NEW FOOD PYRAMID: 47% OF U.S. CONSUMERS NOT ADHERING TO NEW GUIDELINES, AFFORDABILITY CITED AS TOP BARRIER, NUMERATOR REPORTS

New Serving Size Recommendations Translate to $1,012 in Increased Grocery Spending Per Household

CHICAGO, April 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Numerator, a consumer data and technology company, has published new findings on the current grocery shopping behaviors of U.S. households and their knowledge of the new dietary guidelines announced by the U.S. government in January. Leveraging Numerator’s verified purchase data, as well as a Verified Voices sentiment survey of 2,000 U.S. consumers, the report, “The New Food Pyramid: How Will Consumer Behavior Change?,” indicates that two-fifths (42%) of U.S. consumers know that the new food pyramid is the current U.S. dietary guideline, but prices, preferences, and product availability stand in the way of consumer adherence.

• Most consumers still rely on outdated nutrition guidance. Just over two-fifths (42%) of U.S. consumers can identify the new food pyramid as current guidance; however, 19% believe the USDA MyPyramid from 2005 is the current U.S. dietary guideline, while 18% think USDA MyPlate from 2011 is the current recommendation.
• A shift toward “real food” began before the new guidelines were implemented. Trips to fresh departments (known as the perimeter) began accelerating in 2023 and were up 7.5% in December 2025 vs. the prior 52 weeks.
  • However, current grocery sales are still led by center store. Center store, where products typically considered packaged and processed reside, still accounts for nearly half of total grocery sales (49%), compared to 42% for perimeter and 9% for frozen. Center store sales also grew 6.5% vs. YA.
• Perimeter share declines as household size increases. Perimeter accounts for 43% of grocery spend (food and beverage products) in single-person households and declines steadily with larger household sizes, reaching 40% among households with five or more members. By income, perimeter represents 44% of grocery spend for high-income households, 42% for low-income households, and 40% for middle-income households.
• Adjusting to the new guidelines would increase monthly grocery spend by nearly one-third. Fully aligning with the new food pyramid would increase household grocery spending by 32%—an average gap of $1,012 between current baskets and recommended intake annually.
• Just over one-third of Americans trust government nutrition guidance. 37% of U.S. consumers say they trust government nutrition guidance, while 28% do not trust it at all and 35% remain neutral. However, consumers who distrust the government allocate over 48% of their grocery dollars to fresh categories vs. 42% among high-trust households.
  • Trust varies by age. Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to say they “distrust it a great deal” when it comes to government nutritional guidance, while Boomers are more likely to say they “trust it somewhat.”
• Over half of U.S. consumers feel their current grocery spend is aligned with the new food pyramid. 53% of consumers say their current spending is somewhat or very well aligned to the new food pyramid. 33% think they are neither aligned nor misaligned, while 14% say they are somewhat or very misaligned to the latest guidelines.
  • Price and pickiness are the biggest barriers to alignment. The top reasons for current misalignment among those not aligned are price / affordability (49% of consumers), household preferences (34%), and time / convenience (21%). Less cited reasons included product availability (18%), conflicting health guidance (18%), lack of interest (17%), and allergy or diet restrictions (14%).
  • Consumers want better prices and labeling to help adjust to new guidelines. Consumers said that they could align more closely to the new food pyramid with lower prices or better value packs (50%), clearer labeling or guidance on products (22%), better assortment where they shop (18%), and more convenient formats (16%).

Numerator’s New Food Pyramid survey was fielded on 1/28/2026 to 2,005 consumers. 

About Numerator
Numerator is a data company transforming how consumers and markets are understood. Powered by advanced technology and proprietary, zero-party purchase and survey data from more than one million households, Numerator provides visibility into consumer behavior and attitudes across consumer goods, retail, restaurants, tech and media, management consulting, institutional investors, and the public sector. Headquartered in Chicago, Numerator drives decisions at the world’s largest and fastest-growing companies in more than 50 countries.

Bob Richter
Numerator
212-802-8588
press@numerator.com

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