America’s grocery industry is continuing to evolve in 2026, with several well-known supermarket chains closing select stores while investing in newer locations, remodeling existing stores and refining their long-term strategies.
Many of the closures involve older, underperforming or leased locations rather than broad companywide retrenchment. Here’s a look at 10 grocery chains that have announced store closures this year.
1. Grocery Outlet
The discount grocer is closing 36 underperforming stores, including 24 in the eastern U.S., after determining the locations no longer had a path to sustained profitability.
2. Kroger
Kroger has continued closing select underperforming stores as part of an optimization plan following the collapse of its proposed merger with Albertsons.
3. Albertsons
Albertsons has shuttered select locations under banners including Safeway, Vons, and Randalls while reorganizing operations and responding to softer consumer spending.
4. H-E-B
The Texas grocer is closing its longtime Research Boulevard store in Austin after deciding not to renew the lease, while continuing to expand elsewhere in Central Texas.
5. Amazon Fresh
Amazon exited its physical Amazon Fresh grocery store strategy, closing its remaining branded locations while continuing online grocery delivery and expanding Whole Foods.
6. Amazon Go
Amazon also shuttered its remaining Amazon Go convenience stores as it refocused its brick-and-mortar retail strategy.
7. Save A Lot
Several Save A Lot stores face closure after the chain ended its agreement with a franchise operator, raising concerns about food access in some communities.
8. Food Emporium
The chain’s only Connecticut location is closing less than a year after opening because sales fell short of expectations. (CT Insider)
9. New Leaf Community Markets
The company is closing its Silver Creek Community Market in San Jose, resulting in dozens of layoffs after lease-related challenges.
10. Winn-Dixie
Winn-Dixie continues closing stores slated for conversion or strategic repositioning as the company focuses on its core Florida and Georgia markets.
Don’t forget…
While store closures often make headlines, they don’t always signal a retailer is struggling. Many grocers are replacing aging stores with larger formats, shifting to faster-growing markets or investing in remodeling projects to better compete for shoppers.
As consumers continue prioritizing value and convenience, grocery chains are increasingly reshaping their footprints rather than simply expanding, making 2026 another year of significant change across the supermarket industry.
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