Coke Solutions
Consumer Trends

How Future Consumption Beverage Shoppers Impact C-Stores

Help this important shopper fill up between grocery store visits

How do you capitalize on every convenience store visit? Know your shoppers – and how you can help them with their purchases. Let’s look at the future consumption (FC) beverage shopper.

Who is the FC Beverage Shopper?
According to The Coca-Cola Company Knowledge & Insights iSHOP Tracking Study, compared to the average c-store visitor, the future consumption beverage shopper is more likely to be a younger, married Hispanic male. This shopper comes from a larger household – for which he’s the primary grocery shopper – and tends to prepare for the trip to the convenience store with a shopping app.

A Typical Beverage Shopping Trip
In addition to purchasing 2-liter bottles or 12-packs of beverages, this important shopper is likely to do the following:

• Shop in the afternoon or evening, Thursday through Sunday
• Spend six or more minutes in the store
• Buy three or more items for a total basket value of over $10
• Look for ready-to-eat and fill-in foods, plus chips, and cigarettes

How to Market to the Future Consumption Beverage Shopper
How can retailers leverage this knowledge to drive additional sales? The most important takeaway is that the future beverage consumption shopper uses convenience stores to fill in the gaps between grocery visits.

So consider a “store within a store” that meets the needs of the FC beverage shopper. While a grab-and-go section appeals to the traditional convenience retail shopper on a quick trip, a mini market filled with fresh, healthy, and more premium offerings could help the FC beverage shopper with those fill-in trips. And don’t forget to merchandise the salty snacks near the 2-liter bottles. The future consumption shopper is likely to buy snacks and drinks together.

Published: October 16, 2016