Nicotine products are highly valued when we shop in convenience stores and gas stations. This is shown by a new consumer survey from the industry organization Convenience Stores Sweden.
"More and more people are citing cigarettes and snus as their main reason for going to a convenience store. Remarkably, 41% are also interested in trying new nicotine products such as nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes." Convenience Stores Sweden News reports.
For the eleventh consecutive year, Convenience Stores Sweden has conducted the survey "Consumer Insight Report" - as a resource for members to assess demand and plan their activities. This year's report shows that the tobacco category is bigger than ever. Of all the product categories, it was the one that increased the most as a reason for visiting. Nearly 37% of customers cited this as a main reason, a 7% increase on previous years. And it is mainly snus that is the main reason.
"We get confirmation that snus is the largest product category here. We also see that it is mainly younger customers who choose to go to the gas station or convenience store to buy their snus" writes CSS News.
E-cigs in convenience stores attract
Disposable vapes, which only been in the range for a few years, now seem to have established themselves in the market. Among nicotine products, e-cigarettes, or 'vapes', stand out alongside white snus and nicotine pouches. These have proven to be products that attract more and more customers, CSS notes in its analysis. Nicotine pouches and e-cigs mainly attract people aged 18 to 29.
"These products stand out in terms of nicotine products in general. Interestingly, a full 41% of tobacco customers say they are willing or very willing to try a new nicotine product. There is a good chance that they will choose the convenience store to do so," writes CSS News.
Charging stations and playgrounds
Alongside nicotine products, freshness and convenience are high on the list of what attracts customers to smaller convenience stores. Charging stations adjacent to the facilities are appreciated by customers - but also playgrounds, cafés with indoor and outdoor seating, stood out among the responses of the 1500 people who responded to the survey.
Facts: Nicotine products in convenience stores (convenience stores, supermarkets, large and small food chains, supermarkets in Sweden)
Consumers Insight Report - 2023″
- 35% of respondents in the survey have had a "shopping mission" to buy snus and cigarettes. The proportion with this shopping mission has increased from 30 to 35 percent in recent years.
- Younger customer groups buy nicotine products to a greater extent than older ones. This is true for all product groups, but young people stand out mainly in the nicotine pouches/white snus and e-cigarettes/vapes segments, where the share is lower among older respondents.
- There is a general openness to trying new nicotine products, with 41% saying they are willing or very willing to try a new nicotine product.
- Supermarkets, gaming & tobacco shops and supermarkets are important channels for purchasing new nicotine products. The three most common channels for new nicotine products or flavors are, supermarkets (41%), gaming & tobacco shops (38%) and supermarkets (36%)
