Convenience stores in the U.S. - Statistics & Facts

Convenience stores in-store sales

Typically, convenience stores' in-store sales are split into two segments: merchandise and food. According to the most recent data, cigarettes were the most sold product, reaching sales of 56 billion U.S. dollars. Beer followed, registering less than half of what cigarettes sales amounted to. Within the beer category, U.S. consumers preferred domestic premium brands, such as Budweiser. In the most recently reported period, Budweiser was the top domestic premium beer brand sold in U.S. convenience stores. Other popular products sold in c-stores include snacks and candy. As of 2020, potato chips were the best-selling type of salty snacks in U.S. convenience stores, while in the candy sub-category, chocolate won the prize.

Shopping behavior

Amidst the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. consumers significantly reduced their shopping frequency at convenience stores. In a survey carried out in August 2020 across different generational cohorts, over half of millennial and baby boomer respondents reported to having decreased their number of visits to convenience stores. Two months later, another survey asked consumers what type of actions convenience stores could apply to increase their frequency of visits. While nearly 40 percent answered there is nothing they could do, 32 percent believed that improving the cleanliness of the stores could increase the number of customer visits. Other options included improving health safety protocols, offer outdoor seating, and provide autonomous checkout.

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