Amazon $AMZN ( ▲ 0.87% ) has quietly turned same day grocery delivery into one of its fastest scaling services. After launching free same day Prime delivery of perishables in 1,000 cities in August, the company says it has already expanded to 2,300 locations and plans to reach even more areas in 2026. Competitors like Walmart $WMT ( ▼ 0.18% ) , Kroger $KR ( ▼ 0.35% ) , Albertsons $ACI ( ▲ 0.03% ) , and Instacart $CART ( ▲ 1.62% ) may be in for another rough stretch as Amazon accelerates its grocery push.
The expansion comes with a bigger catalog. Amazon says its perishable selection has grown 30 percent since January, and its footprint now covers smaller cities like Fort Collins, Sugar Land, and Kennesaw in addition to major metros. The company also claims perishable grocery sales have increased 30 times since the start of the year, although no baseline was provided.
The biggest surprise is what shoppers are buying. In cities where same day groceries are live, nine of the ten top selling items are now fresh fruit. The only non produce bestseller is a twelve pack of toilet paper. Before the program launched, items like batteries and beauty products typically led Amazon’s rankings.
Amazon says customers are increasingly mixing produce with traditional orders like electronics and home goods, creating larger and more frequent carts. Regional grocery patterns are also emerging. Shoppers in the Northeast lean toward chocolate chip muffins and raw shrimp. The South favors salmon and lemonade. The West is loading up on cold brew and chicken thighs. The Midwest keeps it classic with wheat bread, bacon, and pepperoni pizza.