Ventana Retail Analytics
Shelf Pass ThroughNo. 7 · September 2026
Shelf Pass Through · Mexico groceryData to 31 August 2026
Cooking oil reaches the shelf, pasta does not
Shelf prices in our five categories rose 3.1 percent over the twelve weeks to August against a 4.2 percent wholesale rise. Pass through climbed to 74 percent, its highest in a year
1Pass through by category
Wholesale prices in the five grocery categories we track rose 4.2 percent over the twelve weeks to 31 August. Shelf prices for the same products rose 3.1 percent, so 74 percent of the wholesale move reached the shopper. Staples with few substitutes passed through almost fully; pasta and detergent, where chains compete on price, passed through half.1
| Category | Wholesale | Shelf | Pass through | July |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooking oil | +6.0% | +4.8% | 80% | 74% |
| Corn flour | +4.0% | +3.6% | 90% | 88% |
| Pasta | +5.0% | +2.5% | 50% | 55% |
| Laundry detergent | +3.2% | +1.6% | 50% | 47% |
| Carbonated drinks | +2.0% | +1.9% | 95% | 92% |
| All tracked | +4.2% | +3.1% | 74% | 72% |
Source: PROFECO Quien es Quien en los Precios, public wholesaler catalogs, Ventana Retail Analytics wholesale channel readings
Source: PROFECO Quien es Quien en los Precios, public wholesaler catalogs, Ventana Retail Analytics wholesale channel readings
2Pass through by region
We priced 6,720 stores in August. The Northeast passed on the most, 83 percent, as regional chains moved oil and flour within two weeks of the wholesale change. The Southeast passed on 62 percent, three points less than in July, as two regional chains held prices ahead of a competitor's store openings.2
| Region | Stores | Shelf | Pass through | On July |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast | 1,240 | +3.5% | 83% | +4 pts |
| Central | 2,860 | +3.2% | 76% | +2 pts |
| West | 1,110 | +3.0% | 71% | +1 pt |
| Northwest | 820 | +2.9% | 69% | +2 pts |
| Southeast | 690 | +2.6% | 62% | down 3 pts |
| Mexico | 6,720 | +3.1% | 74% | +2 pts |
Source: PROFECO Quien es Quien en los Precios, public wholesaler catalogs, Ventana Retail Analytics wholesale channel readings
3Wholesale promotions at the shelf
We recorded 312 wholesale promotions in August and checked whether a matching shelf discount appeared within four weeks. Drinks promotions reached the shelf most often. Corn flour promotions rarely did, because most chains already price flour as a traffic item and do not cut it further.
Source: PROFECO Quien es Quien en los Precios, public wholesaler catalogs, Ventana Retail Analytics wholesale channel readings
4Against the Channel Price Index
5What to watch in September
Whether pasta shelf prices catch up once back to school promotions end, how the Southeast chains respond to the new store openings, and the October wholesale list changes for detergent already announced in public catalogs.
How this report is built
- Pass through is the shelf price change divided by the wholesale price change for the same products over the same twelve weeks
- Shelf prices come from PROFECO store readings, matched to our wholesale readings at product and pack size
- Every figure traces to a PROFECO record, catalog page or channel reading held on file for subscribers who ask
Approved for subscribersLucia ArriagaHead of Pricing Research · 12 September 2026
1 Category figures are weighted by the firm's channel sales weights; the all tracked figure is weighted across categories.
2 Regions follow PROFECO city coverage. Central includes Mexico City and the surrounding metropolitan area.