Talysis data welcomed by Scottish Grocers’ Federation
SCOTLAND’S convenience retailers are outperforming the rest of the UK, according to the latest Talysis data, which has been welcomed by the Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF).
The insight firm’s Convenience Q1 2026 report says Scottish c-stores saw 1.3% growth in value sales over 52 weeks year-on-year to 20 April, with most other UK regions experiencing slight declines.
SGF chief exec Pete Cheema said members had worked hard to adapt to changing shopping habits, offering more options such as food to go, local produce and extended opening hours to remain competitive.
Cheema said: “It’s welcome news that Scottish stores are outperforming other parts of the UK. Retailers have had to be incredibly resilient and not only because of higher supply chain costs and inflation.
“Scottish retailers are also dealing with a conveyor belt of restrictions and regulation from government, as well as soaring levels of crime and illicit trade.”
Overall, Talysis said, the channel stabilised in the first quarter of 2026 amid the challenges of ongoing inflation, regulatory changes and shifts in shopping habits. In fact, the latest report shows that short-term growth has returned. While Q1 ended down 0.2% versus 2025, value sales rose 0.3% in the four weeks to 20 April.
But Talysis warned medium and long-term trends remained negative, with value sales for the previous 52-week and 12-week periods showing declines of 0.5% and 0.6% respectively.
The report also shows shifts in shopper behaviour that present both challenges and opportunities for retailers.
Larger pack sizes and sharing options are more popular, especially in the confectionery and crisps & snacks categories, as consumers aim to maximise perceived value.
Countline confectionery declined 8.4% in volume during Q1 versus Q1 2025, despite value growth of 4.5%, while large bag formats increased 9.6% in value and volume. And in crisps & snacks, there was a 10.2% value growth in sharing sales with a decline of 0.8% in impulse.
The two strongest performing categories in Q1 were soft drinks and alcohol. Energy drinks really helped drive soft drinks sales up 6.1% in value and 1.6% in volume. RTDs increases of 33.9% value and 24.9% volume year on year contributed to overall alcohol rises of 5.6% value and 4.1% volume.
Ed Roberts, managing director of Talysis, said: “The convenience market is still facing challenges, despite short-term stabilisation.
“While there are some more positive signs recently, the overall performance is still weak and potentially masked by price inflation rather than real growth.
“Nevertheless, our advice still stands: maintaining focus on customer missions, high growth categories, agile implementation, and clarity in pricing are critical to future success.”
