Costco and Sam’s Club Aisles Are Full of Gen Z Shoppers

With food prices still high, shoppers look for ways to team up with roommates, neighbors and family

By Margot Amouyal of The WSJ. Excerpts:

"Young adults are battling sticker shock at the grocery store by supersizing their groceries. They are turning to bulk purchases, splitting their food costs with friends, roommates, family and neighbors.

Shoppers in their 20s and 30s are trying to fight higher prices by joining warehouse-store giants such as Costco and Sam’s Club. 

Generation Z shoppers represent the fastest-growing member group at Walmart-owned Sam’s Club"

"Memberships for shoppers ages 27 and under rose 63% over the past two fiscal years. Gen Z and millennials—customers 28 to 43—now make up a quarter of Sam’s Club members."

"they are drawn to the lower per-unit food costs"

"They also see the warehouse stores’ huge crates of tomato sauce and gargantuan packs of chicken as a way to divide and conquer."

"Almost four in 10 shoppers between the ages of 25 and 34 split more bulk groceries with friends, neighbors, roommates and family"

"A third of all people questioned in the survey said they shop this way."

"Americans spend an average of 11.2% of their disposable personal income on food, a number approaching highs not seen in three decades"

"The retailers don’t love membership sharing. Costco has on-site ID checks, and both Costco and Sam’s Club limit members to two guests per visit. But both have reported net sales increases this year."

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