UK Convenience Store Statistics 2020

Insight into the UK convenience retail industry

Every year, the voice of local shops, the Association of Convenience Stores conduct research into the convenience retail industry to show how important convenience stores are to the UK economy. They provide a comprehensive view of the UK convenience sector, looking at where stores trade, their  contribution to the economy and the essential role the shops play in local communities.

The below infographic highlights some of the key statistics from the 2020 local shop report.

UK convenience stores in numbers:

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Key points from 2020’s Local Shop Report summary

The local shop report was carried out by the Association of Convenience Stores.

Key figures about convenience stores in the UK

• There are 46,955 convenience stores in mainland UK.
• 72% of convenience stores are independent
• Convenience stores add £10.1bn of Gross Added Value (GVA) to the economy

What other services do convenience stores offer

• 76% of convenience stores offer a bill payment service
• 49% of convenience stores offer free cash withdrawal
• 17% of convenience stores offer local grocery delivery

Who owns convenience stores in the UK?

Owners of convenience stores are aged:

• Under 30 – 14%
• 31-40 – 21%
• 41-50 – 26%
• 51-60 – 24%
• 60+ - 15%

Owners by gender:

• Male shop owners – 67%
• Female shop owners – 33%

Owners by ethnicity

• White British – 48%
• Asian or Asian British – 44%
• Other – 8%

How are convenience stores spread throughout the UK?

Here is how convenience stores are spread throughout the UK:

• Scotland – 5,025
• North East – 2,060
• Yorkshire/ Humber – 4,007
• East Midlands – 3,551
• Eastern – 3,981
• London – 5,845
• South East – 5,768
• South West – 4,133
• West Midlands – 4,487
• Wales – 2,967
• North West – 5,131

This brings the UK total to 46,955

What do convenience stores contribute to the economy?

In economic contributions, convenience stores bring:

• £10.1bn in GVA
• £8.9bn in tax contributions
• £585m worth of investments into their stores

These are the areas which convenience stores invested in (for those investing)::

• Refrigeration – 42%
• Internal building maintenance – 35%
• In-store lighting – 30%
• Shelving – 23%
• Store signage – 15%
• Air conditioning – 12%
• Crime prevention – 12%
• Till systems – 10%
• Freezer space – 8%
• Full store refits – 5%
• Internal building development – 5%
• Parking spaces – 5%
• Improving store access - 5%

Who keeps convenience stores running?

There are 412,000 people employed in convenience stores across the UK. Here are the people who work in the shops day-to-day:

Gender:

• Female – 66%
• Male – 34%

Age:

• 16-24 – 23%
• 25-60 – 65%
• 60+ - 12%

Job Satisfaction:

• 71% of workers are satisfied with their job.
• 70% feel valued by their employer.

Who are your customers?

The ACS’s research looked into the kind of customers who shop at convenience stores. Here is what the average convenience store customer looks like.

Gender:

• Female - 51%
• Male – 49%

Age:

• The average age of a customer is 48

Average basket size:

• 2.5 items

The average customer spends:

• £7.46

How often do customers visit convenience stores:

• Every day – 22%
• 5-6 days a week – 15%
• 3-4 times a week – 24%
• 1-2 times a week – 22%
• Less than once a week – 17%

The average custom visits a convenience store 3.7 times a week.

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We understand that no two shops are the same so whether you are looking for convenience store insurance, newsagents insurance, off licence insurance or grocers insurance, we’ll compare quotes from some of the UK’s most well-known insurance companies to find the right shop insurance for your business.