Mars Chocolate is urging retailers to take advantage of a predicted increase in c-store trips by adjusting their product offering to shoppers’ changing demands. 

At its annual market review, Mars Chocolate claimed that 31% of shoppers were now using convenience stores on average four or more times a week, and this figure was expected to rise. It added that understanding shoppers was more important than ever if retailers were to fully benefi t from the custom.

Mars Chocolate president Fiona Dawson stated that certain products suited different people at particular times of day. “There will be moments when brands resonate with people more. For example, a 16-year-old boy might be hungry at 11am for a Mars bar, whereas a middle-aged woman might like a Twix with a cup of tea at 4pm.” 

Knowing how often a shopper visited your store, why they were there, and what they were buying were all factors that retailers needed to analyse so that they could adjust their product offerings accordingly, she said. 

Shopper marketing director Neil Reynolds added: “The more we can think about shoppers as individuals the better.”