Supermarkets Lead the Way in Online Grocery Satisfaction: Report
Online grocery shopping is firmly entrenched in consumer behavior, with 79% of shoppers planning to maintain or increase their online shopping over the next year, according to new research from The Feedback Group.
The Lake Success, N.Y.-based market research company recently released its latest national study of 1,230 online grocery shoppers, uncovering key findings in consumer habits, channel performance and areas for improvement in the online grocery shopping experience.
The study found that nearly half (48%) of respondents said that they're spending more of their grocery budget online than they did last year. At the same time, 90% of online shoppers also shop at a physical food store.
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When rating their most recent online shopping experience, consumers gave supermarkets the highest satisfaction score (4.45 on a five-point scale), ahead of other channels, including Amazon (4.32), mass retailers (4.25), club stores (4.18), value retailers (4.01) and dollar stores (3.68).
“Supermarkets continue to lead the way in online grocery satisfaction, demonstrating strong execution in convenience, fulfillment and service,” said Brian Numainville, principal at The Feedback Group. “As a channel, supermarket investments in e-commerce capabilities have clearly paid off, but there’s still room for improvement.”
While consumers appreciate the convenience of online shopping, product availability, order accuracy and confidence in fresh department quality remain major pain points. The Feedback Group's research found that:
- 30% of shoppers did not receive all of the items they ordered, with 11% saying that they still wound up needing something they ordered.
- Confidence in fresh produce quality lags behind other grocery categories, with only 73% of shoppers expressing confidence in the quality of produce ordered online, and produce is also the category with the highest percentage of falling short of the highest quality standard.
“Consumers rely on online grocery shopping for convenience, but when key items are missing or fresh produce quality falls short, it erodes trust,” noted Doug Madenberg, chief listening officer at The Feedback Group. “Retailers must enhance inventory accuracy and quality control, particularly in fresh categories, to deliver a more reliable and satisfying experience.”
The Feedback Group’s research also covers generational satisfaction gaps, the popularity of AI and voice shopping, and the importance of speed, sustainability and product discovery. A copy of the “2025 Online Food Shopping Experience” report can be requested online.
