Unbiased grocery store operators are a robust engine of native progress, supporting practically 1.5 million American jobs and contributing greater than $27 billion in annual tax income
Washington, D.C. –The Nationwide Grocers Affiliation (NGA) right this moment launched a brand new Financial Affect Evaluation quantifying the substantial function America’s unbiased grocery store operators play within the nation’s financial system. Carried out by Arizona State College, the report finds that the unbiased grocery {industry} generates $557.5 billion in whole annual financial exercise, representing practically 2.0 p.c of U.S. gross home product, whilst neighborhood grocers cope with inflation, provide chain disruption, rising prices, and an more and more uneven aggressive panorama.
The report underscores the important function unbiased grocers play as a robust and rising power within the American financial system and in communities throughout the nation. From supporting Primary Road jobs to sustaining native provide chains, unbiased supermarkets proceed to drive financial exercise in each area of the nation whereas serving as trusted neighborhood anchors.
Unbiased grocers help practically 1.5 million American jobs and generate billions in wages, tax income, and financial exercise that movement straight again into native communities. Roughly one-third of the {industry}’s financial impression comes from oblique provide chain exercise and worker spending, highlighting the highly effective ripple impact these companies create far past the grocery aisle. When an unbiased grocer succeeds, so do the wholesalers, truck drivers, meals producers, tools distributors, farmers, ranchers, and small companies that assist maintain native economies shifting.
“Unbiased grocers are serving to energy the American financial system from the bottom up,” mentioned Greg Ferrara, NGA president and CEO. “These are Primary Road companies creating jobs, supporting households, and reinvesting within the communities they serve each single day. A powerful unbiased grocery sector means stronger native economies, stronger provide chains, and stronger communities throughout America. NGA will proceed advocating for insurance policies that assist these companies compete, develop, and proceed delivering for the American folks.”
By the Numbers: Unbiased Grocers’ Nationwide Footprint
Utilizing store-level retail gross sales information, the evaluation quantifies the direct, oblique, and induced financial impression of unbiased grocers throughout all U.S. Congressional Districts. Key findings embrace:
– $557.5 billion in whole annual financial output, representing practically 2.0% of all the U.S. financial system.
– $353.5 billion in direct retail gross sales, accounting for 38.4% of the $920 billion U.S. meals retailing sector.
– 1.58x multiplier impact, which means each $1 in unbiased grocery gross sales generates a further $0.58 in provide chain and family spending nationwide.
– 1.48 million American jobs supported, together with 1.14 million straight employed, plus a further 340,000 supported by means of provide chain and induced exercise.
– $115.2 billion in annual employee earnings, with common industry-wide earnings of $77,628, properly above the U.S. median wage.
– $191.3 billion in value-added financial exercise, capturing the merchandising, logistics, and distribution providers independents present.
– $27.3 billion in mixed annual tax income: $4.7 billion federal, $10.2 billion state, and $12.4 billion native. These {dollars} fund faculties, public security, roads, and recreation in communities nationwide.
The up to date evaluation displays important progress within the financial footprint of unbiased grocers over the previous decade and highlights the continued help American shoppers have for native, community-based companies. NGA’s earlier financial impression report, launched in 2021, discovered that unbiased grocery gross sales totaled $253.6 billion in 2020. The brand new report demonstrates that unbiased grocers have continued constructing on that momentum, now producing greater than $350 billion in direct retail gross sales.
“This report confirms what our member corporations see every single day within the communities they serve: unbiased grocers are the financial spine of Primary Streets throughout America,” Ferrara added. “Accounting for practically 39% of the whole US meals retail sector, up from 33% in 2021, our information clearly reveals shoppers elevated choice for native and regional unbiased grocers. This information reinforces the alternative for suppliers to enhance their engagement with this rising phase whereas additionally demonstrating the vital function these job creators play in the native financial system.”
Obtain a free copy of the report right here.

