C-STORE
iQ
NATIONAL SHOPPER C STUDY Maintaining an essential role in the post-pandemic lives of Canadian convenience shoppers B Y M I C H E L L E WA R R E N
onvenience store shoppers across Canada are emerging from the pandemic with new daily routines, spending habits and expectations for their local convenience stores. Understanding these changes is fundamental, as convenience store operators work to hold on to their status as an “essential” part of consumers’ everyday lives. The convenience of longer hours and daily routine adjustments due to the pandemic are the primary reasons cited for shopping at convenience stores today vs. before the pandemic, but moving forward, shoppers are focused on competitive prices, a wider variety of products and sustainability, according to insights from the new
C-store IQ: National Shopper Study from Convenience Store News Canada. C-store IQ debuted in January 2020—just before the pandemic upended everything—as the first convenience and gas specific study delving into the wants, needs, perspectives and habits of Canadian consumers. Working with the research team at EnsembleIQ, Convenience Store News Canada surveyed more than 1,000 convenience shoppers across the country, who shared their definitions of convenience and so much more in this comprehensive study. Now, C-store IQ is back, with a fresh survey designed to bring you the insights and data necessary to better understand customers and achieve business success in a post-pandemic world. This is a topline report, and we will be digging into the data throughout 2022, both in the magazine and online, analyzing consumers’ attitudes, habits and expectations regarding key categories, foodservice, technology, fuelling, loyalty and more. Whether you are interested in information by demographic, province, urban/rural, Convenience Store News Canada can crunch the data and find the answers.
Reasons shopping at convenience stores more today vs. before pandemic
The convenience of longer hours and daily routine adjustments due to the pandemic are the primary reasons cited for shopping at convenience stores today vs. before the pandemic. Contactless payment and pickup solutions are less of a driver, as well as foodservice items which may change as things open up. Convenience stores are open longer hours
48%
Changes in daily routine due to COVID-19 Convenience stores are one of the only stores open or available in my area
24%
Feel shopping at convenience stores is safe
22%
21%
Trying to consolidate or make fewer shopping trips overall Satisfied with the safety & sanitation measures implemented at my preferred c-store(s)
Shopping convenience stores more for foodservice items My preferred convenience store offers curbside or pumpside pickup
10
May | June 2022
|
Convenience Store News Canada
16%
15% 12% 8%
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
20%
Choosing to shop for groceries at a convenience store instead of a larger store My preferred convenience store offers contactless payment options
41%
CCentral.ca
