【Circana】2024年第三季度美国便利店C-store市场格局报告

Circana Inspire: U.S. C-Store Landscapes Q3 2024 Summary

Executive Summary

• The convenience channel experienced a year-over-year (YOY) decline in dollar sales for the second consecutive quarter in Q3 2024, down by 2.4%.
• Multioutlet+ (MULO+) outperformed convenience in both dollar and unit sales, with MULO+ showing a +0.8% unit sales increase versus -5.4% for convenience.
• The dollar share of MULO+C for convenience dropped from 16.4% to 15.7%.
• Average monthly fuel volume per buyer declined by 3.5% YOY, from 56.9 to 54.9 gallons.
• Foodservice traffic at c-stores also declined YOY, while quick service restaurants (QSRs) saw modest growth.

Key Trends

• CPG Trends:

  • Convenience channel dollar sales declined 2.4% YOY, while MULO+ increased 2.4%.
  • Cigarettes, beer, and non-alcoholic packaged beverages saw negative YOY dollar sales.
  • Energy drinks gained share in the non-alcoholic beverage category, while carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) lost share.
  • Diet/zero calorie sodas increased in popularity, but regular calorie options remain the dominant choice.
  • Fountain drinks have increased their share of CSD servings, but still lag behind pre-pandemic levels.

• Foodservice Trends:

  • Dollar sales at c-stores remained stable, but traffic declined.
  • Fast casual QSRs outperformed total QSRs in traffic growth since Q3 2022.
  • C-stores outperformed QSRs at lunch, but underperformed in other dayparts.
  • Deals drove traffic for QSRs and traditional convenience stores, but not for food-forward c-stores.

• Fuel Trends:

  • Average monthly fuel volume per buyer decreased 3.5% YOY.
  • Gasoline prices declined 6.6% YOY, but increased 29% compared to 2019.
  • Miles driven increased slightly (+1.1% YOY).
  • Mass transit ridership in NYC reached 71% of pre-pandemic levels.
  • TSA throughput increased by 5.2% YTD in October 2024.
  • Buyer share for major fuel brands declined, while high-volume and traditional brands gained.

Opportunities for C-Store Retailers

• The convenience channel has the potential to capture a greater share of sales from the growing U.S. Hispanic demographic.
• Hispanic consumers spend less than 10% of their omnichannel dollars at c-stores, compared to 13% for all households.
• Strategies to attract Hispanic consumers include:
  • Offering family-friendly options (e.g., meals with more people).
  • Providing food & beverage deals that align with Hispanic preferences.
  • Enhancing assortment in treats and specialty beverage categories to compete with QSRs.

Outlook and Actions

• Consumer sentiment reached its highest level in five months, despite 2.3% food inflation in September 2024.
• C-stores must compete with QSRs, especially in treats and specialty beverages.
• The U.S. Hispanic population is expected to grow significantly, reaching 25% of the total population by 2060.
• Price increases continue to affect the channel, but assortment and customer mix will also influence YOY average price per unit changes.

Circana Solutions

• ReCount® identifies trends in store counts and helps understand which categories are growing.
• Complete Consumer™ Receipt Panel uncovers purchasing trends among Hispanic consumers across channels.
• Inflation Monitor diagnoses average price changes to determine whether they are due to true inflation, mix shifts, or assortment.
• CREST® tracks consumer visits to foodservice locations for market share analysis.
• Motor Fuels Index provides insights into motor fuel purchasing behavior through monthly surveys.

Conclusion

The convenience channel faces challenges in dollar and unit sales, fuel volume, and foodservice traffic in Q3 2024. However, there are opportunities to grow by better understanding Hispanic consumer behavior and adjusting assortment and pricing strategies. Circana offers a range of data and analytics tools to help retailers make informed decisions and improve performance.