., oat milk, veggie (e.g., fresh shrimp, fish, None of the above
pizza, meat, seafood, etc.) burgers, Beyond meat, etc.) scallops or lobsters, etc.)
55% 33% 22% 11%
 Household Essentials Make It Into Most Consumers’ Online Grocery Carts
Which items have you purchased online in the past 90 days? Select all that apply.
Household essentials (e.g., food storage supplies, disposable tableware, cleaning supplies, cooking tools)
70%
Personal care products (e.g. deodorant, toothpaste, vitamins, shampoo, etc.)
59%
Non-alcoholic beverages (e.g. soda, juice, seltzer, etc.)
50%
Prepared foods (e.g., rotisserie chicken; hot entrées or sides; pre-made soups, salads or deli sandwiches; etc.)
43%
Alcohol (e.g., wine, beer, liquor, etc.)
19%
None of the above
5%

When selecting brands online, price is the top consideration for 67% of respondents. This is no
surprise — price has been especially important this year as consumers have adjusted their behaviors
to cope with inflation. The good news is that many consumers are finding better prices online: 37% of
respondents agreed that online grocery shopping is usually less expensive than in-store shopping (see
pg. 6). During times of economic uncertainty, CPG brands and grocery retailers can rely on ecommerce.

Price Determines Online Brand Selections

When grocery shopping online, what factors have the greatest influence on your selection of brands? Select all that apply.

Price (i.e., This brand’s product fits within my budget)

67%
Deal, coupon or sale (i.e., I’m getting a deal on this brand’s product)
58%
Brand familiarity (i.e., I’ve purchased this brand before or I know of them)
52%
Availability (i.e., This brand is available at my preferred online retailer)
50%
Flavor (i.e., I like the flavor of this brand’s product the best)
35%
Values or lifestyle (i.e., This brand aligns with my values or lifestyle)
20%
Promotion/advertisement (i.e., I saw this brand’s product promoted on the retailer’s site)
18%
Search results (i.e., This brand’s product popped up as one of the first search results on the retailer’s site)
11%
Other
1%
Online grocery shoppers are also extremely loyal, making it key for CPG brands to win the digital shelf.
According to our survey, 41% of respondents are very likely and 40% are likely to repurchase products
from a past online order. Mechanisms on grocery shopping platforms like “Order Again” buttons
contribute to this likelihood.

Most Online Grocery Shoppers Repurchase Items From Past Orders

How likely are you to repurchase products from a past online order?

41% 40%

16%

3% 1%

Very likely Likely Neither likely nor unlikely Unlikely Very unlikely

In order to win the digital shelf, CPG brands need to be where shoppers are.
According to our survey, that’s on recipe sites and social media platforms. The two
are tied as the top sources of meal inspiration online. Food content attracts high-
intent shoppers who are in meal-planning mode. CPG brands can reach new and
lapsed shoppers by advertising with that content.

Recipe Content Drives Meal Inspiration

Where do you find inspiration online for what to cook? Select all that apply.
Food blogs or recipe sites
40%

Social media (e.g., TikTok, Instagram, Facebook)

40%
YouTube
30%

Pinterest
27%
A brand’s website (e.g. bettycrocker.com, goya.com, etc.)
26%
A grocery retailer’s website (e.g. kroger.com)
25%

None of the above

14%
In many cases, CPG brands don’t even need to drive the social-media or food-blog shopper back to
their own sites. Approximately 51% are likely (32%) or very likely (18.5%) to purchase directly from food
content. As more consumers make online grocery shopping a weekly part of their routine, the more this
number will increase.

Consumers Are Ready to Purchase Products Off-Platform

How likely are you to make grocery purchases directly from food content, like online recipes?

32%
29%

19%

11%
9%

Very likely Likely Neither likely nor unlikely Unlikely Very unlikely
Conclusion

Top Takeaway

While online grocery adoption has slowed in recent years, activity remains strong. Consumers are more
comfortable than ever browsing for deals online, meal planning using digital recipes and purchasing
their full shopping lists online. CPG and grocery retailers can capitalize on this trend by investing in
ecommerce solutions that meet consumers where they are, and in the moments that matter.

Methodology

Chicory surveyed 1,337 American consumers, ages 18 to 85, on December 30, 2022. In
total, 965 respondents qualified to complete the survey, responding “Yes” to “Have you
purchased groceries online in the past 90 days?” The margin of error is +/- 3.219%.

About Chicory

Chicory, the leading contextual commerce advertising platform, transforms recipe content into
commerce media. Our platform powers a network of recipe publishers and retailers that CPG brands
use to reach 110 million high-intent grocery shoppers each month. Chicory’s contextual advertising and
shoppable recipe solutions can be found on more than 5,200 websites and food blogs, including Taste of
Home, The Kitchn and LandOLakes.com. Sites enabled with Chicory’s technology take grocery shoppers
from inspiration to checkout in just a few clicks, driving products to cart for 60+ leading retailers.

To learn about advertising within digital recipes, reach out to hello@chicory.co or visit chicory.co.