81% of Americans Open to Trying New Grocery Brands, Reach3 Insights Study Finds

New national research also shows more evaluative CPG purchase decisions, near-universal price sensitivity and growing use of generative AI tools among younger shoppers.

CHICAGO, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- More Americans are reconsidering what goes into their grocery carts. A new U.S. study from Reach3 Insights, a full-service insights consultancy pioneering AI-accelerated conversational research methods, finds that 81% of Americans are open to trying new grocery brands, signaling a shift in how shoppers approach routine purchases.

The study, Rethinking Routine: What's Really Happening in the Grocery Aisle, also found that:

• Price awareness is nearly universal. Ninety-two percent of Americans say they notice grocery prices more than they did in the past, and 78% report paying closer attention to the brands and products they choose. This points to softer brand loyalty and heightened in-aisle evaluation as shoppers balance budgets, perceived product benefits and brand trust.
• Shopping trips are taking longer. Nearly half of consumers (44%) say they spend more time in the grocery store than they did previously, suggesting more comparison and evaluation during everyday shopping decisions and less non-conscious decision-making.
• Younger shoppers are turning to new information sources. Gen Z (30%) and Millennials (22%) are significantly more likely than Gen X (11%) and Baby Boomers (8%) to use generative AI tools when grocery shopping, and they're also spending more time in-store and weighing what brands stand for.

"In this time of sustained economic volatility, the grocery aisle has become more evaluative, rather than CPG shopping being comprised of quick, non-conscious decisions," said Jonathan Dore, executive vice president at Reach3 Insights. "Shoppers, particularly younger generations, are investing more time and attention into what they're buying, and new tools like generative AI are becoming a bigger part of the decision process."

He continued, "To understand this evolving dynamic, brands need to rethink how they engage consumers and use more immersive, in-the-moment research techniques that enable both fast, system 1 learning and a deeper system 2 understanding of the emotional drivers behind CPG purchase decisions."

Grocery purchases once driven largely by habit are increasingly shaped by comparison, research and brand evaluation, creating a more attentive and competitive consumer environment. As things continue to shift, solutions like Reach3's Voice of Market and Journey Mapping can help brands engage high-quality participants via a certified panel to understand the underlying motivations, attitudes and emotions driving behaviors.

Rethinking Routine surveyed 1,003 nationally representative U.S. adults and was fielded last month on Rival Group's certified, video-validated proprietary consumer panel using Reach3's conversational research techniques. The survey was powered by Rival Technologies, a leading insights platform that captures mobile chat-based, in-the-moment consumer feedback quickly and at scale.

For more information, check out the interactive, digital report here.

About Reach3 Insights
Reach3 Insights is an award-winning, full-service strategic insights consultancy helping leading brands uncover deeper truths and turn human understanding into business impact. Combining industry expertise with AI-driven conversational research methodologies, Reach3 captures the context, emotions and motivations behind consumer behavior for brands like Coca-Cola, Amazon, PayPal and Mars. Through agile research design and story-driven activation, Reach3 delivers richer, more authentic insights that inspire confident decisions and measurable growth. Part of Rival Group, Reach3 was recognized as a Top 5 most innovative full-service agency in Greenbook's 2025 GRIT report. Learn more at reach3insights.com.

Media contact: Marie Melsheimer, +1-541-815-3951, [email protected]

SOURCE Reach3 Insights