Year-over-year (YOY) dollar sales in the convenience channel declined for CPG products for Q4 2024, a trend that continued for the entire year. However, the YOY decrease in Q4 was less pronounced than in Q3, suggesting potential stabilization. Multi-outlet+ (MULO+) outperformed convenience stores in many key categories, but convenience stores saw stronger performance in cigarettes for both Q4 and total 2024. This suggests retailers should assess assortment opportunities to capture demand as modern oral tobacco (tobacco-free nicotine products), continues to show strong growth.

Highlights:

• Trips per buyer to c-stores declined 4% YOY, but dollars per trip increased due to price-per-unit growth.

• Convenience outperformed MULO+ in cigarettes but underperformed in other tobacco (smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes, cigars, papers) for both Q4 and total 2024.

• Foodservice dollar sales at c-stores grew 3% YOY in Q4, outpacing quick-service restaurants (+2% YOY) despite a steeper decline in traffic (-2% vs. -1%).

• C-stores continued to show a YOY decrease in trips per buyer in Q4 2024.