Nearly 80% of Grocery Shoppers Use Digital Tools Before or During a Trip, Intouch Insight Study Finds
New research examines how digital tools, product availability, and accessible savings influence grocery shoppers’ perception of value
Ottawa, Ontario, Aug. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Intouch Insight Ltd. (TSXV: INX) (OTCQX: INXSF) (“Intouch” or the “Company”),
a provider of customer experience management solutions, today announced the launch of The Grocery Value Equation: How Grocers Turn Brand Promises into Shopper Trust. The study found that 79.2% of grocery shoppers use digital tools before or during a shopping trip.
Retailer apps and websites were the first source of product information for 43.1% of shoppers, with search engines coming second at 32.2%. Both of these were ahead of in-store browsing, which came in at 21.1%. This growing reliance on digital channels makes accurate, accessible information about prices, products, promotions, and loyalty rewards an important part of the grocery experience.
“The grocery journey is becoming increasingly digital, even when the final purchase happens in a store,” said Sarah Beckett, Vice President, Sales & Marketing at Intouch Insight. “Shoppers are moving fluidly between retailer apps, websites, and physical locations, making digital engagement an integral part of the overall grocery experience.”
Out-of-Stock Promotions Risk a Shopper Backlash
Weekly promotions have become a high-stakes touchpoint for grocers. Nearly three-quarters of shoppers, 72.3%, consult a grocer’s weekly ad or digital offers on every or most trips, and 84.6% said they would react negatively if an advertised product was unavailable.
Grocers largely delivered on those expectations: prices were also visible and easy to understand in 94% of in-store shops and 99% of digital shops, while a store-brand option was available for every applicable item on the shopping list in 84% of in-store trips and 88% of digital orders. The findings show that promotions attract shoppers, but product availability ultimately determines whether those offers reinforce or undermine trust.
Digital Pickup Performs Well Across Key Measures
Digital and curbside pickup experiences were generally reliable. Orders were ready by the promised time in 97.1% of shops, pickup instructions were easy to follow in 92.6%, and shoppers waited five minutes or less to receive their groceries in 87.4%.
The study also examined what happens between online checkout and fulfillment. The final charge only matched the online checkout total in 67.4% of orders driven by the variability of fees and promotions. A clear substitution choice was available in 89.7% of shops, aligning with the 79.7% of shoppers who want to set substitution preferences in advance or be contacted for approval.
“Digital grocery totals can change for routine reasons, including the final weight of produce or a shopper-approved substitution,” Beckett said. “The opportunity is to communicate those variables clearly, identify the checkout total as an estimate, and explain any adjustments once the order is fulfilled.”
The study results were revealed August 24 at GroceryNEXT in Chicago, in collaboration with Informa and Supermarket News.
About the Study
Intouch Insight mystery shoppers completed 302 in-store shops across 15 grocery chains and 175 digital and curbside pickup shops across 13 chains in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Texas, Southwest and Northeast regions. Shoppers purchased five common grocery staples and documented prices, product availability, promotions, service, and fulfillment through receipts, screenshots, and photographs. The findings were supplemented by shopper sentiment surveys, consumer research, and cross-industry data.
To download The Grocery Value Equation: How Grocers Turn Brand Promises into Shopper Trust, visit https://www.intouchinsight.com/resources/studies/grocery-experience/.
About Intouch Insight
Intouch Insight is a customer experience (CX) solutions company, specializing in helping multi-location brands achieve operational excellence and exceed customer expectations. The Company provides mystery shopping, operational audits, and customer feedback software to over 300 of the world’s most beloved brands.
For more information, visit intouchinsight.com.
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CONTACT: Andrew Soobrian Intouch Insight 800-263-2980 ext. 9047 andrew.soobrian@intouchinsight.com
