HOUSTON -- Convenience-store visits remained stable, and total channel sales were up in the second calendar quarter of 2012 compared to same quarter a year ago, according to The NPD Group, a leading market research company. NPD’s convenience-store research finds that there were 2.2 billion visits to c-stores in the quarter, which was about the same traffic level as in Q2 2011, and aggregate channel sales were up 5.9% quarter-over-quarter.
Visits were up 2% at small and other c-store chains, but were down as much at major oil chain c-stores in the second quarter, according to NPD’s Convenience Store Monitor, which continually tracks the consumer purchasing behavior of more than 51,000 convenience-store shoppers in the United States. Traditional c-stores realized a 1% drop in visits, and traffic was flat at conventional convenience stores in the second quarter. Morning traffic to c-stores declined by 4.5%, mid-day traffic increased by 5.5%, and visits in the afternoon day-part grew by 1.9% in the second quarter.
“Stable is a good place for the c-store channel to be right now given the current state of the economy,” said David Portalatin, executive director of industry analysis for NPD’s convenience-store research. “Although the channel appears to be bucking hints of a double-dip recession, consumers are still evaluating purchases for value and necessity, and, as a result, c-store retailers and manufacturers will need to offer and promote value.”
The NPD Group, Houston, is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today, more than 2,000 manufacturers, retailers and service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national and local market levels.
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