Stay ahead of the curve in the convenience stores market with Mintel’s UK Convenience Stores Market Report 2024. The full report is packed with consumer-led market intelligence, the latest trends and consumer behaviours affecting your industry, alongside data-driven recommendations. Get a 360° view of the UK convenience store market including key retailer activity and consumer insights.
Key Issues Covered in this Report
- The impact of the cost-of-living crisis on the convenience sector.
- Market size and forecast for the convenience store sector for the next five years.
- Consumer use of convenience stores, including missions completed within convenience stores.
- Shopper use of convenience retailers as well as market share and key metrics.
- Consumer interest and development of own-label ranges within convenience stores.
- The impact of online and rapid delivery services on the convenience sector.
- How technology can enhance the convenience store shopping experience.
UK Convenience Store Market Overview
Inflation and a need for value have seen consumers reduce their grocery spending or trade down, with overall grocery volume sales in decline throughout 2023. This environment has placed pressure on the convenience sector, perceived as having higher prices, prompting a focus on value communication and own-label ranges by leading convenience players to alleviate price concerns and support shoppers.
- UK convenience store market size: Despite volume sales decline, the market has been buoyed by inflation and grew by an estimated 5.3% in 2023.
- UK convenience store market share: Tesco is estimated to account for almost 30% of the UK convenience sector.
As more convenience stores invest in own-label ranges, they are positioned to develop consumer loyalty by catering their ranges to support greater quality demands and health and wellness concerns. In particular, nutritionally complete meal solutions will hold strong appeal for busy consumers for whom convenience is a rising priority.
This is just a snapshot of the UK convenience store market, purchase Mintel’s full report for a complete overview, including analysis from a retail industry expert.
Meet The Expert
This report is written by Bridget McCusker. Bridget joined Mintel in October 2022 as a Research Analyst covering Retail focusing on home. Originally from Boston, US, Bridget holds a BSc in International Trade & Marketing for the Fashion Industries from the Fashion Institute of Technology. She relocated to London in 2021 to pursue her MSc in Global Affairs at King’s College London.
The convenience sector should invest in and promote its unique multi-mission position within the market, amidst continued pressure from discounters and online.
Bridget McCusker
Research Analyst
Collapse All
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- Key issues covered in this Report
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Executive Summary
- Opportunities for the convenience sector
- Market dynamics and outlook
- Graph 1: convenience store sector market size, 2019-23
- What consumers want and why
- Graph 2: items typically bought from convenience stores, 2020-24
- Graph 3: frequency of convenience store visits, 2020-24
- Graph 4: services used at convenience stores, 2022-24
- Graph 5: usage of convenience stores for food-for-the-home, 2020-24
- Graph 6: usage of convenience stores for food on-the-go, 2020-24
- Graph 7: retailers regularly used by convenience store shoppers, 2022-24
- Graph 8: attitudes toward own-label ranges at convenience stores, 2024
- Graph 9: attitudes towards shopping at convenience stores, 2024
- Retailer activity
- Graph 10: leading convenience stores, estimated market shares, 2024
- Graph 11: select convenience retailers, brand awareness, 2024
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Market Dynamics
- Market size
- Graph 12: convenience store market size (excl VAT), 2019-23
- Market forecast
- Macro-economic factors
- Graph 13: GDP, 2021-23
- Graph 14: CPI inflation rate, 2021-24
- Graph 15: issues affecting consumers over the last two months, 2024
- Graph 16: the financial wellbeing index, 2016-23
- Graph 17: the financial confidence index, 2016-23
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What Consumers Want and Why
- Convenience store shoppers
- Graph 18: items typically bought from convenience stores, 2020-24
- Graph 19: items purchased from convenience stores, by age and income, 2024
- Graph 20: e-cigarette/vaping products purchasing from convenience stores, by age group, 2023-24
- Frequency of convenience store use
- Graph 21: frequency of convenience store visits, 2020-24
- Graph 22: frequency of convenience store visits, by financial situation, 2024
- Services used in convenience stores
- Graph 23: services used at convenience stores, 2022-24
- In-home food purchasing at convenience stores
- Graph 24: usage of convenience stores for food for the home, 2020-24
- Graph 25: purchasing of fresh food-for-home items by income group, 2024
- Graph 26: purchasing of fresh food-for-home items by income group, 2023
- Graph 27: usage of convenience stores for food for the home, by home ownership, 2024
- On-the-go food purchasing at convenience stores
- Graph 28: usage of convenience stores for food to go, 2020-24
- Graph 29: food-to-go categories purchased from, 2024
- Graph 30: food-to-go categories purchased from, by age, 2024
- Convenience retailers shopped with
- Graph 31: stores used by regular convenience store shoppers, 2022-24
- Graph 32: profile of shoppers at leading convenience stores, by age and income, 2024
- Graph 33: repertoire of convenience stores typically used, by children in the home, 2024
- Interest in own-label ranges at convenience stores
- Graph 34: interest in premium meal-for-tonight ranges in convenience stores that support consumers’ health/dietary needs, by income group , 2024
- Attitudes toward the shopping experience at convenience stores
- Graph 35: behaviours towards the shopping experience at convenience stores, 2024
- Graph 36: behaviours towards sustainability at convenience stores, 2024
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Retailer Activity
- Leading retailers – key metrics and market share
- Graph 37: leading convenience stores, estimated market shares, 2024
- Launch activity and innovation
- Advertising and marketing activity
- Graph 38: total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure by UK supermarket and convenience store operators, 2019-23
- Graph 39: recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail total advertising expenditure by supermarket and convenience store operators, by media type, 2024
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Brand Research
- Graph 40: select convenience retailers, brand awareness, 2024
- Graph 41: attitudes and usage of leading convenience retailers, 2024
- Graph 42: leading convenience retailers, expereince and intention to recommend, 2024
- Graph 43: attitudes to select convenience stores, 2024
- Graph 44: leading convenience stores, macro brand image, 2024
- Graph 45: leading convenience retailers, macro brand image, 2024
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Appendix
- Supplementary data: leading retailers
- Market forecast data and methodology
- Report scope and definitions
- Methodology
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