Here's What Illinoisans Like To Buy At The Grocery Store

ILLINOIS — What do Illinois residents like to buy at the grocery store? Polish sausage, onion rings, beer and a cigar chaser, if "Da Bears" super fans from the popular "Saturday Night Live" sketch are to be believed.

Data from the economic census, a comprehensive business survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau every five years, measures — among other things — the most popular grocery products sold in every state.

The Census Bureau released two informational maps showing what percentage of sales different grocery store products account for in Illinois and across the country.

Meat and poultry accounted for 11.7 percent of total grocery store sales in Illinois, making it the most popular product type in the state. Produce was second in state grocery store sales at 10.7 percent. Illinois was ahead of U.S. grocery store sales in both those items, with meat and poultry making up 10.5 percent and produce coming in at 9.2 percent.

Bottled, canned and packaged soft drinks were other products of note — especially for Cook County residents. Those beverages made up 5.7 percent of state grocery store sales, compared to 4 percent nationally. Late last year, the Cook County Board of Commissioners repealed its short-lived and controversial "soda tax," which added a penny-per-ounce to certain sweetened drinks.

Go to the data visualizer for the U.S. Census Bureau to explore other grocery store product information around the state and the country.

The Census Bureau says collection of data for the 2017 Economic Census began on May 1 and the data will be disseminated beginning in 2019.

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