Staying Current to Build Trips

A big part of winning shoppers into convenience stores for more food occasions is staying aware and serving emerging tastes and trends.

Driving Trips in the Convenience Channel, the newest study from the NACS Coca‑Cola Retailing Research Council, examines the many steps operators need to take to make their stores a destination for meals as well as fuel and small shopping trips. The report also highlights the impact of one of today’s biggest consumer trends: the rapidly growing use of GLP-1 medications.

These new drugs, originally created to help diabetics and now widely used for weight loss, have quickly grown consumer awareness and trial. Estimates are that more than 12 percent of Americans use these drugs and the numbers keep growing.

As the council study highlights, GLP-1 consumers are looking for different items when shopping for a quick meal. The percentage of GLP-1 users looking for and buying healthy snacks is substantially higher than the general population.

In addition, all shoppers are focused on high protein foods. Convenience store operators need to understand and serve these needs in order to win new sales and customer loyalty.

The new study, which can be downloaded for free, also includes a tool to help operators customize the findings for their own market area and shoppers.