Convenience shopping is a global trend that is present and growing in countries across the world, according to HIM International’s first study of global shopper preferences.

The study, which interviewed 10,000 shoppers in 10 different territories including France, Germany, Russia, South Africa and Japan, found that 80% of the adult population makes top-up shopping visits to local stores, visiting them nearly three times a week on average. When shoppers were asked if they were making these trips more frequently than a couple of years ago, 25% said yes.

Lifestyles are a major driver of this behaviour, with a third of adults now working more than 40 hours per week, according to the study. It also examines attitudes to pricing, promotions, customer service and loyalty across the world, and teases out significant differences between particular markets. For example, 71% of shoppers in Taiwan regularly buy food to go from c-stores, compared to just 10% in Germany.

HIM International director Tom Fender said: “Convenience is the fastest-growing physical retail format in Europe and the world and has been for some time, yet a lot of very big businesses have only just started to focus on the shopper. Generally the relationship between supplier and retailer has been purely transactional, but by using data they can move onto a more strategic relationship based on selling more merchandise, rather than just selling space.”

The initial findings of the international convenience shopper study will be unveiled tomorrow at a free event at Sway, central London, starting at 2.30pm. For more information click here