Some 78% of convenience store operators in the US are ’optimistic about the industry’s prospects’ in the first quarter of 2017, according to a study by the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS).
This is a seven-point jump from a year ago. NACS also found that 79% of retailers are optimistic about the US economy, which is a 26-point jump from the last quarter.
The study also found that amongst fuel retailers, more than two thirds (68%) saw their fuel sales increase in 2016. Some 63% said that their foodservice sales increased.
One of the fastest growing areas, the study found, was that of heather food products such as nuts, bars and yoghurts, with 63% of retailers seeing a sales increase for said products.
“I truly think food will continue to be the trend in 2017—but it’s going to take ingenuity and creativity to continue to entice people to visit convenience stores for lunch and dinner,” commented one convenience retailer. “We’ll need to continually adapt to reflect trends and customer preferences—whether it's a new burger or a new healthy option.”
The quarterly NACS Retailer Sentiment Survey tracks retailer sentiment related to their businesses, the industry and the economy as a whole. A total of 81 member companies, representing a cumulative 4,052 stores, participated in the December 2016 survey.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
