Bottle/can soda, frozen/slushy drinks and other tobacco products all increased purchase incidence by 0.7 percentage points compared to second quarter 2008, according to NPD's Convenience Store Monitor, which tracks the consumer purchasing behavior of more than 49,000 convenience-store shoppers in the United [image-nocss] States.
NPD's Convenience Store Monitor reports that in second quarter 2009 (April/May/June) vs. same quarter last year, beverage purchase incidence overall, with the exception of bottled water, increased, along with candy/gum, 0.4%; packaged sweet goods, 0.3%; other tobacco products (not cigarettes), 0.7%; and packaged sandwiches, 0.2%.
Categories posting purchase incidence declines in the second quarter compared to last year are cigarettes, -1.2%; bottled water, -0.8%; chips/pretzels, -0.6%; juice/juice drinks, -0.6%; milk, -0.5%; and beer, -0.2%. Gas purchase incidence at convenience stores also declined, with -2.6% fewer consumers than in second quarter 2008 reporting gas purchases on their most recent visit.
"With gasoline prices below last year's historic highs, many consumers are beginning to feel the freedom to pick up a single-serve beverage or a snack," said David Portalatin, industry analyst for NPD's auto unit. "In some cases, consumers may look at these items as an inexpensive meal replacement."
Based in Port Washington, N.Y., the NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. NPD helps its clients identify new business opportunities and guide product development, marketing, sales, merchandising, and other functions. Information is available for the following industry sectors: automotive, beauty, commercial technology, consumer technology, entertainment, fashion, food and beverage, foodservice, home, office supplies, software, sports, toys and wireless.
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