A new report from the USDA found that while independent grocery stores outnumber chain grocers in rural areas, they account for a smaller percentage of grocery sales.
The report defines independent grocers as those that own or operate four or fewer outlets. The report studied the performance of those stores between 2005 and 2015. Despite outnumbering chain grocers in rural areas, independents accounted for just 18 percent of grocery sales in those areas. Nationally, independent grocery stores account for 11 percent of grocery spending.
Independent grocers tend to be located in areas with lower per capita income, and account for a disproportionate share of SNAP spending.
Chain retailers like Walmart, and increasingly pharmacies and dollar stores, account for a growing share of grocery retail sales in rural areas.