Key Takeaways
- • 34% of U.S. consumers reported skipping meals or cutting meal sizes in the past year for financial reasons, up 7 percentage points since December and the largest increase between surveys in the four-year history of the dunnhumby Consumer Trends Tracker.
- • Middle-income households earning $50,000-$100,000 saw the sharpest rise, with 31% reporting not having enough to eat, up from 19% in December, while consumers 65 and older nearly doubled to 17%.
- • 64% of consumers said they would struggle to cover an unexpected $400 expense, the highest rate in the study's history, with seniors up 16 points to 46% and middle-income households up 11 points to 60%.
- • Consumers perceive food prices rose 24% year over year, versus the Bureau of Labor Statistics reading of 2.2%, the widest perception gap in the tracker's history for food inflation ratings above the 2022 peak.
- • Shoppers are shifting channels: convenience store usage rose to 29%, dollar stores reached 45%, and 31% now order groceries online for delivery most or all of the time, a tracker high.
Summary
American food insecurity and financial strain have intensified sharply, according to the thirteenth wave of the dunnhumby Consumer Trends Tracker (CTT), which surveyed 2,000 U.S. grocery shoppers in August 2026 as part of an 8,500-person, six-country study. One in three U.S. consumers (34%) reported skipping meals or cutting meal sizes in the past year for financial reasons. The increase of 7 percentage points since the December 2025 wave is the largest between-survey jump in the tracker's four-year history. Middle-income households earning $50,000 to $100,000 showed the sharpest rise, with 31% reporting insufficient food compared with 19% in December. Consumers 65 and older recorded the second-largest increase, nearly doubling to 17%. Working-age consumers remain the most affected, with 39% of those aged 18 to 34 and 43% of those aged 35 to 54 reporting insufficient food. Food insecurity was also reported by 43% of households earning less than $50,000 and 39% of families with children.
Financial insecurity reached its highest level in the study's history, with 64% saying they would struggle to cover an unexpected $400 expense, up 7 points since December. Seniors recorded the largest increase in that measure, rising 16 points to 46%, while financial insecurity was highest among households earning under $50,000 (76%). Dunnhumby CEO Jamie Samaha said American shoppers are under more financial pressure than at any time since the company began tracking them in 2022.
The survey's findings coincide with macroeconomic pressures cited in the release. According to USDA data compiled by the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), SNAP participation has fallen by approximately 5.2 million people since the 2025 federal budget law took effect. Food-at-home costs are 12.4% higher than in May 2022, with 10.2% of that increase occurring in 2022 and never reversing, per the release. AAA data cited by dunnhumby shows gas prices above $4.00 a gallon for most of the year and 27% higher than August 2025. The University of Michigan consumer sentiment index is more than 20 points below its 20-year average. Shoppers perceive food prices rose 24% over the past year, against a Bureau of Labor Statistics reading of 2.2%.
Shopping behavior is also shifting. Convenience stores posted the largest format gain, with 29% of shoppers using one, while dollar stores reached 45% and online pureplay rose to 24%. Walmart remains the most-shopped grocery retailer at 72%. Consumers are showing less loyalty, with willingness to identify themselves to earn rewards falling 4 points to 48%, while 63% now shop at stores with low base prices. Thirty-one percent order groceries online for delivery most or all of the time, a tracker high. Adoption of AI grocery tools remains limited: 22% used AI shopping assistants in the past month, mainly for price comparison, and 32% said they do not trust AI at all.
Financial insecurity reached its highest level in the study's history, with 64% saying they would struggle to cover an unexpected $400 expense, up 7 points since December. Seniors recorded the largest increase in that measure, rising 16 points to 46%, while financial insecurity was highest among households earning under $50,000 (76%). Dunnhumby CEO Jamie Samaha said American shoppers are under more financial pressure than at any time since the company began tracking them in 2022.
The survey's findings coincide with macroeconomic pressures cited in the release. According to USDA data compiled by the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), SNAP participation has fallen by approximately 5.2 million people since the 2025 federal budget law took effect. Food-at-home costs are 12.4% higher than in May 2022, with 10.2% of that increase occurring in 2022 and never reversing, per the release. AAA data cited by dunnhumby shows gas prices above $4.00 a gallon for most of the year and 27% higher than August 2025. The University of Michigan consumer sentiment index is more than 20 points below its 20-year average. Shoppers perceive food prices rose 24% over the past year, against a Bureau of Labor Statistics reading of 2.2%.
Shopping behavior is also shifting. Convenience stores posted the largest format gain, with 29% of shoppers using one, while dollar stores reached 45% and online pureplay rose to 24%. Walmart remains the most-shopped grocery retailer at 72%. Consumers are showing less loyalty, with willingness to identify themselves to earn rewards falling 4 points to 48%, while 63% now shop at stores with low base prices. Thirty-one percent order groceries online for delivery most or all of the time, a tracker high. Adoption of AI grocery tools remains limited: 22% used AI shopping assistants in the past month, mainly for price comparison, and 32% said they do not trust AI at all.
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