Figures released today by international food and grocery expert IGD have revealed that the UK convenience store market has grown 6.1 per cent in value over the past 12 months, and is now worth an overall £29.1bn (€32.3bn).
The 'Evolution of Convenience Retailing' report, which was conducted in collaboration with William Reed Business Media, showed that the convenience sector has outpaced the UK grocery market in the past year and could be worth up to £39.7bn (€44.3bn) by 2014.
Market growth was attributed to a number of factors, including new format innovations by retailers, new product developments and wider food-to-go propositions.
Fresh food remains a growing category in the convenience market, the study said, now representing 30 per cent of total sales, while 49 per cent of customers interviewed said that they shopped in convenience outlets to make food or drink-to-go purchases.