The ongoing Cyclospora outbreak, which has sickened thousands across the U.S. and been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms in Mexico, has caused a substantial decline in lettuce sales at grocery stores. NielsenIQ data shows that fresh lettuce sales nationally fell by nearly 9% in the month between mid-June and July compared to last year, representing 7.6 million pounds of lettuce. For the week ending July 18, U.S. unit sales for fresh lettuce were down 9% from the previous week and 19% from two weeks prior. This fear-driven consumer behavior has impacted the entire fresh produce category.
In response to safety concerns, consumers are increasingly turning to local farmers' markets and online platforms for their produce. Market Wagon, an Indianapolis-based online farmers' market, reported a 31% increase in company-wide sales compared to the same period in 2025, with Central Indiana sales up 47%. New customer counts for Market Wagon also surged, up 71% company-wide and 122% in Central Indiana. Local farmers' markets are experiencing a noticeable spike in lettuce sales, with some selling out quickly, as shoppers seek produce they perceive as safer and more transparently sourced.
The outbreak has also heavily impacted restaurants, particularly those with lettuce-heavy menus. Taco Bell, whose sales went down 25% in one week after an outbreak was linked to its lettuce, saw U.S. same-store sales drop 2% in the July-September period, a stark contrast to the 7% increase in the April-June period. Foot traffic at Taco Bell slumped by 20.8% on July 23 compared to the prior Thursday average. Other chains like Chopt experienced a 12% drop in foot traffic, and Sweetgreen's weekly spending decreased by 10 percentage points. Chipotle Mexican Grill revised its expected same-store sales increase from 3% to 1% for the same period due to lower traffic.
Retail lettuce prices had already been high, with a pound of iceberg lettuce jumping nearly 20% between January and June, and all fresh lettuce costing an average of 33% more last month compared to a year earlier. While some salad mixes saw slight price drops, the advertised price for a head of iceberg lettuce was $1.86, red leaf lettuce was $1.66, and a bunch of romaine was $2.49 last week, significantly higher than a year prior. Beyond the outbreak, factors such as unusually hot weather in Arizona causing early crop maturation and increased fuel costs, which impact the energy-intensive cooling and transportation of perishable lettuce, have contributed to supply issues and higher prices.
