U.S. food and beverage stores generated 1.1 trillion dollars in sales while net closures removed 11700 grocery stores from operation. Shoppers now use delivery services and mobile apps on a regular basis. Retailers respond by adopting automation that raises warehouse productivity 3.1 times and by installing systems that cut picking errors 30 percent.
Key Takeaways
- 11,700 grocery stores in the U.S. closed in 2023 due to business closures and store closures (net closures across the year).
- $1.1 trillion U.S. food and beverage store sales in 2023 (calendar-year).
- $2.3 trillion global grocery retail revenue in 2024 (global revenue).
- $817 billion global online grocery market size in 2023 (market value).
- 4.4% year-over-year growth in U.S. grocery store sales in 2023.
- 29% of grocery shoppers say they use mobile apps at least weekly (U.S. app usage frequency).
- 78% of grocery retailers are investing in cold-chain and refrigeration optimization to manage energy and spoilage risks (investment share)
- 1.8% of sales on average is inventory carrying cost as a share of revenue (retail inventory carrying cost estimate).
- 6.8% of retailers’ operating expenses were logistics/transportation costs in 2022 (U.S. retail cost structure).
- Transport and warehousing accounted for 4.9% of U.S. GDP in 2022 (context for retail logistics cost pressure).
- 3.1x increase in warehouse productivity associated with automation adoption (productivity lift reported in automation studies).
- 37% of retailers use real-time inventory visibility solutions (surveyed share).
- 30% reduction in warehouse picking errors after deploying vision-guided picking systems (reported case outcome).
- 99.9% accuracy rate for item-level RFID in retail trials using EPC Gen2 tags (reported in technical evaluations).
- 15% reduction in delivery costs achieved by optimizing routing and delivery windows in grocery distribution (reported operational effect).
U.S. grocery sales rose in 2023 as retailers embraced digital tools, automation, and smart refrigeration.
Related reading
01 · Category
Industry Size1 stats
01
11,700 grocery stores in the U.S. closed in 2023 due to business closures and store closures (net closures across the year).
Interpretation
Industry Size Interpretation
In the Industry Size snapshot for U.S. retail and grocery, 11,700 grocery stores shut down in 2023, showing the scale of contraction facing the sector’s physical footprint.
02 · Category
Market Size5 stats
01
$1.1 trillion U.S. food and beverage store sales in 2023 (calendar-year).
02
$2.3 trillion global grocery retail revenue in 2024 (global revenue).
03
$817 billion global online grocery market size in 2023 (market value).
04
$12.5 billion U.S. omnichannel retail technology spend in 2023 (U.S. spending estimate).
05
$4.9 billion RFID market size for retail in 2023 (retail RFID market value).
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
The Market Size data shows grocery and retail are on a massive scale, with $2.3 trillion in global grocery revenue in 2024 and $1.1 trillion in 2023 U.S. food and beverage store sales, while additional investment areas like $12.5 billion in U.S. omnichannel retail technology spend and a $4.9 billion retail RFID market in 2023 signal that retailers are scaling their capabilities alongside this growth.
03 · Category
Industry Trends3 stats
01
4.4% year-over-year growth in U.S. grocery store sales in 2023.
02
29% of grocery shoppers say they use mobile apps at least weekly (U.S. app usage frequency).
03
78% of grocery retailers are investing in cold-chain and refrigeration optimization to manage energy and spoilage risks (investment share)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
In industry trends for retail and grocery, 2023 U.S. grocery sales grew 4.4% year over year while 29% of shoppers use mobile apps weekly and 78% of retailers invest in cold chain and refrigeration, showing how digital engagement and operational efficiency are moving together.
04 · Category
Cost Analysis5 stats
01
1.8% of sales on average is inventory carrying cost as a share of revenue (retail inventory carrying cost estimate).
02
6.8% of retailers’ operating expenses were logistics/transportation costs in 2022 (U.S. retail cost structure).
03
Transport and warehousing accounted for 4.9% of U.S. GDP in 2022 (context for retail logistics cost pressure).
04
4.7% energy cost inflation contributed to store operating expenses in 2023 (U.S. retail utilities/energy inflation contribution).
05
Food waste in U.S. grocery supply chains is estimated at 30–40% of food supply (share of food supply lost to waste, relevant to retail cold-chain and inventory costs)
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Cost pressures in retail and grocery are being driven by multiple measurable factors at once, from inventory carrying costs averaging 1.8% of revenue to logistics taking 6.8% of retailers’ operating expenses in 2022 and energy inflation adding further strain in 2023, while food waste losses of 30–40% of the food supply amplify avoidable costs across the cold chain.
More related reading
05 · Category
Technology Adoption2 stats
01
3.1x increase in warehouse productivity associated with automation adoption (productivity lift reported in automation studies).
02
37% of retailers use real-time inventory visibility solutions (surveyed share).
Interpretation
Technology Adoption Interpretation
Technology adoption in retail and grocery is translating into clear operational gains, with automation linked to a 3.1x increase in warehouse productivity and 37% of retailers already using real-time inventory visibility solutions.
06 · Category
Performance Metrics6 stats
01
30% reduction in warehouse picking errors after deploying vision-guided picking systems (reported case outcome).
02
99.9% accuracy rate for item-level RFID in retail trials using EPC Gen2 tags (reported in technical evaluations).
03
15% reduction in delivery costs achieved by optimizing routing and delivery windows in grocery distribution (reported operational effect).
04
3.0–3.5% typical reduction in energy use in retail refrigeration systems after deploying smart energy management (reported range).
05
71% of shoppers expect retailers to provide accurate product availability (survey share on expectations for inventory accuracy)
06
1.8x higher conversion rates for retailers implementing personalization in digital promotions (reported lift from personalization/optimization studies summarized by Gartner)
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
Under the Performance Metrics lens, the data shows that retailers and grocers are seeing clear measurable gains, including a 30% drop in warehouse picking errors with vision-guided picking and a 15% reduction in delivery costs through better routing, alongside strong technology results like 99.9% RFID item accuracy.
07 · Category
User Adoption2 stats
01
34% of U.S. adults use grocery delivery services, according to a 2023 survey by the Pew Research Center
02
52% of U.S. adults reported using coupons or discounts for groceries in the past month in 2022 (survey share)
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
From the User Adoption perspective, grocery delivery is now used by 34% of U.S. adults while 52% tapped coupons or discounts in the past month, showing adoption is strongest for cost-saving digital shopping habits.
report visual · Breakdown
What’s happening in grocery: demand up, closures up
Despite growth in grocery sales, the U.S. saw net store closures in 2023.
29%
29% of grocery shoppers say they use mobile apps at least weekly (U.S. app usage frequency).
71%
71% of shoppers expect retailers to provide accurate product availability (survey share on expectations for inventory ac
source-verifiedstatista.com · gartner.com
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
James Okoro. (2026, February 13). Retail And Grocery Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/retail-and-grocery-industry-statistics
MLA
James Okoro. "Retail And Grocery Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/retail-and-grocery-industry-statistics.
Chicago
James Okoro. 2026. "Retail And Grocery Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/retail-and-grocery-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
24 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+5 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)