Report: Fresh produce sales continue to struggle in August 2026 

Fresh produce had a rough August, according to the latest retail sales report from the International Fresh Produce Association BB #:378962, using Circana data, and written by 210 Analytics.  

Across the five weeks ending August 30, 2026, the produce category generated $9.1 billion in sales, but both dollars and volume kept sliding as cash-strapped shoppers pulled back, and a food-safety outbreak depressed salad and leafy green sales with continued double-digit declines. 

The pressure wasn’t isolated to produce. Consumer confidence reversed a two-month rebound, with the University of Michigan’s Sentiment Index dropping to 51.7. Grocery budgets were squeezed further by 3.4 percent annual inflation, regular gas prices hovering above $4 a gallon, and a SNAP enrollment decline to its lowest level since 2019.  

Restaurant traffic also kept falling, a sign that overall food spending, not just fresh produce, remains cautious. 

Within fresh produce, fruit pound sales fell 6.1 percent year-over-year and vegetables dropped 4.2 percent.  

Apples and avocados were bright spots, and apples led all commodities in absolute dollar growth thanks to increased demand rather than price increases alone.  

Potatoes and peppers also grew, while tomatoes, salad kits, carrots, broccoli, and mushrooms posted steep declines. Notably, vegetables — not fruit — dominated the top 10 growth list this month, a reversal from earlier in the year when berries and other fruits led. 

Looking ahead, the report flags two consumer shifts worth watching: the rapid rise of GLP-1 medication use (now roughly one in six Americans), which is reshaping meal patterns toward smaller, high-protein, nutrient-dense choices, and a growing appetite for nostalgic and “mashup” flavors blending global cuisines.  

Both trends suggest retailers may need to rethink produce merchandising and product mix as shopper priorities keep evolving amid ongoing economic strain.