Grocery inflation may be cooling on paper, but that does not mean the checkout line feels any easier for shoppers. So while inflation may be slowing in the data, families often do not see much difference at the register. Because groceries are rising from a much higher starting point, many shoppers continue to feel squeezed. grocery shoppers purchased fewer items in the second half of 2025, and that drop became more pronounced in February 2026. The decline was linked to several pressures at once, including high gas prices, increased use of GLP-1 drugs, and reduced government food aid.