<p>By: Olivia Dale, Assistant, Research & Insights, FMI</p><div class="mg-image–circular" style="float:right;margin:10px;"><img sf-custom-thumbnail="true" src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/gen-z-woman-vegetable-shopping.jpg?sfvrsn=cb04e01a_1" sf-size="100" width="600" alt="Gen Z woman produce shopping." sf-constrain-proportions="true" /></div><p>My journey into the food industry began in the classroom, studying food systems with a growing curiosity about how people eat, shop and connect with food. That academic path led me to FMI, where I am able to explore those questions on a broader scale. But that same curiosity doesn’t stop at work — it follows me into grocery aisles and back into my kitchen, where I experiment, discover and enjoy the evolving ways my generation engages with food.</p><h5>A Time of Change and Growth</h5><p>I’ve explored many grocery banners and channels in my young adulthood from discovering hidden finds in my neighborhood corner market while in New York City, to the co-op in my rural western Massachusetts town that almost exclusively sources local products and fermentations, to the supermarket near my office in New Jersey that was reliably open and fully stocked after a long day’s work.</p><p>Part of self-development is exploration, and what better way to discover what you enjoy about grocery shopping than shopping around? Gen Zers shopped 6.9 banners on average in the last 30 days, over a full banner more than the next highest, millennials, at 5.6. Gen Z’s wanderlust is also represented by dedicating the lowest share of grocery spending towards their primary store, generationally, at 68%. Given that almost half of Gen Z report liking or loving grocery shopping (46%), slightly higher than the overall rate of 42%, we must be doing something right. </p><p>Gen Z shoppers have also stepped away from supermarkets – the long-dominant grocery channel – with only 73% reporting they’ve shopped at one in the last 30 days. Meanwhile, 78% of Gen Z have shopped at a Mass retailer during that time, continuing to add to the dominance of the Mass channel as the second most-highly shopped overall. Apart from supermarkets, Gen Z leads generationally when shopping across all other channels, save for matching with Gen X when it comes to Natural. On average, they shop at 4.3 channels – more than the overall shopper average of 3.6 channels. </p><h5>Personal Growth Through Healthier Eating Habits</h5><p>Gen Z is adventurous in the kitchen as well. Twenty-nine percent say they primarily enjoy exploring new recipes when cooking at home, while 35% cook both familiar and new recipes about the same. I am one of those Gen Zers constantly looking for new recipes and international cuisines, while simultaneously relying on my go-to comfort recipes on long days where I can’t be bothered to have an ounce more of personal growth.</p><p>In addition to academic and professional development, Gen Z strives for personal growth through healthier eating habits. In the coming months, about 40% of grocery shoppers report wanting to eat more healthfully, cook at home and dine in more often. Among Gen Z, that number jumps to about 60%, with many making changes to achieve those goals.</p><p>To learn more about Gen Z and other demographics, visit these resources.</p><p><a href="https://www.fmi.org/our-research/research-reports/u-s-grocery-shopper-trends" class="button">2025 Trends Website Experience and Report</a> <a href="https://www.fmi.org/forms/store/ProductFormPublic/u-s-grocery-shopper-trends-2025-data-tables" class="button-secondary">U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends Data Tables</a></p>
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