Fresh options separate grocers: report
Produce, deli and bakery determine how shoppers judge the entire in-store experience
17 June 2026
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For many shoppers, fresh is a baseline expectation and it’s one of the quickest ways they judge whether the rest of the store is run well | Photo credit: Shutterstock
For many shoppers, fresh is a baseline expectation and it’s one of the quickest ways they judge whether the rest of the store is run well | Photo credit: Shutterstock
Grocery retailers are fighting for loyalty in a market where shoppers have more choices than ever, including delivery and online alternatives. New research from AI-powered connected workforce solutions firm Logile, Inc., shows that trust is still won or lost in the fresh aisle.
In the Logile 2026 State of Fresh Grocery Shopping Report, 91% of 1,000 U.S. consumers surveyed by the third-party platform Pollfish said fresh departments strongly influence whether they trust a grocery store, pointing to produce, deli and bakery execution as the clearest signal of store quality.
The findings highlight a clear pattern: Fresh is driving store loyalty and shaping how shoppers judge the entire in-store experience.
Key findings from the Logile 2026 State of Fresh Grocery Shopping Report include:
91% of respondents rated fresh departments as highly influential in determining whether they trust a grocery store, making fresh the leading signal of store reliability
78% of respondents said they have shopped at a different grocery store because its fresh departments looked better, showing fresh quality is actively driving competitive switching
84% said a poorly maintained produce or fresh section affects their perception of the entire store, meaning one department can reshape brand impressions
When two stores are equally convenient, 46% chose the store with better fresh departments over the 40% who chose the one with lower prices, challenging the assumption that price always wins
74% agreed fresh food is a main reason they still shop for groceries in person rather than online, positioning fresh as a key advantage for physical retail
85% said the appearance of produce is significant in their purchasing decisions, reinforcing that visual cues directly influence what goes in the cart
- 68% said hot prepared meals would encourage them to buy from a store’s deli or prepared foods section, pointing to potential for increased basket size tied to fresh execution
The data suggests shoppers are making fast, sensory-based judgments about store quality and acting on them. Fresh departments are labor-intensive and perishable, but they are also becoming a powerful competitive advantage, shaping whether customers choose one store over another.
The report also indicates that in-store advantage is not guaranteed. Respondents cited freshness signals like clean displays, items without visible damage and fresh smell, while also pointing to sold-out fresh items as a recurring frustration that can send shoppers to competitors.
“Freshness is still the reason people walk into stores,” said Purna Mishra, founder and CEO of Logile. “You can’t replicate the look and smell of food that was just prepared through a screen. But shoppers’ expectations are rising faster than many retailers can keep up. The grocers who can execute fresh consistently, matching demand with production, labor and inventory in real time, will keep winning trips and loyalty.”
As grocery retailers balance margin pressure, labor constraints and expanding online options, the report points to fresh departments as a defining competitive battleground. For many shoppers, fresh is a baseline expectation and it’s one of the quickest ways they judge whether the rest of the store is run well.
Source: Supermarket News