Over the past 20 years, in-store sales at convenience stores have increased 152%, defying the slowdown seen in many other retail channels. As we look back on 2020, we know that in-store sales continued to grow—despite a decline in fuel demand, significant pandemic-related restrictions on foodservice and operations and the rapid growth of online sales.

What propelled convenience store sales in 2020, and what will affect sales in 2021 as we see the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel? Answers to those kinds of questions have always been revealed at the annual NACS State of the Industry Summit, held every April. This year’s event brought two significant changes:

 

Due to the pandemic, the event’s 635 attendees gathered virtually.

And, for the first time in nearly two decades, NACS State of the Industry (SOI) data became available only from NACS.

 

SOI data is not found anywhere other than at the State of the Industry event, the NACS SOI Report and the pages of this issue of NACS Magazine.

The following pages deliver industry and category performance data about a critical year to help you navigate the post-pandemic marketplace. We’re also sharing newly available shopper insights from our Convenience Voices panel to help shed light on the new c-store consumer.

Use these pages—and the recently released NACS State of the Industry Report of 2020 Data—to compare your financial performance against the industry and to help you make data-driven decisions and improve the profitability of your business. This year, understanding industry strengths—and your opportunities—is more valuable than ever.