• by Sarah Mahoney , Staff Writer @mahoney_sarah, April 18, 2025

People are stocking up on canned goods.

American grocery shoppers are getting the tariff message loud and clear — and they're not about to go hungry because of it.

New research shows shoppers are already stocking up on key pantry items to protect their food budgets. Consumer Edge, a consumer intelligence company, finds that sales patterns began shifting in March as tariff talk intensified. And in the two days immediately following the broad tariff announcement — Thursday, April 3, and Friday, April 4 — sales of canned and jarred vegetables jumped 29%, instant coffee climbed 21%, and ketchup rose 18% compared to the previous week. Even beer sales ticked up 3%.

Shoppers are also loading up more with each trip. After weeks of relative stability, the number of items per transaction rose at Walmart and Target, Consumer Edge reports.

Amid rising anxiety, consumers are paying attention. Numerator reports that by April 10, 89% of U.S. shoppers were aware of the new and proposed tariffs, up from 83% in February. Some 85% are worried about how tariffs will impact their budgets, with 83% already considering changes to their shopping habits. It's not just big-ticket items causing concern: 72% fear tariffs will drive up everyday costs, and 60% are specifically worried about grocery bills.

Warehouse clubs are reaping some of the early benefits. Placer.ai says visits to retailers like Costco and Sam's Club rose 9.7% in the week of March 24–30 compared to the same period last year, as consumers sought to buy in bulk.

The produce aisle could become an even bigger flashpoint. Imports now account for more than half of the U.S. fresh fruit supply and nearly a third of vegetables, with domestic production sharply declining since 2000 — leaving shoppers even more vulnerable to tariff-driven price spikes.