According to research by General Mills Convenience and Food Service there are four different types of convenience shoppers in the United States.
The first, ‘Breakfast Barons’, make up 22% of convenience store shoppers. They’re middle income and want to pick up hot breakfasts, baked goods, muesli bars and coffee from urban stores on their way to work.
The second, ‘Vice Squaders’, are after cigarettes, liquor and lottery tickets. Generally, older, late night shoppers, Vice Squaders make up 18% of convenience store customers and tend to spend their lower income at rural and regional convenience stores.
Third are the ‘Pit Stoppers’, which make up 38% of the customer base for convenience stores. They often stop in for the rest room, petrol and cool drinks and tend to visit residential stores on weekend afternoons while on-the-go.
Last, but not least, are the ‘Meals & More’ crowd. Young, hungry shoppers wanting hot meal alternatives and sweet or salty snacks, this segment make up 22% of convenience store shoppers and like to visit stores close to home.
The research was conducted in November 2014 by General Mills via an online survey that had 3,200 respondents aged 18-64.
Although the data comes out of the US, it’s interesting to consider the similarities and differences between the US and Australian markets. Perhaps, the same categories exist here, but show different habits in terms of when and where they shops.