Bain says U.S. grocery unit sales fell 1.8% in June as shoppers cut back

According to CNBC, Bain & Company said U.S. grocery unit sales fell 1.8% in June from a year earlier, reversing 0.1% growth in June 2025, as weakening unit sales outweighed price increases of about 2% to 3% year over year. Bain said grocery prices are about 33% higher than in 2019, while its May U.S. Consumer Pulse Wave survey found 80% of Americans were still trying to spend less and 28% were cutting back on grocery spending. Among those shoppers, 56% said they were switching to cheaper brands, 49% were buying fewer items and 44% were relying more on coupons and promotions. The report said the shift is affecting suppliers such as PepsiCo, which reported North American food revenue down 2% in its second quarter and flat volume, while CEO Ramon Laguarta said consumer demand was weaker than expected and was being driven mainly by gas prices. Walmart has also announced summer price cuts on items including beef, ice cream and products from PepsiCo, Coca-Cola and its own Great Value private label.