U.S. eGrocery sales for 3Q26 climb 21% versus last year

Barrington, Ill. – October 15, 2026 – Online grocery sales jumped 20.7% in the third quarter of 2026 versus a year ago and captured a record share of total grocery spending, according to the monthly Brick Meets Click Grocery Shopper Surveys conducted during July, August, and September 2026. For the past eight consecutive quarters, year-over-year (YOY) growth has exceeded 20%, fueled by steady gains in order frequency and an expanding monthly user base.

“Customers today have a multitude of online grocery options that can satisfy a broad range of needs states and/or occasions from an urgent quick trip to a routine stock up,” said David Bishop, partner at Brick Meets Click. “Many of the newer eGrocery offerings focus on shorter order cycle times, while others strive to provide ways to avoid paying more than necessary.”

All three methods used to receive eGrocery orders (Delivery, Pickup and Ship-to-Home) posted positive YOY gains for 3Q26. Delivery drove three-quarters of the topline increase, growing more than 30% versus last year and adding over five percentage points to its sales share for the quarter, largely at the expense of Pickup, which only grew in the mid-single digits. Ship-to-Home grew slightly less than the topline result of 20.7%.

During September 2026, online grocery penetration reached a record high level of monthly active users (MAUs), representing nearly 64% of all U.S. households and surpassing the previous peak set in October 2025. The strong results for September boosted the quarterly MAU base by 120 basis points versus a year ago, encompassing almost 62% of all U.S. households in 3Q26. In addition, the total share of U.S. households that have ever bought groceries online ended the quarter at 81%.

Order frequency—the average number of eGrocery orders completed by MAUs in a given month—has also grown at an accelerating rate since last year, rising nearly 14% in the most recent quarter. This increase corresponds with broader use of multiple eGrocery fulfillment methods: 17% of MAUs used all three methods (Delivery, Pickup and Ship-to-Home) in the same month, up more than five percentage points year over year.

The ongoing gains in order frequency and the base of monthly users helped eGrocery achieve its highest sales share during 3Q26, capturing 20.9% of total grocery spending as in-store sales for the quarter declined YOY.

Satisfaction levels indicate the growing acceptability of eGrocery for many households. During the third quarter of 2026, customers’ likelihood of using the same online grocery shopping service again within the next 30 days climbed for the second year in a row. The repeat intent rate associated with using either a Delivery or Pickup service grew from 56% in 2024, to 61% in 2025, and to 62% this year.

To gain access to Brick Meets Click’s on-going insights and eGrocery perspectives, sign up for the company’s newsletter or schedule a call to discuss tailored support for your business.

About this consumer research

The Brick Meets Click Grocery Shopping Survey is an ongoing independent research initiative created and conducted by the team at Brick Meets Click. The monthly survey, running since March 2020, is conducted during the final days of each month with adults, 18 years and older, who participated in the household’s grocery shopping. Results are adjusted based on internet usage among U.S. adults to account for the non-response bias associated with online surveys. Responses are geographically representative of the U.S. and weighted by age and income to reflect the national population of adults, 18 years and older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The three receiving methods for online grocery orders are defined as follows:

· Delivery includes orders received from a first- or third-party provider like Instacart, Shipt or the retailer’s own employees.

· Pickup includes orders that are received by customers either inside or outside a store or at a designated location/locker.

· Ship-to-Home includes orders that are received via a common carrier or contract courier like FedEx, UPS, USPS, etc.

About Brick Meets Click
Brick Meets Click is an analytics and strategic insight firm that connects today’s grocery business with tomorrow’s needs. Our clear thinking and practical solutions help clients make their strategies and customer offers more compelling and relevant in the changing U.S. grocery market. We bring deep industry expertise and fact-based analysis to the challenge of finding new routes to success.