One in 20 of convenience store orders are now on-demand, report finds

Delivery through a website, app or store currently accounts for 4 per cent of all convenience occasions, with a further 1 per cent coming from Click & Collect orders, a new report has found.

Significantly, convenience shoppers that use delivery have a 36 per cent bigger basket than the in-store shopper and spend 128 per cent more, according to the Lumina Intelligence UK Convenience Market Report 2021.

The average convenience store shopper that uses delivery purchases 4.5 items and spends £24.09 per trip. In comparison, the average in-store convenience store shopper buys 3.3 items and spends £10.56, the report has found.

“Convenience store delivery was already entering the market pre-pandemic, but the impact of the last 15 months has seen growth accelerate at an unprecedented rate. With delivery here to stay, retailers need to embrace this key growth channel,” Katie Prowse, senior insight manager at Lumina Intelligence, said.

Over half (52%) of all convenience store delivery orders are placed on Fridays (21%) and Saturdays (31%).  In comparison, just 37 per cent of all in-store convenience occasions take place on these days.

The report delivery is key to targeting younger shoppers as 65 per cent of convenience store delivery users are aged 18-34, whereas this demographic account for just 29 per cent of in-store shoppers.

“Delivery is key to broadening reach and demographic. Retailers should focus on the key areas that outperform through delivery, for example, shoppers using delivery are 100 per cent more likely to be purchasing for a daytime meal occasion or 500 per cent more likely to be purchasing a gift. Targeted messaging around key occasions and missions will help drive online footfall and boost sales,” Prowse added.

Unsurprisingly, Deliveroo and Uber Eats are the two delivery operators that have the highest brand awareness; however, three challenger brands – Snappy Shopper, Zapp and Gorillas, make up the top five.