Regional chains now dominate U.S. grocery retail, which is a $1 trillion industry in the United States. According to dunnhumby’s ninth annual Retailer Preference Index (RPI). H-E-B claimed the top spot for the fifth time in nine years, followed by Market Basket in second place.
Woodman’s debuted in the rankings at number three, displacing Costco and marking the first time all top three grocers are regional players. The remaining top ten includes Aldi, WinCo Foods, Trader Joe’s, Amazon, Wegmans, and ShopRite, reflecting a competitive and shifting grocery landscape.
The RPI, which uniquely blends financial performance with customer perception, shows that saving customers money is now the single most important driver of long-term success. In 2025, 41% of a retailer’s sustained performance was tied to price, promotions, and rewards, an all-time high.
Matt O’Grady, dunnhumby President of the Americas, said, “2025 threw a lot of curveballs at the U.S. consumer. Shopper confidence dropped as concerns about higher prices, fewer job opportunities, and stagnant wages eroded purchasing power. Consumers across all income levels are feeling the squeeze and making more price-conscious choices. In this environment, building trust with American shoppers has never been more critical.”
According to the dunnhumby study, more than half of Americans (56%) lack a $400 emergency cushion, and food insecurity continues to affect 58 million of them, reinforcing the central role of trust and value in grocery choice.
The study also shows that value and quality are converging, as savings-led retailers narrow quality gaps while maintaining price advantages. Top-quartile retailers continue to outperform peers on revenue growth and market share, while the race for second place remains fluid.
H-E-B’s consistent leadership reflects its ability to balance savings, quality, experience, and assortment, while Woodman’s rapid rise was driven by strong performance in price, quality, and operations.
Meanwhile, digitally strong players like Amazon and Sam’s Club slipped as digital capabilities became less decisive in 2025, signaling that in today’s market, affordability and everyday value outweigh tech-forward differentiation.
View dunnhumby’s study here.