Latino economic development in the United States has accelerated in the last decade, growing two and a half times faster than its non-Latino equivalent. A report by Acosta Group analyzes Hispanic shopper behavior in the U.S., highlighting that by 2026, their purchasing power will be close to three trillion dollars.
With these projections, the supermarket industry and food manufacturers have an excellent opportunity to build loyalty to this population segment to ensure sustained growth. Acosta Group “State of the Hispanic Shopper in the U.S.” report provides a detailed look at Hispanic consumers’ attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors related to grocery shopping.
Abasto Media interviewed Kathy Risch, Acosta Group Senior Vice President of Shopper Insights & Thought Leadership, who shared details from the report about the Hispanic consumer, their trends, and preferences. She also talked about strategies supermarkets and brands can follow to continue capturing this booming sector of the U.S. economy.
Hispanic Power Continues to Grow
“We conducted this survey of U.S. Hispanic consumers to assess their attitudes and shopping behaviors versus non-Hispanic shoppers,” said Risch.
The specialist in shopper analytics noted that U.S. Hispanics significantly outpace all other communities in the U.S. in purchasing power and population growth.
“Hispanic consumers are largely digital natives, and that carries over to their in-store shopping behaviors in terms of their comfort level and access to and use of digital tools,” Risch noted.
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Some of the statistics in the report point out that by 2028, 22% of the U.S. population will be of Hispanic origin, and by 2029, 27.4% of the Generation Z population will be Hispanic.
As the growth of the Hispanic population in the U.S. advances, its purchasing power strengthens and will reach three trillion dollars by 2026, Acosta Group projects.
“The U.S. Latino economy has grown two and a half times faster than the rest of the population over the last decade,” Risch noted.
Hispanics Are Digital Natives
On technology adoption, Risch said U.S. Hispanic consumers are primarily digital natives because they have grown up with the presence of digital technology. Statista estimates indicate that in 2023, 85% of the U.S. Hispanic population owned a smartphone. Nielsen reported that Latinos spend more than 14 hours a week on their phones using apps, audio, video, and the internet.
“That carries over to their in-store shopping behaviors in terms of their comfort level and access to and use of digital tools,” Risch said.
Acosta Group study indicates that 92% of Hispanic shoppers use an in-store app for digital coupons and special offers. In addition, 71% of Hispanic shoppers use digital tools to plan their trips to the grocery store.
“For this specific study, it is an absolute conclusion that Hispanic Millennials, in particular, are the generation most engaged with digital tools and online shopping,” said Risch.
Key Facts From Acosta Group Report: “The State of the Hispanic Shopper in the U.S.”
While physical store channels dominate the grocery shopping experience for Hispanics, online ordering and digital tools remain popular among these savvy shoppers who seek convenience, full assortments, and value.
- 85% of Hispanics have at least one supermarket loyalty card.
- 90% of shoppers have a grocery app they access on their trips to the store.
- 92% will use it on specific trips to the grocery store.
- Savvy Hispanic shoppers use apps primarily to search for digital coupons, deals, and product information (price, availability, offers).
- While 72% use digital tools to pre-plan grocery trips, 38% consider retailer apps as their primary pre-trip shopping aid.
- Although 1 in 3 Hispanics prefer to shop online, 54% still prefer to shop in physical stores (among those who shop both), and the largest share of their monthly grocery budget is spent in-store.
- Seventy-one percent of Hispanics enjoy shopping at the grocery store because of the product and deal search.
- And being value-conscious bargain hunters, 41% of Hispanics prefer that higher discount deals be offered less frequently (vs. frequent lower discount promotions).