The trend: Grocery stores outpaced superstores in foot traffic from late summer 2025 through early 2026, but superstore visits gained ground at the start of this year, per Industry KPI data from Placer.ai.

Grocery traffic was consistently positive in the six months to February 2026, rising 3% YoY in August 2025, 4.1% in November, and 2.0% in February. Traffic at superstores like Walmart and Target was more volatile during that time, with declines in September (-1.9%) and December (-0.4%) before accelerating to 2.9% in January and 5.1% in February. 

What explains the change: Grocery traffic tends to be steadier because food purchases are recurring and essential regardless of economic conditions. Superstores, by contrast, have more upside because they can capture broader, one-stop shopping trips in which consumers buy necessities as well as apparel and seasonal goods. Superstores can also benefit from post-holiday promotions and New Year’s buying, which can bolster visits.

Walmart is dominant among superstores, accounting for 60.4% of visits in that sector in February, compared with 18.1% for Target, 11.8% for Costco, and smaller shares for Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale, per Placer.ai data.

Walmart reported same-store sales growth of 4.6% for its most recent fiscal Q4, excluding fuel and aided by its grocery business and value focus. The retailer noted recently that consumers facing rising living costs are focusing more on food and necessities. February reporting supports that: Over one-third (34%) of tax filers say they plan to use refunds to cover groceries, rent, or bills, per LendingTree. In that environment, superstores may benefit from demand for value, convenience, and trip consolidation.

Implications for retailers: Competition is heating up across both sectors. US grocers face pressure from expanding discount players like Aldi and Lidl. Meanwhile, the superstore channel could get more crowded as warehouse clubs add outlets and Amazon considers big-box stores. The ecommerce giant is looking to expand its physical presence beyond Whole Foods Market with a second superstore in suburban Chicago.

These developments will provide consumers more choices, increasing pressure on retailers to compete on price as well as convenience, merchandising, and loyalty. 

Retailers will need to strengthen their differentiation. For grocers, that may mean improving fresh food offerings and shopping ease. For superstores, it means offering value while giving consumers more reasons to consolidate spending across essential and discretionary categories. 

Go deeper: Want more retail foot traffic benchmarking data? PRO+ subscribers have access to Industry KPIs, our collection of more than 400 benchmarks in marketing and retail and ecommerce across a range of industries and countries. Click here for more information.