Source: Grocery Dive
After a year filled with twists and turns, the grocery industry is gearing up for more commotion in 2026 as a challenging economic environment keeps squeezing consumers’ wallets.
Traditional grocers will continue to face rising competition, not only from retailers like Walmart and Amazon, but also from specialty grocers and discounters, who spent 2025 growing their foot traffic and emphasizing value.
Some key industry players spent 2025 regaining their footing. Kroger and Albertsons both had chaotic years as they implemented cost-cutting measures, closed stores and said goodbye to their longtime CEOs — all while suing each other over their mega-merger attempt, which fell apart at the end of 2024.
