In 2024, the Retail industry was marked by a sought-after decrease in inflation rates, which are now very similar to pre-pandemic levels. While grocery prices are stabilizing, however, retailers will need to rely even more on securing a competitive advantage in their customer value propositions, to secure steady growth.

The last few years reshaped the shopper’s perception of the grocery retail environment. Now, the American consumer mindset has solidified into one that pursues savings in grocery at a higher rate than ever, even when inflation and unemployment are steady at “normal” rates. In 2024, “normal” was not enough for many, coming off the heels of two years of record inflation. As a result, value seeking still remains more important than newer trends such as omnichannel shopping and Artificial Intelligence based experiences.

To set themselves up for the future, retailers need to balance their own budgets between big bets and the more well-established ways of customer engagement, such as investing in innovative assortment, good prices, strong loyalty programs, appealing promotions and a consistent store experience.

Building trust that you can deliver on the heart of grocery retail will be the path to win the hearts of the American consumer, not just for 2025 but for years to come.