Strong Gains in March: Are They Real?

C-store trips have been increasing steadily and catching up to pre-pandemic levels. This is good news, but c-Stores still have to recapture all of their lost trips, as shoppers have not resumed all their previous habits.  A steady climb in trips, combined with a record-high spend per trip, yields promise for the foreseeable future in c-stores.

We’re now entering the comparable “shelter-at-home” period of 2020. Year-over-year results will look very positive in comparison but, in reality, retailers and brands are still catching up. And, as expected, not all categories are rising equally:

• Packaged Beverages are going strong and steady (dollar sales +13% YTD), likely still to replace dispensed beverages
• Food Service trip climb has slowed, but new products currently being launched may fuel an acceleration
• Shoppers are not back to buying dispensed beverages yet

What can c-store operators and suppliers alike do? Being relevant to the consumer is not a new concept, but it has become even more critical now. You can start by bundling products and offers with new promotions tied to specific occasions and trip missions. Consider delivering time-bound offers to meet various trip missions and continue to shelve “take-home” product varieties to recapture some trips lost to other channels.

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