As grocery prices remain top of mind and store brands continue to expand, private-label snacks are becoming a bigger battleground for retailers. From Trader Joe’s cult favorites to Walmart’s budget-friendly options, Americans are increasingly choosing sides.

According to a CivicScience poll of more than 35K respondents, Trader Joe’s and Walmart are tied as the top private label snack brands, each earning about 30% preference among those with an opinion. Kroger follows at 17%, with Whole Foods (13%) and Target (9%) rounding out the list.

Demographically, preferences vary widely. Gen Z is most likely to favor Walmart and Whole Foods private label snacks, while Gen X and Baby Boomers lead in preferring Trader Joe’s. Millennials show a slight edge toward Target’s store-brand snacks. Men are slightly more likely to favor Whole Foods and Kroger snacks, while women lead in choosing Walmart and Target. Meanwhile, Trader Joe’s remains evenly popular across genders. Income also plays a role: households earning $100K+ favor Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, while those earning under $50K show a strong preference for Walmart private label snacks.

But demographics aren’t the only thing shaping the private label snack wars. CivicScience data reveal distinct lifestyle and food preferences across these brand loyalists:

• Organic Attitudes: Trader Joe’s snack fans are roughly twice as likely as fans of Kroger, Walmart, and Target to say organic food has real health benefits.
• Food Media: Whole Foods fans stand out as the biggest fans of food-related content: 44% say food-based TV shows are above average, more than double Walmart fans (19%).
• Seafood Consumption: Trader Joe’s fans are 18–19 points more likely than Whole Foods and Kroger fans to say seafood is a regular part of their diet.
• Buffet Preferences: Walmart and Target snack fans are the most likely to say they love all-you-can-eat buffets, while Whole Foods fans are the most likely to dislike them.
• Sweet vs. Salty: Kroger and Target snack fans are more likely to prefer sweet treats, whereas Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods fans lean toward salty indulgences.
• Leftovers: Trader Joe’s snack fans are the most likely to eat their leftovers, while Whole Foods fans are more likely to say they save them but forget about them.
• Frozen Meals: Whole Foods snack fans lead in eating frozen meals for dinner multiple times per week (78%), followed by Kroger fans (71%).
• Grocery Shopping Attitudes: Kroger and Whole Foods private label snack fans are the most likely to say they strongly dislike grocery shopping in general (25%), whereas Trader Joe’s (24%) and Walmart (20%) fans are the most likely to say they love grocery shopping.

As private label brands continue to grow, it’s clear that the competition isn’t just about price—it’s about identity, lifestyle, and how consumers approach food overall. Whether it’s Trader Joe’s loyalists, Walmart value-seekers, or Whole Foods enthusiasts, America’s snack preferences reveal much more than what’s in the cart.

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This article’s data comes solely from CivicScience’s database, which contains nearly 700,000 poll questions and 5 billion consumer insights.