According to Convenience.org, Efforts of store-level teams, new products and pickup options drove growth in a challenging year.
ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Convenience retailers say that in-store sales grew in 2020, with twice as many reporting an in-store sales increase than a decrease (59% vs. 30%, respectively), according to a new survey of U.S. convenience store owners by NACS Research.
Convenience stores, which sell 80% of the fuel purchased in the country, experienced a decrease in fuel sales and commuter traffic throughout the pandemic. However, retailers adjusted their in-store offers to focus more on take-home meals and grab-and-go meal solutions: 49% put more emphasis on pre-packaged ready-to-eat meals, 41% focused more on prepared foodservice meals and 24% focused more on ready-to-heat take-home meals.