Q1 2026 RRD Consumer Research: Grocery, AI, and QSR Trends

7/1/2026

woman grocery shopping with mobile phone

This is a quarterly look into RRD’s Awareness-to-Action (A2A) Study, a proprietary consumer survey fielded in partnership with Prosper Insights & Analytics. Since 2020, we’ve leveraged a large national sample totaling over 54,000 respondents to track how shifting macro trends and various media channels influence modern shopping behaviors and cost-saving strategies. Ultimately, we run this study to give retail, grocery, and CPG leaders the longitudinal insights they need to optimize their media mix and turn consumer sentiment into direct brand action.

Today’s readout is based on a March 2026 survey of 1,789 U.S. consumers. The research identifies a major resurgence in physical media for grocery planning, a trust-based friction in AI adoption, and a strict "90-day ceiling" for data privacy.

Study highlights and key metrics

Mail engagement: 73% of consumers interact with direct mail advertisements.
The "90-day rule": 47% of consumers believe personal data should be deleted within three months.
Private labels: 48% of shoppers want more ads focused on store-brand products.
AI adoption gap: Only 13% of millennials are "extremely likely" to use AI for automated grocery reordering in 2026.

Grocery planning: The resilience of the physical circular

In an era of digital fatigue, traditional grocery planning is proving remarkably durable. While boomers (89%) and Gen X (87%) are savers — meticulously archiving circulars for weekly planning — millennials and Gen Z have emerged as reactive shoppers. These younger cohorts use mailers as immediate trip triggers rather than long-term reference tools. Notably, 40% of millennial parents cite receiving a coupon as the primary prompt for an unplanned grocery visit.

Economic pressures have also fundamentally shifted brand loyalty. Nearly half of all shoppers (48%) now actively seek out advertisements for store brands. This private-label preference is strongest among millennial parents, who increasingly choose retailers based on the strength of their discount offerings rather than national brand availability.

AI in retail: Trust over tech

The AI revolution in grocery is currently stalled by two factors: trust and perceived utility. While 35% of consumers simply prefer their existing routines, 21% of Gen Z specifically cite a lack of trust in AI’s accuracy as their main deterrent. For Hispanic and Parent households, the barrier is complexity — current AI tools are viewed as too time-consuming to integrate into a busy lifestyle.

However, per our study, there is a clear appetite for "mental load reduction." Roughly 13% of millennials are ready to delegate the automatic reordering of household staples (like milk, eggs, and bread) to AI, suggesting that narrow, utility-focused AI applications will win over broad personal assistants.

QSR marketing: Visual influence and the affluent reach

In the quick service restaurant (QSR) sector, the direct mail package remains a compelling discovery engine. Surprisingly, 81% of affluent households (HHI >$100K) use mailers to find new restaurants. Across all income levels, 69% of consumers say compelling imagery on signage and mailers directly increases their response to a value meal or bundled deal.

Our study also identifies a relevance gap among Gen Z and Hispanic audiences, who report feeling less represented in current QSR creative. Brands that bridge this gap with authentic, diverse imagery and transparent value-meal pricing are positioned to capture this underserved market.

Data privacy and the "three-month window"

Perhaps the most significant finding for Q1 2026 is the hardening of consumer attitudes toward data: 47% of all respondents believe companies should only be allowed to keep their personal information for three months or less. When that window extends to a year, 80% of consumers view it as excessive.

For marketers, this creates a necessity-framing mandate. Consumers are increasingly willing to trade data for immediate, tangible utility — such as a specific coupon or a service update — but they reject the idea of long-term data harvesting for vague brand experiences.

Strategic recommendations for marketers

To succeed in the current marketplace, brands must bridge the gap between physical reliability and digital convenience. Success lies in leveraging the high-conversion power of direct mail for value messaging, simplifying AI tools to reduce the mental load for parents, and respecting the shrinking window of data privacy.

Based on these findings, brands should consider the following strategic shifts for the second half of 2026:

Optimize for “necessity framing.” Consumers are significantly more willing to share data with businesses they use out of necessity (31%) than for enjoyment (24%). Position data collection around utility (e.g., "Help us find your grocery staples") rather than general brand engagement.
Prioritize drive-thru signage. With the drive-thru being the dominant moment of window-sign attention (37%), restaurants should prioritize drive-thru-facing creative for upselling and limited-time offers.
Leverage mail as a digital on-ramp. Mail influenced 27% of recent online business lookups, particularly among Hispanic and Parent households. Use QR codes — emphasizing ease of use and exclusive online discounts — to bridge the gap between physical flyers and app downloads.
Sharpen the store-brand story. In an economy focused on value, treat store brands like name brands in your media plan. Nearly half of your audience is actively looking for these deals.
Implement a privacy-by-design lifecycle. Align data programs with the 90-day consumer expectation. Communicate retention windows and deletion policies clearly at the point of opt-in to build long-term trust, especially with boomer and affluent segments.