NEW YORK -- Beer, energy-drink and even carbonated-soft-drink (CSD) sales saw a turn around in convenience stores this spring, according to the latest four-week transaction data from Nielsen.
"Overall, c-store sales growth was broadly positive with strength in energy together with improvements in cigarettes and CSDs," wrote Bonnie Herzog, managing director of consumer equity research for New York-based Wells Fargo in reporting the new data. "This is encouraging given gas prices have been on the rise recently."
Here's a breakdown of the major segments ...
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
During the four week period ending May 19, energy-drink dollar sales increased 6.8%, a welcome bump over a 12-week sales increase of 2.8% and 52-week growth of 3.3%. Unit sales in c-stores grew 7.3% during the four-week period, suggesting growing discounting and deal activity in the category. All-channel data shows dollar sales up 7.0% and unit sales up 7.9%, slightly outpacing c-stores.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
In the beer category, dollar sales were up 4.1% and unit sales up 2.7% in c-stores during the four-week period. This compares to 1.4% dollar growth over 12 weeks and an increase of only 0.4% for 52 weeks.
Beer sales in all channels of retail were up 3.6% in dollars and 1.9% in units during the four-week period.
Photo courtesy of splendens.
CSD dollar sales, meanwhile, were generally flat in c-stores at 0.2% growth over the four-week period. This compares to 3.0% growth in all channels of retail. Still, that's a welcome turnaround from a 2.3% decline in c-stores over 12 weeks and a 3.4% drop during 52 weeks. CSD unit sales were down 1.5% during the past month, compared to a decline of 5.8% during the past year.
Coca-Cola Co. drove the most growth in c-stores with dollar sales up 2.7% during the four-week period. Dr Pepper Snapple Group saw growth of 1.4%, and Pepsico CSD sales dipped 1.5%, according to the data.
Photo courtesy of spawns.
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