Customers are favouring ‘lighter’ shopping trips in the convenience sector, new data from Lumina Intelligence has revealed, yet the number of shoppers in the market has grown.
The findings by Lumina Intelligence Convenience Tracking Programme show that there has been a 10% drop in items purchased per trip, paired with a 0.4% decline in total spend per visit. This shift suggests a consumer preference for smaller, more frequent purchases as opposed to larger basket sizes, with customers prioritising efficiency and value.
This comes alongside the news that the shopper market has grown by 2.8 percentage points year on year.
The data also revealed that daytime meal occasions are becoming more popular, “partly due to a rebalancing of food-to-go purchases.”
The convenience store sector’s share for daytime meal occasions rose by 0.8 percentage points, and peaked last year during an extended period of ‘favourable weather’.
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However, the comparatively poorer weather in 2024 has driven shoppers to consume more meals at home, leading to a greater focus on in-home meal preparation.
Consumers are purchasing ingredients and essentials to make meals at home, highlighting a sustained demand for convenient meal solutions that align with at-home dining.
Forecourts have seen success in impulse purchasing among shoppers, registering a 1.3 percentage point increase year-on-year. Meal deals have been a pivotal driver of this growth, up 4.1 percentage points as a reason for purchasing on impulse.
Leading forecourt operators, including BP and Shell, have expanded meal deal offerings in partnership with established retailers, Lumina reported, with the move addressing ‘the evolving needs of busy shoppers, who are seeking quick, affordable meal solutions’.
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