Supermarket Sales –September 2025: Meat, Bakery, Fresh, and Frozen Foods
Fresh meat sales rose 9.7% in July, driven not only by inflation but also by strong consumer demand. Sales in pounds increased 2.5% compared to last year, according to the latest monthly category reports from 210 Analytics and Circana.
Anne-Marie Roerink, President of 210 Analytics, highlighted that consumers continue to shop cautiously, making more frequent trips and seeking deals. Circana data shows that 96% of Americans remain concerned about food costs, with 65% monitoring grocery spending closely and 30% stocking up on deals, while private-label brands continue to gain popularity.
Shoppers are also shifting purchases to everyday low-price formats, with traditional supermarkets generating 39.7% of all food and beverage dollars year-to-date through July 2025, down from 44% in 2021. Growing channels include mass merchandisers, clubs, and e-commerce.
Within meat, fresh meat led the growth, with sales up 13.2% in dollars and 3.6% in pounds. Chicken and pork also showed strong gains, while turkey rose 6% in dollars but fell 2.8% in pounds. Processed meat was mixed, with total sales up 1.6% in dollars and down 0.5% in pounds; packaged deli meats fell 2% in dollars and 3.1% in pounds.
The deli department saw a 2% increase in dollars and 1.8% in units, driven by specialty cheese (+7.1% in dollars, +5.9% in pounds) and prepared foods (+3% in dollars, +2.8% in units). However, charcuterie sales continued to decline, down 5% in dollars and 4.4% in units, primarily in service deli (-9% in dollars, -10.9% in pounds).
In the bakery department, muffins and croissants led the gains (+8.4% and +9.3% in sales), while cakes and donuts increased slightly. Perimeter bakery sales rose 1.5% in dollars and 0.3% in units, whereas bakery aisle sales fell 1% in dollars and 2.5% in units.
The fresh produce department showed growth in berries (+12.1% in dollars, +8.2% in units), cherries, bananas, mandarins, and pineapples. Tomatoes and potatoes also increased, while salad kits declined 9.4% in dollars.
In frozen foods, growth in frozen fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, and desserts drove a 1.7% increase in dollar sales, offsetting a 0.7% decline in frozen meals. Frozen fruits and vegetables rose 3% in dollars and 2.3% in units, while processed meats and poultry increased 5.6% in dollars and 3% in units.
The seafood category also grew in July, with fresh, frozen, and ambient seafood all posting dollar sales gains. Fresh seafood rose 3.6% in dollars and 2.1% in pounds, led by salmon (+5.1% in dollars, +3.7% in pounds), shrimp, lobster, tilapia, and trout. Frozen seafood increased 3% in dollars, though units fell 0.7%, with highlights in frozen salmon and crab (+10.9% and +18% in dollars, respectively).
