Heading Into 2025 With Optimism

I consider myself a largely optimistic person. I see the glass half full rather than half empty. A partly cloudy day can also easily be considered partly sunny. When beginning new endeavors, I tend to expect the best rather than prepare for the worst. 

Over the past few years, optimism unfortunately has been scarcer in the U.S. convenience store industry on account of issues such as inflation, lower foot traffic, staffing challenges, increasing operational costs and heightened cross-channel competition. 

The optimist in me is pleased to report, however, that the industry’s mood heading in 2025 is more upbeat. There’s hope that improved economic conditions will lower inflation and its impact, boosting disposable income among consumers, which will in turn increase foot traffic.

On a scale of one to five — where 1 represents “Terrible, wake me when it’s over” and 5 represents “It’s going to be our best year ever!” — nearly half of c-store retailers (49%) rate their expectations for 2025 at a 4 or 5. Only 7% give the new year a rating of 1 or 2, down 11 points from a year ago, according to the findings of the 2025 Convenience Store News Forecast Study. The industry’s distributors and suppliers are even more optimistic, with 52% rating their expectations at a 4 or 5 — and not even one choosing the lowest rating.  

The start of a new year is, of course, a popular time for reflecting on the outgoing year and setting resolutions for the incoming year. If you haven’t already compiled your list of New Year's resolutions for 2025, here are a few items I think should definitely be on it: 

• Expand and diversify your prepared food options because this category has the highest anticipated sales growth according to c-store retailers’ predictions.
• Capitalize on the growing demand for other tobacco products (OTP), the category with the second-highest anticipated sales growth, by increasing product variety and display area.
• Explore the potential of alternative snacks and other health-conscious food and beverage options to meet the increasing consumer demand for healthier choices.
• Respond to evolving consumer preferences by investing in delivery. Today’s younger generations especially are willing to pay a premium for convenience.
• Leverage technology and automation tools to improve operational efficiency and employee experience, which will translate into better retention rates and happier workers. 

I wish all our readers a happy and profitable 2025!