How grocers can further link value with health and wellness

Dive Brief:

With eating well serving as a guidepost to “virtually everything about [consumer] choices,” grocers should continue carving out their reputation as a health destination, according to the newest FMI — The Food Industry Association report.
The Power of Health and Well-Being in the Food Industry reportpublished Tuesday, found that grocery shoppers view healthy foods as investments that pay off, providing a prime opportunity for grocers to introduce more comprehensive health offerings, such as nutrition services and digital engagement around health goals.
Consumer interest in health and wellness continues to transcend ongoing economic pressures, as 47% of U.S. shoppers are pursuing a “deliberate diet or eating approach,” FMI stated.

Dive Insight:

Health has risen to the strongest driver of grocery spending, with nearly half (46%) of shoppers saying they anticipate “eating more healthfully in the future,” according to FMI, which referred to “eating well” as the “North Star of a constellation of shopper needs, values and desires.”

Food-as-medicine initiatives are nothing new to the grocery industry, but nonetheless they continue to pay off for grocers. Fifty-one percent of surveyed consumers said their primary food store is “on my side” in terms of supporting their health — an increase of 3 percentage points from 2024.

While shoppers’ definition of “healthy” for 2026 includes nutrient-rich foods with no added sugars and with whole-body benefits, their approach to healthy eating is becoming more personalized. GLP-1s and other similar weight loss medications, which 13% of FMI respondents said they have used in the past 12 months, are also on the rise and impacting buying habits and approaches to health.

The new dietary guidelines — which include the much-discussed flipped food pyramid — released in early January by the Trump administration introduces new recommendations around healthy eating and nutrition. According to FMI, grocers would do well to position themselves as a go-to destination for consumers aiming to align with these new recommendations by:

Establishing a fully-integrated health and well-being team;
Connecting food, pharmacy, nutrition and public health;
Creating personalized support for health-seeking consumers; and
Leveraging technology and data to support health programs.