Lower Gas Leads to More Snacks

Convenience stores benefit from lower gas prices with more sales on in-store merchandise.

February 12, 2015

DALLAS – As consumers enjoyed lower gas prices for the second half of 2014, many convenience store operators also benefited from more customer traffic inside their stores.

“We are seeing an uptick in sales,” Margaret Chabris, director of communications for 7-Eleven, told the Dallas Morning News. “Gas sales, in-store sales and customer counts are up.”

Chabris attributes the sales increase to 7-Eleven’s focus on fresh foods, healthier options and private-label merchandise. “But we also believe that customers have more money in their pockets to spend with the lower price of gasoline,” she told the news source, adding that 80% of 7-Eleven’s customers buy something to eat and drink. “Our private-brand products and pizza sales are on fire.”

Convenience store customers “go inside to get a beverage … whether it’s for a cup of coffee or a fountain drink,” NACS spokesman Jeff Lenard told the news source. “And while there … they'll say ‘I'll get a snack’ also. It's the beverage sales that you see mostly increasing and the other items increase because of the beverage sales.”

Lenard added that convenience stores sell 80% of the gas sold in the United States and the average store conducts more than 1,000 transactions per day.

While seeing lower gas prices posted at the pump may not make a customer more hungry or thirsty, it does give them incentive, or “permission,” to go inside the store and buy something to eat or drink, noted Lenard.

“It makes the economy better when you don’t have to worry about gas prices being so ridiculous,” one Dallas resident told the news source. “It allows you to get snacks when you’re hungry. …Now you can get maybe $7 [of gas] and pick up some beef jerky or a Snickers or something.”

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement