TEMPLE, Texas — Convenience stores are bucking the national trend when it comes to cigarette sales, according to Greg Tradup, product director for cigarettes, tobacco, vape and CBD at McLane Co.
Pre-COVID-19 c-store cigarette sales were expected to decline 4 to 6% for the year. That was later revised to a 2 to 3.5% decline in cigarette carton sales, Tradup said during a webinar for the McLane National Tradeshow.
C-stores, though, have shown 1.4% declines in cigarette carton sales, according to the Temple, Texas c-store distributor’s carton data through August 2020.
“That just shows that consumers are going to c-stores to purchase cigarettes,” Tradup said.
Total nicotine use by trade class further shows that.
When comparing all trade classes, 58% of all nicotine sold is sold at a c-store, according to McLane’s data for the 52 weeks ending in the second quarter of 2020.
C-stores also make up 72% of overall nicotine volume sales amidst other trade classes, Tradup said, followed by all other trades at 9% and tobacco outlets at 8% share of volume.
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