The minimarket market - Italy

1.1 Introduction

The convenience store market includes those smaller stores that offer a variety of consumer products, mainly food but not limited to, with the aim of meeting the daily needs of consumers in urban and residential areas.

The history of convenience stores begins in the United States with 7 Eleven, the oldest convenience store chain, established in 1927 in Dallas. Over the years, its spread has been global, with a particular prominence in Japan, where convenience stores are known as"kombini," or convenience stores. They differ from supermarkets mainly in size (usually between 200 and 500 square meters versus 500 to 800 square meters for supermarkets) and in continuous opening hours. The main difference , however, remains the shopping: people go to the convenience store to buy one or two basic necessities, while at the supermarket they do more value shopping.[GDOItalian]

To be successful, a convenience store should focus on product quality, a good relationship with customers, and services such as home delivery or in-store pickup. the adoption of digital technologies for an effective online presence is also important. Opening a convenience store requires a strategic location, careful planning and market analysis, as well as investment in initial set-up and supplies. In terms of bureaucracy, there are a number of requirements to follow, including compliance with food sales regulations. Finally, opening a franchise convenience store can offer additional benefits such as the use of a recognized brand name and support from the parent company.[Infofranchising]

In recent years, the number of this type of stores has decreased a lot in Italy, the more than 56 thousand convenience stores in the territory in 2006 have now halved. [Istat]

The size of the global convenience store market is estimated to reach US $ 3.12 trillion by 2028 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6% from 2022 to 2028.[Researchandmarkets]

This study focuses mainly on the convenience store market in Italy. For details on related markets, such as supermarkets, discount food stores, or organic food stores, see the specific studies available in the Businesscoot catalog.