Market Briefing
October 2010
PURCHASE FREQUENCY In many cases, foodservice drives convenience-store visits. Of those consumers who visit convenience stores at least once every six months, nearly half (47%) indicate that they visit these locations for foodservice purchases at least once a week. Within this group, about a quarter (24%) visit two to three times each week and 8% visit daily for foodservice items. Convenience stores are not top of mind, however, for many consumers as a place to source meals or snacks. About a fifth of consumers polled (18%) report that they rarely or never visit convenience stores specifically to purchase items from the foodservice area. Because Technomic wanted to gauge the usage and preferences of consumers who purchase foodservice items from convenience stores, these consumers were disqualified from the survey after this point.
Frequency of Foodservice-Specific Visits to Convenience Stores 24% 18% 15%
13%
8%
Every day 2-3 times per week
Once a week
13%
10%
2-3 times per month
Once a month
Once every Every 6 2-5 months months or less often
Base: 2,261 consumers aged 18+; base includes some terminated respondents Total does not = 100% due to rounding
SHARE OF CONVENIENCE-STORE PURCHASES Technomic asked consumers to estimate what percentage of all foodservice items typically purchased at convenience stores are for breakfast, lunch, dinner and for snacks. The results reiterate the extent to which convenience stores are primarily visited for snacks rather than for meals. Consumers say that about 48% of the items they purchase at convenience stores are intended as snacks. About a quarter (23%) of the prepared food and beverages consumers purchase at convenience stores are for breakfast and a fifth (20%) are for lunch. Showing foodservice purchases by daypart also reinforces how low patronage is at dinner in comparison to other occasions. Only about 10% of consumers’ total conveniencestore foodservice purchases are for dinner.
Snacks are the Most Popular Meal Part Purchased at Convenience Stores
Breakfast 23% Snacks 48%
Lunch 20% Dinner 10%
Base: 1,500 consumers aged 18+ Note: mean values shown Total does not = 100% due to rounding
CONSUMPTION DYNAMICS: FOOD A large proportion of the food that consumers order at convenience stores is eaten in the car or en route to someplace. Options purchased for breakfast are most likely to be consumed in the car (72%), while walking or biking (26%) or on public transportation (21%). Although lunch from a convenience store is primarily eaten in the car (55%) or at work (49%), two-fifths of consumers polled (40%) take items to eat at home or someone else’s house.
7
© 2010 American Express MarketBriefing