Maintaining an essential role in the post-pandemic lives of Canadian convenience shoppers
The C-store IQ National Shopper Study debuted in January 2020—just before the pandemic upended everything—as the first convenience and gas specific study delving into the wants, needs, perspectives and habits of Canadian consumers. Now, C-store IQ is back, with a fresh survey designed to bring you the insights and data to better meet the needs of the today’s consumers and achieve business success in a post-pandemic world.
Convenience store shoppers across Canada are emerging from the pandemic with new daily routines, spending habits and expectations for their local convenience stores, according to insights from Convenience Store News Canada’s 2022 C-store IQ: National Shopper Study, which surveyed more than 1,000 c-store shoppers across the country. Understanding these changes is fundamental, as convenience store operators work to hold on to their status as an “essential” part of consumers’ everyday lives.
38%
Shop at an Independently-owned convenience store once/week or more
New habits
Popping into the local convenience store is part of the fabric of daily life for more than half of Canadians.
Shop at a chain convenience store once/week or more
37%
Shop at any type of convenience store once/week or more
55%
of shoppers shop the same convenience store each time
70%
It’s worth noting that gen Z is the most loyal of the lot, with an incredible 81% saying they shop at the same store each time, compared to 73% of millennials, 68% of gen X and 69% of boomers.
Proximity / close by
Longer hours
To purchase gas
Loyalty program
Foodservice quality
Word of mouth
Coupon
Gas price app
Mobile app offer
Contactless shopping
None of the above
Availability of drive-thru
Social media promotion
Like their private label
Mobile ordering
Billboard
Email
Curbside pickup
Radio or TV ad
Text message
Aspects that influence a visit to a convenience store
62%
43%
36%
21%
13%
11%
11%
8%
7%
6%
5%
5%
5%
4%
4%
4%
3%
3%
3%
3%
Timing is everything
C-store trips increase throughout the day and peak in the late afternoon and evening, likely coinciding with travel back from work or school, finishing errands and special trips to grab a last-minute item or ingredient for dinner.
When I need to purchase gas
Special trips to store from home
While running other errands
For a late night snack
For an afternoon snack/break
Traveling to/from work or school
Traveling for pleasure
To purchase hot bev. / breakfast
While working from home
Traveling for business
To purchase lunch
To purchase dinner
40% | vs. 51%
31% | vs. 41%
31% | vs. 38%
29%
22%
20%
20% | vs. 27%
15%
10%
8%
8%
5%
Occasions Typically shop at Convenience Store
Significant increase/decrease vs. pre-pandemic levels
6:00am - 8:59am
Time of day when typically shop
at convenience stores
9:00am - 10:59am
11:00am - 1:59pm
2:00pm - 3:59pm
4:00pm - 6:59pm
7:00pm - 8:59pm
10:00pm or later
13%
15%
22%
24%
34%
34%
15%
What’s in the shopping bag?
The pandemic shifted buying habits across several categories.
Chocolate
Candy
Salty snacks-full
Salty snacks-snack
Gum / mints
Sweet snacks
Ice cream
Snack packs
Grab-and-go
Branded fast food
Bread/rolls
Made-to-order
Nuts/trail mix
Meat snacks
Produce
Frozen food
Functional foods
37%
32%
28%
26%
23%
18%
17%
14%
12% | vs. 16%
12%
12%
11%
11%
10% | vs. 13%
8% | vs. 5%
7%
6%
Significant increase/decrease vs. pre-pandemic levels
Food Items Purchased at Convenience Store in Past Month
Significant increase/decrease vs. pre-pandemic levels
Milk
Can / bottle pop
Beer/Wine/Cider (Quebec only)
Bottle water - still
Hot beverage
Sports drinks
100% fruit juice
Fountain / dispensed drink
Energy drinks
Bottle water - sparkling
Bottle / can iced tea or coffee Frozen drink / slush
Functional beverages
Energy shots
38%
30%
25%
23%
21% | vs. 25%
17% | vs. 13%
14%
13%
13%
13%
12%
12% | vs. 19%
6%
5% | vs. 3%
Beverage Items Purchased at Convenience Store in Past Month
Significant increase/decrease vs. pre-pandemic levels
Lottery tickets
Gasoline
Cigarettes
Gift cards
Newspaper
None of the above
Magazine
Non-edible grocery
E-cig / Vaping
Phone cards
Health / beauty
Cigars
Oral nicotine, snuff, chew
60% | vs. 53%
45%
23%
13% | vs. 6%
12%
11%
7%
6%
6% | vs. 3%
6% | vs. 3%
5% | vs. 3%
3%
3%
Non-Edible/Other Items Purchased at Convenience Store in Past Month
Most c-store shoppers are regularly using at least one of myriad expanded services, a 10-percentage point increase compared to pre-pandemic levels. The pandemic has altered in-store behaviours, with close to one in 10 shoppers embracing contactless solutions.
Expanded services
of shoppers regularly use at least one expanded service at convenience stores
56%
Cash ATM
Car wash
Postal services
Self check-out
Mobile payment
Drive-thru
Internet access/Wi-Fi Passport photos
Home delivery
Pick-up lockers
Mobile ordering
Curbside pickup
Video games
Money transfer/wire
Copy/fax
Bitcoin ATM
26%
21%
10%
8%
8%
8%
6%
4%
4%
4%
3%
3%
3%
2%
2%
1%
Usage of specific services at convenience stores
Price of products
Products I need are in-stock
Variety of products offered
Loyalty program
Store cleanliness/hygiene
General convenience
Employee friendliness
Quality of prepared food
Employee helpfulness
Speed of shopping trip
Store organization
Fun to shop
Offers delivery
Store design/organization
Offers curbside pick-up
Availability of contactless options
Embraces cutting-edge tech
65%
42%
30%
30%
23%
19%
15%
14%
13%
12%
11%
9%
5%
5%
4%
4%
Price and on-shelf availability are the two top priorities among today’s c-store shoppers, who are keeping an eye on the variety of products offered, as well as being able to tap into loyalty programs.
The shopping experience
Very important / Important
46%
Importance of ‘experience’ when choosing which store to shop at
Moderately important
28%
Slightly / Not important
26%
1%
Factors that describe a positive shopping experience
Performance ratings for convenience store shopped most often
Significant increase/decrease vs. pre-pandemic levels
Speed of shopping
General convenience
Employee friendliness
Store cleanliness
Employee helpfulness
Store organization
Products needed are in-stock
Store look/feel
Contactless shopping options
Loyalty program
Variety of products
Prepared food quality
Coffee program
Delivery
Fun to shop
Local/Canadian-made Product Offering Embraces cutting-edge tech
Price of products
Healthy/Better-for-you items
Excellent/Very Good | Good | Fair/Poor
Not surprisingly, shoppers say that better prices would motivate them to consider convenience stores more often. Likely a result of the ongoing supply-chain issues, making sure products needed are in-stock is noted by one-in-four shoppers.
Room for improvement
Product pricing
Variety of products offered
Products needed in-stock
Loyalty program
Store cleanliness
Healthier/Better-for-you items
Employee friendliness
Prepared food quality
Local/Canadian-made product offering
Variety of prepared food/beverages
Store organization
Store look/feel
Employee helpfulness
Speed of shopping
Larger pack size/More bulk
Better sustainability commitment/recycling
Coffee program
Fun to shop
Delivery
Contactless shopping options
Embraces cutting-edge tech
62%
30%
26%
26%
23%
21%
19%
17%
16%
15%
15%
14%
13%
13%
12%
11%
11%
10%
8%
7%
5%
Areas where convenience stores must improve to encourage more shopping
Less than $2.00
1%
$2.00 - 4.99
9%
$5.00 - 9.99
23%
$10.00 - 14.99
21%
$15.00 - 19.99
13%
$20.00 - 29.99
14%
$30.00 - or more
14%
Mean spend $15.46 up from $13.56
On an average visit, shoppers are spending notably more compared to pre-pandemic levels, driven by a drop in trips under $5 and a boost in trips $30 or more.
Spending is up
Credit card
32%
Significant increase/decrease vs. pre-pandemic levels
Debit card
41%
vs. 35%
Cash
22%
Payment type used on most recent convenience shopping trip
3%
Mobile payment
vs. 1%
1%
Retailer’s mobile app
1%
Gift card
1%
Can’t recall
While no one can predict the future, here’s what we do know. Convenience store shoppers have changed—they’re not only spending more, but also expecting more across all aspects of the business, from product assortment to technology to loyalty to the overall in-store experience. Understanding c-stores shoppers’ evolving attitudes and habits will be instrumental in ensuring the convenience industry thrives in a post-pandemic world.
Moving forward
vs. 4%
vs. 14%
vs. 10%
vs.
30%
vs. 61%
vs. 58%
vs. 17%
vs. 28%
vs. 39%
