Report: U.S. grocery store openings increased 30% in 2018
By focusing their tech advancements around flexibility and convenience, grocers are positioned to have a strong 2019 in both physical and digital retail.
New grocery store openings were up 30% in 2018, with more than 17 million square feet of space added in the United States, according to the “Grocery Tracker 2019 report,” published by JLL, Chicago. And, more than one-quarter of the new stores were in Florida, California and Texas.
“Grocery is one of the strongest retail sectors, with nearly twice as many new stores opening than closing last year,” says James Cook, director of retail research. “The grocery sector has seen shopper habits shift to more frequent, shorter trips vs. large weekly hauls. As a result, grocers are focusing on developing smaller-format stores, those under 10,000 square feet, with more local offerings to appeal to the surrounding community.”