Walmart has reached a record 72% grocery penetration in the United States, according to consumer tracking by retail research firm Dunnhumby.
A Dunnhumby study attributed Walmart (WMT) hitting the milestone in part to deep and persistent financial insecurity among adults ages 18 to 54, with about 70% reporting difficulty covering a $400 unexpected expense, which is pushing households to prioritize affordability over other store attributes. Notably, Walmart’s (WMT) grocery penetration rose 6 percentage points year over year, the largest gain of any retailer tracked. Remarkably, the retail giant chain now reaches beyond 190 million Americans each month, which is around 2.5X the reach of second-place Dollar General (DG).
Dunnhumby highlighted that consumer concern about pricing has outlasted the peak of inflation, and shoppers are increasingly deliberate in how they use coupons, loyalty programs, and promotions to stretch budgets, suggesting that Walmart’s (WMT) elevated grocery reach is underpinned by durable behavior changes rather than a temporary response to periodic price spikes.