Online grocery sales continued their record-breaking momentum in September 2025, reaching $12.5 billion, a 31% year-over-year increase and the second consecutive month of all-time highs, according to the latest Brick Meets Click Grocery Shopper Survey, sponsored by Mercatus.
The September total also surpassed August’s $11.2 billion, signalling strong and sustained growth in the online grocery sector as more shoppers turn to digital channels for their everyday needs.
The survey found that the overall base of monthly active users (MAUs) for online grocery hit a new high, up 13% year over year. Most of this growth came from re-engaging less frequent customers who had last purchased groceries online two to three months prior.
All three fulfilment options; delivery, pickup, and ship-to-home, posted MAU gains compared to last year, with delivery setting a new record.
Older consumers also played a larger role in driving the growth: the 60-plus age group accounted for nearly half of the annual MAU gains.
The average number of online orders per MAU rose 9% year over year, marking 13 consecutive months of gains in shopping frequency. Small metro markets showed the strongest increases, with order frequency growing at nearly double the rate of other regions.
The average order value (AOV) for delivery and pickup rose nearly 8%, while ship-to-home AOV jumped 11%, fuelled largely by Amazon’s expansion of same-day fresh grocery services.
Spending growth was reported across supermarkets, mass retailers, and dollar stores, with hard discounters and warehouse clubs posting the largest surges.
Online grocery’s share of total weekly grocery spending reached 19%, up 400 basis points from a year ago — the second-highest level ever recorded, behind only May 2020.
Meanwhile, in-store sales growth slowed to under 1.5%year over year through September 2025, down from 3% during the same period in 2024.
Brick Meets Click conducted its latest survey from September 28–30, 2025, polling 1,493 adults aged 18 and older who participate in household grocery shopping.
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