"Much of the development is focused on the rejuvenated petrol forecourt, but are these and the high street Convenience store chains revitalising suburban shopping parades or merely hastening...their demise?"

Extract from this report

Having evolved significantly over the decade, the 'Convenience Store' market has never been so competitive and forward looking. The sector is facing a period of transition due partly to evolving shopping and lifestyle patterns and demographic trends as well as retailer-led incentives alongside industry trade alliance, acquisition and initiatives, with ATM and fast food becoming an integral part of many stores.

Using the widening definition of the term 'C-store', Convenience Retailing encompasses a broader range of retailers, concentrating primarily on multiple groups of convenience stores now including a proportion of forecourts. In identifying seven types of outlets which fulfil the amended criteria laid down by the Institute of Grocery Distribution and the Association of Convenience Retailing, the report independently assesses and examines the latest developments in this highly competitive market.

1998 was a difficult year for Convenience store retailers. In a market worth £15.5 billion a year, small average transaction sizes and limited store space hinder sales development. What is the way forward for the C-store retailer? From domination by the independent retailer, to a concentration of store numbers in the hands of multiple operators, Convenience Retailing examines what impact the newer formats and their developing product mixes are likely to have on the more traditional neighbourhood shops.

The report also includes a special market analysis and profile (with financial data) of nearly 40 major convenience retailers encompassing Specialist Convenience Store Chains such as Alldays and including the new Sainsbury Local, Convenience Stores operated by Symbol Groups and Wholesalers including Costcutter and Londis, Co-operative Society Owned Stores, Forecourt Convenience Stores and Off Licence based Stores building a corporate picture of the business.

In commenting that, "Sainsbury's Local may have only been open a few months, but it has taken forty years to get there", a rival forecourt Retail Manager is hinting within the report that even in the C-store sector it is branding that is all important. The report examines customer usage of convenience stores based on exclusive research sampling over 1,400 adults, over the age of 15. Issues such as what customers buy, how often and who they are and perhaps more importantly, what they think about the convenience store and want from it are analysed and compared to other previous exclusive research; monitoring changes from 1996-1999. What factors influence footfall€ What is the average spend€ What are the overriding social attitudes towards price and product mix€

Over the ten year period from 1993-2003, the number of households in the UK is projected to rise by nearly 10% with an increase in people working from home creating an extra localised demand for a variety of goods and services. However, the average household size is decreasing. How can the convenience store capitalise? This report will tell you how today's consumer uses convenience stores and how to make sure they continue to do so.