Grocery, seafood sales rise in June

United States grocery sales rose slightly in June.

United States grocery sales rose slightly in June, while overall seafood sales decreased due to comparisons with pandemic buying in 2020.

U.S. fresh, frozen, and ambient seafood sales reached USD 585 million (EUR 496 million) in June 2021, according to IRI and 210 Analytics. While that was a 5.3 percent drop from 2020, seafood sales surged nearly 44 percent this June compared to 2019.

For the first six months of 2021, fresh and frozen seafood posted a mid-year increase versus 2020, “with increases in household penetration, trips and spend per trip,” 210 Analytics Principal Anne-Marie Roerink told SeafoodSouce. Ambient seafood sales, meanwhile, have declined over the past six months.

Overall food sales at grocery and beverage stores rose 3.7 percent in June, according to the National Retail Federation. And total food and non-food retail sales surged 18 percent compared to June 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau said.

“Continued growth in June retail sales shows enduring strength in the American consumer,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said in a press release. “Heading into the back-to-school season, we expect record sales as families purchase electronics, shoes and backpacks for in-person learning this year.”

Overall retail sales were boosted by the annual Amazon Prime Day promotion in June, which was also joined by many other major retailers such as Walmart, according to NRF.

Amazon is becoming a leader in grocery sales. Over the next five years, the massive retailer will nearly double its online food and beverage sales globally, holding its grocery e-commerce lead over rival Walmart, according to Edge by Ascential, per Supermarket News.

Amazon’s online edible grocery sales are projected to spike from USD 14.5 billion (EUR 12 billion) in 2021 to USD 26.7 billion (EUR 23 billion) globally in 2026, the research firm said.

Edge Retail Insight also predicts a 14 percent annual growth rate for Walmart’s edible grocery e-commerce sales to reach USD 19.5 billion (EUR 16.5 billion) in 2026.

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