When it comes to the quest for good food at a good price, beggars can’t be choosers. Walmart may not be everyone’s preference, but it beats out all others when it comes to the stores most shoppers are willing to consider.
That’s the big takeaway from YouGov’s new “U.S. grocery brand rankings 2025” report.
“In today’s challenging economic climate, where rising living costs continue to put pressure on household budgets, consumers are making more considered choices about where they shop,” YouGov America Vice President Kenton Barello said in a statement.
In an earlier survey to determine the most popular supermarkets and other stores that sell food, Walmart was ranked below Costco, Target and Dollar Tree. But in this newest survey, it tops the list of where shoppers are willing to go, when push comes to shove, in a search for the best value.
More than 22,000 American shoppers were asked from which stores they would consider purchasing groceries. And Walmart led by a wide margin, named by nearly two-thirds. That was far ahead of Target, named by 43%, ALDI and Costco, named by less than a third, and Kroger, named by less than a quarter.
Walmart led in grocery consideration across all age groups, with Target a consistent second-place finisher as well. Third place is where generational preferences diverged – older shoppers are more likely to consider ALDI, while younger shoppers named Costco.
Gen Z shoppers are most likely to consider nontraditional retailers for their grocery shopping. Perhaps because they’re the generation most likely to say that “grocery shopping is boring.” They’re more likely to consider shopping at specialty stores like Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s. They’re least likely to seek out deals, preferring everyday low prices. They’re also least likely to consider shopping at traditional grocery stores, with Kroger the only one to crack their top ten, at number eight. And they’re most likely to consider online options like Amazon Fresh.
That’s contributed to Amazon Fresh’s overall rise in the rankings. While only 12% said they would consider buying groceries from Amazon, that’s nearly doubled from last year.
The, perhaps obvious, reason Walmart does so well in consideration scores, is its low prices. When asked which store offers the best value, shoppers were most likely to name Walmart, ahead of ALDI and Costco. Walmart was far down the list of stores believed to offer the best quality. Whole Foods topped that list, followed by Target and Trader Joe’s. Interestingly, Costco comes closest to equilibrium – it didn’t top either list, but shoppers rated it almost equal in value and quality, while all other retailers on the list were believed to excel at just one or the other.
By highlighting where grocery shoppers would consider shopping, as opposed to where they actually do, YouGov says its report offers insights into how the industry is being “shaped by inflation, shifting shopping habits, and the increasing demand for value.”
With the economy in a state of uncertainty, the stores shoppers prefer and the stores they’re willing to consider may continue diverging. We all may have our favorites, but increasingly budget-minded shoppers may not be able to afford to play favorites for much longer.
Image source: Walmart
