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More than half of c-store shoppers (57%) report making a combination in-store and fuel trip at least once per week. That compares to 67% who make an in-store-only visit at least weekly, and 64% who make a fuel-only visit at least once a week.
The convenience store industry’s small operators are the very picture of perseverance.
Overcoming Obstacles
The U.S. convenience store industry’s small operators (1-20 stores) are under increasing pressure. But instead of buckling under the weight of their challenges, these tenacious and resilient business owners are finding new ways to adapt and persevere. According to the fifth-annual Convenience Store News State of the Small Operator Study, which looks at how the convenience channel’s small operators are performing vs. their larger chain counterparts, about two-thirds of participants (65%) said their total sales increased in 2023, up slightly from 63% who said the same in last year’s study. Sales growth was driven more by foodservice and in-store merchandise than motor fuels. Among those who offer each category, more than six in 10 small operators (66%) reported that their foodservice dollar sales rose in 2023, compared to 59% who reported growth in in-store merchandise sales and 49% who reported growth in motor fuel sales. Compared to last year’s study, all three of these percentages were lower than in 2022: a decline of 5 points for in-store merchandise, a decline of 12 points for foodservice and a decline of 14 points for fuels.
