The convenience channel saw the impact of the post-festive lull as average spend dipped towards the end of the first quarter of 2026.
According to the latest Lumina Intelligence Convenience Tracking Programme which covered the 13 weeks to 29 March 2026, channel penetration remained resilient through Q1, but average spend softened towards the end of the quarter as shoppers became more mindful post‑festivities. The research found that trips remained frequent yet older and value‑seeking shoppers increasingly constrained baskets, prioritising control over discretionary spend.
The Convenience Tracking Programme also highlighted how shoppers blended immediate consumption with planned in‑home needs, underpinning strength in food‑to‑go and soft drinks, and how event-led missions such as Mother’s Day supported treat spend, while Symbols & Independents benefited from a shift towards in‑store missions over delivery to manage costs.
However, shopper behaviour has shifted away from spontaneity to selectivity. It found that impulse purchasing, promotional uptake and PMP participation all declined year‑on‑year, due to a more deliberate approach to convenience shopping. This resulted in retailers having to lean into event‑based merchandising, front‑of‑store theatre and value messaging, targeting considered trade‑up rather than spontaneous add‑on behaviour.
From a promotions point of view, bread was the category that saw the biggest decline of promotional activity while crisps & snacks, soft drinks and chilled foods saw the biggest growth.
Another trend highlighted by the research was move towards healthy eating. It identified how “health continues to gain traction across the UK, with shoppers prioritising improvement over restriction when it comes to their diets” and how retailers tapped into this momentum by targeting shoppers using or influenced by weight-loss treatments, positioning health as a New Year resolution opportunity and launching new ranges positioned as ‘GLP-1 friendly’ or designed for ‘smaller appetites’.
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