UK Convenience Store Market Analysis
After a slowdown in 2024, the UK convenience store market is set to experience consistent growth over the next few years. The shift towards more frequent top-up shopping has created substantial growth potential in the market, with over 12% market growth expected between 2025-29.
Rising prices are a big challenge for convenience stores, often perceived as more expensive than other channels. This reputation, coupled with climbing grocery costs, is driving away less-affluent food shoppers. Convenience stores must prove their value for money by focusing on competitive pricing and cost-effective offerings. Additionally, the upcoming ban on disposable vapes presents a substantial challenge, as almost half of consumers report they would visit less frequently without single-use vaping products. Promoting refillable and rechargeable vape options can maintain shopper interest and footfall.
UK Convenience Store Consumer Trends
Although six in ten convenience store shoppers prefer in-store visits, the appeal of rapid delivery is particularly strong among certain consumer groups. Failure to offer rapid delivery risks alienating these groups and missing out on their considerable purchasing power. However, retailers must strike a balance between offering such services and ensuring consistent in-store footfall, and that drivers don’t disrupt day-to-day operations.
Purchase the full report today to eliminate the blind spots in your market strategy, gain full access to our unparalleled consumer data, and plan your next move in the UK convenience stores market.
About the Report
| Report Attributes | Details |
|---|---|
| Published Date | April 2025 |
| Data Range | 2019-2029 |
| Measurement Metrics | Revenue in £ |
| Country Focus | United Kingdom (UK) |
| Consumer Data | 2,000 internet users aged 16+, February 2025 |
| Number of Pages | 123 |
| Leading Companies in the UK Convenience Store Market | Tesco, Co-operative Group, M&S, Spar, Sainsbury’s Local, Bestway |
Key Topics Analysed in the Report
- How higher prices are impacting convenience store shoppers, and strategies retailers can use to adapt.
- The market size and forecast for the convenience store sector for the next five years.
- Leading convenience retailers key metrics and market shares.
- Frequency of shopper visits, the most popular purchases, and the most sought-after services at convenience stores.
- Factors most important when choosing where to shop and why close to home, lower prices, good service, loyalty rewards, and local products are a compelling proposition.
- On-the-go food opportunities, the significance of the single-use vaping ban, and the impact on the sector of rapid delivery services.
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
Every Mintel report is researched and written by a dedicated analyst with deep expertise and experience in their chosen industry. So you can act with confidence, not conjecture. This report was written by Steven Mayles, Retail Analyst at Mintel. Steven joined Mintel in 1988, graduating in 1987 from the London College of Printing with a Higher National Diploma in Business Studies. In his role as a Retail Analyst Steven writes Mintel’s series of European Reports.
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Price remains the core focus for shoppers, and convenience stores need to prove the value they provide by highlighting and developing convenience drivers.
Steven Mayles
Retail Analyst
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Opportunities for the convenience sector
- Loyalty schemes are key to staying competitive in price-driven sector
- Reducing friction can be a game-changer
- One-stop service opportunities
- Market dynamics and outlook
- Market size & forecast
- Market predictions
- Convenience store market growth slows in 2024
- Graph 1: convenience store market size (excl. VAT), 2020-24
- Convenience store market to rebound after slow growth in 2024
- Financial pressures and regulatory changes impacting the convenience sector
- What consumers want and why
- 87% shop at convenience stores
- Graph 2: items typically bought from convenience stores, 2025
- Most c-store shoppers visit multiple times a week
- Graph 3: frequency of convenience store visits, 2025
- Services boost shopping frequency
- Graph 4: services used at convenience stores, 2025
- Rising food-for-home trends drive fuller basket shopping in convenience stores
- Graph 5: food items for home typically bought from convenience stores, 2025
- Snacks, breakfast, and hot lunch options offer key opportunities to grow on-the-go food purchasing
- Graph 6: food items for on-the-go typically bought from convenience stores, 2025
- Tesco Express the leading choice for convenience store shoppers
- Graph 7: stores regularly used by convenience store shoppers, 2025
- Convenience shoppers’ store selection is driven by proximity to home and lower prices
- Graph 8: factors that would encourage consumers to shop at one convenience store over another, 2025
- Most convenience store shoppers seek on-the-go food and prefer in-store visits over rapid delivery
- Graph 9: consumer attitudes toward the shopping experience at convenience stores, 2025
- Retailer activity
- Multiples’ convenience formats tighten grip on the market
- Graph 10: leading convenience stores estimated market shares, %, 2024
- Quick and ultra convenient
- Tesco new recipe Meal Deal combo campaign
- Co-op campaign highlighting the benefits of loyalty scheme membership and Asda lowering prices
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MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market size
- Convenience store market growth slows in 2024
- Graph 11: convenience store market size (excl. VAT), 2020-24
- Cost conscious consumers impact convenience store appeal during squeeze
- Market forecast
- Convenience store market to rebound after slow growth in 2024
- Tackling price perception head on can attract more cost-conscious shoppers
- Growing urban demand for convenience
- Younger shoppers are a key demographic for sustained growth
- Market Drivers
- Cost pressures could push prices higher in the coming months
- Graph 12: inflation, CPI index, food and non-alcoholic beverages and alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 2022-25
- Higher grocery prices driving away less-affluent convenience store shoppers
- Graph 13: issues faced by consumers over the last two months, February 2025
- Financial wellbeing hampered by cost of living worries
- Graph 14: the financial wellbeing index, January 2019-February 2025
- Consumers uncertain about their financial future
- Graph 15: the financial confidence index, January 2019-February 2025
- Ban on disposable vapes challenges and opportunities for convenience stores
- Graph 16: types of e-cigarettes used, 2024
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Convenience store use
- Vast majority use convenience stores
- Food is the most popular purchase at convenience stores
- Graph 17: items typically bought from convenience stores, 2020-25
- 16-34 year olds, high earners and city residents the biggest groups of convenience store shoppers
- Graph 18: products typically purchased from convenience stores, by age group, 2025
- Quick and easy dinner solutions are critical for convenience stores
- Grab and go smart vending machines can broaden on-the-go needs
- Opportunity for convenience stores to position themselves as health-forward beverage hubs
- The ‘beer cave’ stands out as a unique convenience store alcoholic drinks selling concept
- Falling print media purchases present opportunities for creative innovation
- Lottery ticket purchases drive additional spending on other products and services
- Graph 19: in-store services used at a supermarket/convenience store when buying lottery tickets or scratchcards, 2024
- Graph 20: items bought in-store with lottery tickets/scratchcards at convenience stores, 2024
- In-home food purchasing at convenience stores
- Chilled goods are the most popular in-home food purchase at c-stores
- Graph 21: food items for home typically bought from convenience stores, 2020-25
- Fewer consumers with strained budgets purchasing food for the home
- Graph 22: percentage of consumers who bought food items for the home, by financial situation, 2024-25
- Co-op champions convenience store food affordability with its biggest ever value campaign
- Convenience stores predominantly satisfy top-up missions for rural and older shoppers
- Graph 23: repertoire of food items bought for home at convenience stores, by age group, household income and area, 2025
- Opportunity to tap into more food shopping missions
- On-the-go food purchasing at convenience stores
- Snacks the most popular on-the-go food item, purchased by 84% of shoppers
- Graph 24: food items for on-the-go typically bought from convenience stores, 2020-25
- The days of the traditional three meals a day have gone and snacking is on the rise
- Breakfast and lunchtime food-to-go opportunities for convenience stores
- Graph 25: percentage of convenience store shoppers who typically by breakfast items (eg croissant), by age group and area, 2024-25
- Graph 26: percentage of convenience store shoppers who typically by hot lunch products (eg sausage roll), by age group and area, 2024-25
- Healthy and customisable options are key to attracting on-the-go lunch shoppers
- Graph 27: most important health claims when buying lunch, 2024
- Unlock the full potential of meal deals with subscriptions
- Pre-ordering on-the-go foods can enhance convenience
- Frequency of convenience store use
- Convenience shoppers’ shopping more frequently
- Graph 28: frequency of convenience store visits, 2020-25
- Younger shoppers visit convenience stores more frequently than older age groups
- Graph 29: frequency of convenience store visits, by age group, 2025
- High-income earners the most prolific convenience store shoppers
- Graph 30: frequency of convenience store visits, by household income, 2025
- City residents are the most frequent daily shoppers
- Graph 31: frequency of convenience store visits, by area, 2025
- Services used in convenience stores
- Convenience stores capture shoppers with more than just last-minute items
- ATMs, parcel and postal services, and coffee machines the most sought-after service offerings
- Graph 32: services used at convenience stores, 2022-25
- Banking on convenience
- “Mini Banking Hub”
- Carrier-agnostic parcel services can attract more foot traffic
- Quality, innovation, and customer-focused experiences can elevate coffee service
- More services = higher visit frequency
- Graph 33: repertoire of services used at convenience stores, by age group, 2025
- Higher engagement with service offerings in urban areas
- Graph 34: repertoire of services used at convenience stores, by area, 2025
- Scope for convenience stores to offer additional services
- Convenience retailers shopped with
- Tesco Express the most popular convenience store
- Supermarkets’ convenience stores dominate regular shopping choices
- Graph 35: stores used by regular convenience store shoppers, 2022-25
- Tesco Express is the convenience store shopped most often
- Graph 36: stores shopped most often by regular convenience store shoppers, 2025
- Convenience shopper loyalty is stronger in rural areas and among older and lower-income groups
- Graph 37: repertoire of convenience stores shopped at, by age group, household income and area, 2025
- Building loyalty among younger convenience store shoppers
- Strategies to keep rural, urban and high-income convenience shoppers engaged and coming back for more
- Factors that would encourage consumers to shop at one convenience store over another
- Proximity to home outweighs price as the top factor when choosing a convenience store
- Closer to home and lower prices are the most important factors in shoppers’ selection of convenience store
- Graph 38: factors which would encourage consumers to shop at one convenience store over another, 2025
- Close to home, lower prices, good service, loyalty rewards, and local products is a compelling proposition for 93% of convenience shoppers
- Lower prices and good customer service significantly boost appeal, highlighting their importance as core expectations for convenience shoppers
- Convenience store shoppers like to shop close to home
- Graph 39: percentage of consumers who choose a convenience store close to home, by age group and area, 2025
- Micro-stores a cost-effective and scalable way to bolster proximity
- Home delivery and click-and-collect bring stores closer to consumers
- Everyday Low Pricing simplifies budgeting
- Electronic shelf labels can be a game changer for convenience stores looking to stay price competitive
- Customer service plays a pivotal role in shaping where the most frequent shoppers’ choose to shop
- Graph 40: percentage of consumers whose choice of convenience store to shop with is influenced by good customer service, by age group and household income, 2025
- Opportunities to enhance customer service with automation
- Local products a compelling draw for younger and city convenience shoppers
- Graph 41: percentage of consumers whose choice of convenience store is influenced by availability of local products, by age group, financial situation and area, 2025
- Opportunities for convenience stores to harness the appeal of local products to draw in customers
- Loyalty schemes are especially influential among younger and financially struggling shoppers
- Graph 42: percentage of consumers whose choose of convenience store is influenced by a loyalty scheme (eg for personalised discounts/promotions), by age group and financial situation, 2025
- Ensure experience is the same across channels
- Store cleanliness matters, especially in cities
- Graph 43: percentage of consumers who would choose one convenience store over another based on store cleanliness, by area, 2025
- Faster checkout a make-or-break factor in shoppers choice of store
- Graph 44: percentage of convenience shoppers prioritising faster checkouts when choosing between stores, by age group, household income and area, 2025
- Customise checkout methods to match shopper preferences
- Eco-friendly initiatives draw loyalty from convenience stores’ most frequent shoppers
- Graph 45: percentage of consumers who prefer convenience stores with sustainable practices (eg reduce packaging waste, food waste), by age group and household income, 2025
- Morrisons Daily surplus food bags align with shoppers’ sustainability values
- Refill options showcase a commitment to reduce packaging waste
- Local sourcing is another approach convenience stores can use to promote sustainability
- Local community involvement enhances your stores’ reputation and strengthens customer loyalty
- Graph 46: percentage of consumers whose convenience store choice is influenced by strong local community ties, by age group and household income, 2025
- Actionable ways convenience stores can engage with their local community
- Attitudes toward the shopping experience at convenience stores
- Convenience stores are a go-to for quick food items like breakfast or lunch
- 67% of shoppers are drawn to on-the-go food and most prefer in-store visits over rapid delivery services
- Graph 47: consumer attitudes toward the shopping experience at convenience stores, 2025
- Most see c-stores as the top pick for on-the-go food, but quicker refresh of lines could drive greater purchasing
- Graph 48: percentage of convenience store shoppers who consider convenience stores as their first choice for on-the-go food items like breakfasts and lunches, by age group, 2025
- Graph 49: percentage of convenience store shoppers who would be likely to buy food for on-the-go (eg breakfast items, lunch products) more often if the options changed more frequently, by age group, 2025
- Seasonal, limited-time meal options and meal deal combos are opportunities to showcase variety
- Convenience stores can be destinations for the next generation of vaping alternatives
- Rapid delivery attracts a younger demographic than in-store convenience shoppers
- Graph 50: percentage of convenience store shoppers who would prefer to use rapid delivery services (eg delivered within an hour) to get items from a convenience store than visit the store in person, 2025
- Additional opportunities to drive rapid delivery service adoption
- Co-op enhance on-demand grocery shopping experience with member benefits
- Minimising delivery driver disruption an opportunity to enhance the in-store experience
- “Community Connect Lockers”
- Tackling crime is key to retaining customers and keeping prices lower
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RETAILER ACTIVITY
- Leading retailers – key metrics and market share
- Tesco commands almost 30% of the convenience market
- Graph 51: leading convenience stores estimated market shares, %, 2024
- Sainsbury’s and Tesco revamp pricing in smaller stores to make convenience more affordable
- Co-op and Morrisons expand convenience store online delivery options
- Wholesalers’ delivery services apps a game changer for small stores
- Tesco convenience sees sales growth slow in 2024
- Leading retailers: sales
- Tesco plans on opening more than 150 new Express stores
- Sainsbury’s debuts revamped convenience format and first-ever airport store
- Amazon’s first new Fresh store in a year
- Asda stores conversion and Waitrose first new convenience store in six years
- Morrisons shutting Daily stores and M&S ramping up Simply Food store estate
- Co-op plans to open 75 new stores in 2025
- Nisa reimagine roadside convenience
- Leading retailers: outlets
- Leading retailers: sales-per-outlet
- Leading retailers: a note on revenues and market share
- Launch activity and innovation
- AI-powered loyalty app specifically for the convenience sector
- Amazon’s new small-grocery concept signals a shift toward faster, more seamless payment methods
- New ‘on-the-go’ concepts
- Co op launches innovative coffee drive-through
- UK’s first fully automated convenience store with no shelves, checkouts, or staff
- Convenience stores boost on-the-go choices with vending machines
- Self-serve sundae and waffle concept taps into several trends and consumer preferences
- Convenience store sector-first ‘vape vault’
- Advertising and marketing activity
- Supermarket advertising spend hits five-year peak in 2024
- Graph 52: total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure by supermarkets, 2020-24
- Tesco the top supermarket advertising spender and Co-op the largest pure convenience retailer advertising spender
- Tesco’s Meal Deal gets its very own campaign
- Co-op showcase better value for members and the key role of rapid delivery partners
- Co-op leveraging convenience shopper insight for smarter campaigns
- Asda relaunches Rollback in new price-cutting drive
- SPAR one-of-a-kind Christmas campaign
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APPENDIX
- Supplementary data – leading retailers
- Leading convenience store: market share
- 40% of supermarkets advertising spend is TV
- Graph 53: total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure by supermarkets, by media type, 2024
- Market forecast data and methodology
- Convenience stores – market size and forecast: underlying data
- Convenience stores – market forecast and prediction intervals: underlying data
- Forecast methodology
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations and terms
- Consumer research methodology
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
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