Convenience-store and fuel shoppers are increasingly uncommitted, visiting more locations, comparing prices more frequently and shifting their spend based on value, convenience and budget pressure.
This news comes from Washington, D.C.-based Upside’s new Consumer Spend Report 2025, which analyzed more than 10 billion transactions and 11,000 survey responses.
The report also reveals that some of the investments retailers made to improve accessibility, from enhanced mobile ordering and payments to expanded loyalty programs, have unintentionally made it easier for customers to compare across competitors and switch with minimal friction.
“Convenience investments made it easier to meet customers where they were,” said Dr. Thomas Weinandy, principal economist at Upside. “But they also lowered the barriers to switching. In 2025, shoppers are spreading their spend with greater frequency—and fuel and c-store operators are feeling that volatility.”
3 fuel and c-store spending findings
There are three key fuel and c-store-specific findings from the report:
The first finding is that drivers are comparing their fuel options even more frequently. The average consumer now visits 2.6 different fuel stations per month (up 7% year over year) and 3.2 convenience stores per month (up 17% year over year). Plus, more than half of drivers compare fuel prices regularly, contributing to wider dispersion in weekly station choice.
Second, loyalty still matters, but engagement is uneven. While nearly all customers say loyalty rewards are important, only about half of fuel customers use loyalty programs consistently—highlighting a performance gap.
Third, the income gap is reshaping demand. Year over year, those with household incomes below $75,000 per year said they spent 18% less on fuel and 11% less at c-stores. Meanwhile, those with higher incomes reported spending 9% more on fuel and 52% more at c-stores. “There’s a dramatic split in demand patterns today, and higher spending from higher earners is masking a pullback,” the report said.
3 drivers of shopping behavior
Uncommitted behavior is driven by three major forces: price sensitivity, availability and competition, according to the report.
With price sensitivity, “Even small increases in prices can lead customers to reconsider where they buy, or whether they buy at all,” the report said.
Regarding availability, “When the pandemic compromised brick-and-mortar retail, businesses had to go digital to stay available,” according to the report. “It was effective, but an unintended consequence is that it’s now easier than ever to compare options and jump to competitors with just a few taps of a smartphone. Frequent online grocery shoppers, for example, now buy from three times as many stores as their in-store-only counterparts.”
Finally, with competition, “Consumers have more options than ever before, and the boundaries that previously defined retail categories are rapidly blurring. Convenience stores are quickly growing their fresh food offerings, and grocery stores see opportunities to win with grab-and-go meal options. More and more businesses are competing for a limited set of consumer dollars.”
Upside is a digital marketplace that connects customers with brick-and-mortar retailers. Customers can download the free Upside app to earn cash back from retailers ranging from Circle K to Taco Bell and more. Upside partners with more than 50,000 gas stations, c-stores, grocery stores and restaurants across all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.