According to the annual survey released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics, Valentine’s Day spending is expected to reach $23.9 billion this year — up from $21.8 billion in 2021 and the second-highest year on record. “Following the historic level of consumer spending over the winter holidays, it appears that…
How Will Omicron Impact the Economy?
January’s National Retail Federation’s (NRF) Monthly Economic Review noted the economic effects of the COVID-19 omicron variant. The variant will bring uncertainty to the economy in 2022 and could contribute to inflation, but is unlikely to cause widespread shutdowns or slowdowns, NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said. “Even with the experience of the past two…
Tobacco Braces for 2022
Although 2021 may not have felt “normal” as COVID-19 continued to wreak havoc, key market indicators suggest the tobacco category settled back into more predictive patterns for convenience stores. C-store retailers are looking to tobacco’s Q4 performance and the regulatory landscape for clues on what to expect for tobacco in 2022. Cigarettes Whereas 2020 cigarette…
COVID-19 Reshaped Needs for Convenience and Health
Nearly two-thirds of US adults agree that the pandemic has made them reevaluate their life priorities, according to Mintel research on American values. In food and drink, U.S. adults say the pandemic caused the most change in where they eat, how they grocery shop and how they approach their diets. Many of these new habits…
Restaurant Holiday Gift Card Sales Jumped 43% in 2021
Digital guest experience platform Paytronix Systems Inc. released a preliminary analysis of restaurant holiday gift card sales, which suggests a return to normal for some brands and predicts a strong start to 2022. Early indicators show this season finishing slightly ahead of 2019, the last year before the pandemic; but when looking one step deeper, the data suggests…
Convenience Retailers Saw In-Store Sales Increase in 2021
Despite pandemic-related challenges throughout the year, two in three convenience retailers (66%) report that their in-store sales were higher in 2021 than in 2020, according to a NACS “Pulse” survey of its retailer members, and only one in six retailers (16%) say that in-store sales decreased in 2021. In 2020, in-store sales reached a record…
The 2022 Social Media Awards
CStore Decisions, for the 10th consecutive year, is recognizing convenience store chains standing out on social media. For the second year running, CStore Decisions partnered with Rival IQ to determine the c-store chains going above and beyond on social media. Rival IQ, which was recently acquired by global consumer and market intelligence company NetBase Quid,…
Enjoyment, Control on 2022 Consumer List
Mintel announced three trends set to impact global consumer markets in 2022. From technology that predicts the success of potential romances to brands tackling COVID-19 “survivor’s guilt” and eco-anxiety, this year’s trends include: In Control: In times of uncertainty, consumers crave a sense of control over their lives. Brands can deliver the information and options…
Annual Report Tracks 2021’s Top Delivery Trends
DoorDash’s recently released, third-annual Deep Dish Report checks in on popular food and other trends across the globe over the past year using DashPass and DoorDash order data. Notably, french fries came in at No. 1 on the top-ordered food list. DoorDash saw an increase in a variety of different fries, including cilantro lime fries…
Pandemic Brings New Opportunities for Cannabis
New data from market research company Brightfield Group confirms 2021 has been a positive year for the cannabis industry, with new U.S. states legalizing the substance, plus other countries across the world considering cannabis reform, from Mexico to Germany. Thanks to the industry’s growth and the effects of the pandemic, Brightfield Group is outlining opportunities…