Forecourt retailers have been urged to capitalise on their food to go offer and evening meal solutions to win back shoppers as footfall declines, according to new research by Lumina Intelligence.
Speaking at the Forecourt Trader Summit, Lumina Intelligence insight manager Megan Thresher highlighted how the forecourt channel had seen a 17% decrease in visit frequency over the past year.
It had been driven by a consumer shift towards supermarkets and discounters for larger planned shops amid the cost-of- living crisis, as well as shoppers reducing the amount they travel by car as fuel prices boomed.
However, food to go remains a core mission at forecourts, with the channel now accounting for almost a fifth all food-to-go occasions, highlighting the opportunity to champion an offer “that goes beyond fuel”.
“Shoppers are increasingly savvy as the cost of living rises, so they’re looking for low-cost options while they’re on the go to deliver value,” said Thresher.
“So capitalising on food-to-go opportunities can really help forecourts manage the cost-of-living crisis and target shoppers through meeting their needs.”
Snacks and instant consumption goods, in particular, are driving sales in food to go, up five and six per cent points respectively. This is opposed to adult lunches that have dropped five percentage points year on year, which explains why forecourts are seeing most growth in early to mid-morning time for food to go.
“There is a real opportunity to target shoppers outside lunch with breakfast and mid-morning snack options,” said Thresher.
Driving a focus on evening meal solutions is important for forecourt retailers too, added Thresher. These missions are in growth again across forecourts, up 1.7pp in the four weeks to February 5, and is in overtrade compared to the convenience channel.
“We’re seeing a growing importance in brand, packaging design, and quality, among shoppers who are purchasing meal-for- tonight solutions, and this represents a shift towards premiumisation in forecourts,” said Thresher.
“And although we have seen a proportion of customers compromising on quality and brand because of price, many shoppers have recently traded down from eating out of home as a result of tightened income because of the cost-of-living crisis. Therefore, they are looking for these premium, high-quality, dine-at-home options to really try and replicate the eating-out experience.
“Offering premium meal-for-tonight options can encourage shoppers to trade up and it’s a great way to deliver value beyond just price.”
No comments yet