Filipino households are rethinking the way they shop for groceries, finding smarter, more cost-conscious ways to stock their pantries.
Recent data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reveals that while overall food inflation saw a decrease, headline inflation in the Philippines still grew slightly to 1.4% in June 2025. Despite this low overall inflation compared to other Southeast Asian countries, the cost of essential grocery items like canned goods and cooking oil remains elevated. In fact, prices for some basic commodities have seen hikes of over 20% in recent years, putting significant pressure on everyday household budgets.
Buying Smarter, Not Less
The economic climate has triggered subtle but significant behavioral changes in how Filipino households spend. Instead of buying less, many are prioritizing value and restructuring how they purchase them.
Filipino consumers are becoming more intentional, carefully weighing necessity, cost-efficiency, and long-term benefit before making purchases. This shift reflects a broader, sulit mindset where quality and practicality often outweigh brand loyalty or impulse buying.
This behavior is especially evident in grocery shopping. Consumers are increasingly buying in bulk not just to save on unit costs, but also to reduce the frequency of shopping trips and to secure better deals.
The Digital Grocery Game
Another major shift is happening behind screens. As Filipino households rethink their purchasing habits, many are also changing where they shop, with grocery buying becoming increasingly digital. While digital grocery adoption surged during the pandemic out of necessity, it has remained strong post-lockdown. Today, digital grocery shopping has evolved into a convenient, value-driven habit for many Filipinos.
Several enablers can help point to why digital grocery shopping continues to thrive. As of last year, over 75% of Filipinos own smartphones. Having a mobile-savvy population also means that Filipinos – especially those belonging to the younger generations – are increasingly comfortable with application usage and digital transactions. At the same time, continued improvements in delivery reliability, platform safeguards, and payment security have increased trust in online transactions, helping erase early skepticism around e-grocery fulfillment.
Digital platforms have also transformed how people shop. Consumers now compare prices across multiple apps, looking for the best price per unit, checking bundle deals, and strategically stacking vouchers or coins.
On digital platforms, groceries are no longer limited to dry goods and canned items as apps like Lazada now deliver fresh produce, frozen meat, dairy, and specialty items straight to consumers’ doorsteps. Lazada also provides consumers with easier access to supermarket items, bridging traditional retail with digital convenience.
Tipid Tactics on the Rise
As more Filipinos embrace the convenience of digital grocery shopping, their behaviors within these platforms are also evolving. From simple online transactions, consumers have moved towards strategic, savings-focused habits.
At the heart of this grocery evolution is the rise of tipid solutions such as innovative mechanics and promotions designed to help shoppers save without sacrificing quality. Digital platforms like Lazada’s grocery channel, LazMart, have responded to these pain points by offering “buy more, save more” deals that maximize savings, curating bundles that group high-frequency items into cost-efficient packs, and providing loyalty vouchers and stackable promos that reward regular purchases and help users make the most of every Peso. Ongoing deals such as discounts of up to 30% off on mother and baby essentials, “Buy 8, Get 8” grocery offers, and weekly promos with 10% of more in savings make LazMart a go-to online destination for practical, everyday value.
These tactics are proving effective in attracting price-sensitive shoppers and fostering brand loyalty in a landscape where consumers are always on the hunt for the best value.
“LazMart was built to make online grocery shopping simpler for Filipinos,” says Emil Sobremonte, Lazada Philippines' Head of Retail. “We empower them to optimize budgets with stackable discounts, free shipping, and a wide assortment of high-demand and niche products, all delivered in one go.”
A Future That’s Cost-Effective and Digital is Here to Stay
What began as a pandemic-driven pivot has become a permanent mindset. Even as inflation shows signs of easing in the months ahead, experts agree that Filipinos’ value-first approach to spending is here to stay. More than just affordability, shoppers today demand convenience, price transparency, and smarter ways to stretch every Peso.
This shift has redefined what grocery shopping looks like. As the experience becomes even more digital, platforms that empower consumers to evaluate, plan, and save will continue to shape the future of retail in the country.
For LazMart, this means embracing its role as a digital grocery ally built for budget-savvy living. With accessible tools, curated value bundles, and customer-first features, it’s helping create a new standard of smart, digital grocery shopping that fits not only with today’s economy, but in the future as well.
