Grocery shopping trends show more frequent trips and shifting meat preferences

Grocery trips have climbed to  new records. Year-to-date, consumers have shopped for groceries an average of 62 times per household, up 4.3 percent from the same weeks in 2024, according to Circana.  

Consumers continued to purchase fewer items per trip, down 2.3 percent, per Circana. 

In some categories, such as meat, volume increased faster than units, indicating a shift to larger pack sizes. This is mostly driven by higher-income households. 

In May 2025 – the five weeks ending June 1 – the price per unit across all foods and beverages in the Circana MULO+ universe stood at $4.38. This reflects an increase of 2.7 percent over May 2024. 

Eggs continued to have a substantial impact on the overall fresh perimeter and total store price points. On a per-unit basis, eggs averaged $6.33, which was down from $7.12 in April but reflected an increase of 46.7 percent compared to May 2024. 

Total meat prices across fixed and random weight packages reached $4.89 in May, which was up four percent from May 2024. The increase in the average price per pound was primarily driven by fresh meat in May, which experienced a 5.3 percent uptick.   

The average price per pound at the category level was a mix of ups and downs in comparison to May 2024. Pork, exotic meat/poultry – which includes bison and quail – and smoked ham experienced deflation. In contrast, prices for beef and chicken continued to rise.   

Meat department sales have been positive since the first quarter of 2024. 

Beef continued to astound in May. Despite the 6.8 percent increase in the average price per pound across beef cuts, pound sales increased 4.7 percent in the five weeks of May when compared to 2024. 

The growth in beef pounds exceeded that of chicken and pork. Only lamb had a higher growth rate, at a gain of 15.5 percent, though off a much smaller base.  

The pause on several tariffs helped ease consumers’ concerns over prices and the availability of goods. Yet, consumers continue to spend cautiously. According to Circana, 69 percent of households expect tariffs to increase prices, while 28 percent expect little to no impact on prices. The remaining three percent believe prices will decline.     

Nevil Speer works as an industry consultant based in Bowling Green, Ky. This article was originally published in BEEF Magazine on June 22.