Frozenomics: Why Freezers Are Becoming America's Financial Lifeline

When times get tough, Americans get creative with how they stretch budgets. That's why today's shoppers are fighting inflation and financial strain with an unlikely hero: frozen food.

Enter: what SmartSense calls "Frozenomics" — the economic aspects of frozen food. At a time when frozen food serves as a safety net, Frozenomics is becoming increasingly complex as frozen food volumes surge through the cold chain. This raises some important questions: Do frozen food brands have the cold chain strategies needed to ensure products move from the factory to the store freezer without meltdowns? And what do consumers really think about frozen food — its nutritional value, safety, and the industry's commitment to protecting and increasing visibility for both?

To answer these questions and explore how consumer behavior is shaping the frozen food ecosystem, SmartSense surveyed 1,000 US-based adults (21+). The top takeaways are as follows:

Shoppers stretch dollars with their freezers

Tighter budgets have redefined frozen food as more than a convenience play. It's now a financial survival tool that helps consumers make their money go further, reduce waste, and protect against future price shocks. Consumers aren't just changing what they buy, they're changing how much they buy and why.

Fifty-seven percent (57%) of U.S. adults say their economic circumstances have worsened over the past year, and 65% report tighter grocery budgets compared to last year. When money is tight, 52% say they stick to essentials, regardless of whether they're fresh or frozen. However, 39% turn to frozen food because it lasts longer, and 40% switch to store brands to cut costs.

Additionally, nearly two-thirds (63%) say sales and promotions drive them to stock up on frozen foods and 34% of consumers cite general economic uncertainty as a trigger to stock up. This "just-in-case" mentality creates unpredictable demand spikes, which can pose challenges for cold chain operations.

Cold hard savings: how younger generations turn to frozen food

Overall, 59% of consumers say that if grocery prices continue to rise, they will likely buy more frozen food. However, younger generations are the most likely to see frozen as a financial strategy — relying on it both as a cost-saving measure and as a safety net, though Millennials and Gen have different motivators for doing so. For Gen Z, freezers are a tool for financial survival. For Millennials, they're more of an insurance policy.

When examining how younger generations view frozen food, SmartSense finds:

• 73% of Gen Z say their economic circumstances worsened in the past year
• 51% of Gen Z view stockpiling frozen food as an "inflation-proof hack"
• 57% of Gen Z have increased frozen food purchases to save money
• Yet, 47% of Gen Z worry more about safety in frozen food compared to fresh

Millennials are also doubling down on frozen goods:

• 91% of Millennials keep "just-in-case" food items (i.e., food that is not yet needed, but may be if their economic situation worsens or they run out prior to their next grocery haul) in their freezers (vs. 81% of Boomers)
• 70% of Millennials say they'll increase frozen food purchases if prices rise further
• 56% of Millennials have already been buying more frozen foods in the past six months

The bottom line? For younger generations, frozen food has shifted from preference to necessity, but affordability alone isn't enough. Brands must pair savings with safety, using IoT-enabled condition monitoring to ensure products remain safe, consistent, and reliable from factory to freezer. This will be essential to safeguard their customers' health and keep their trust, which is another big challenge the survey uncovered.

Transparency and trust are core to frozen food confidence

Consumers want more than a stocked shelf — they want to know where food comes from, how it's stored, and whether it's safe when it reaches their kitchen. Yet doubts remain: 30% of consumers aren't confident that food stays at a safe temperature from factory to store. Other findings highlighting these concerns include:

• 63% believe food recalls are becoming increasingly common
• 62% of consumers have thrown out a frozen food item because of safety or quality concerns (e.g., smell, the packaging looked damaged or unsealed, freezer burn).
• 56% believe poor handling during shipping or storage is a common cause of recalls
• Younger shoppers are most cautious: 47% of Gen Z have stopped buying a frozen brand due to a recall, vs. just 13% of Boomers.
• Almost half (45%) of consumers would stop buying from a frozen food brand if it had a recall.

To rebuild confidence, shoppers want brands to go beyond a stocked shelf and show proof of safety. Specifically, consumers say the following would increase trust in frozen foods:

• 63% would be more likely to trust a grocery brand if it showed how it tracks food temperatures
• 56% want transparency into storage and shipping overall
• 46% want better packaging
• 46% want clearer origin and ingredient labeling

Brands that clearly show where they source food from and handle food through every step will stand out to consumers.

What does this mean for the food industry?

Frozen food has evolved from a product of convenience to a cornerstone of consumer resilience. Across demographics, consumers are stocking up, relying on freezers as a financial lifeline, and demanding more transparency from brands. For food and grocery companies, the path forward hinges on compliance and confidence. With SmartSense's IoT-powered condition monitoring, brands can ensure visibility, prove product safety, and deliver the reliability that today's shoppers demand.