We checked out what's NEW in Convenience Store retailing

Cameron Frith at GS1 NZ, explained the move from traditional barcodes to 2D barcodes (FYI the first ever barcode appeared on a packet of chewing gum 50 years ago - who knew? ).

The new system allows far more information to be captured — including expiry dates and batch numbers — opening the door for things like automatically discounting products nearing expiry or removing recalled products before they reach checkout.

The rollout will happen in stages, with dual barcodes and QR codes expected by September 2027 before eventually moving fully to 2D codes. There’s still a way to go, particularly for retailers needing scanner and software upgrades, but the capability behind the scenes is impressive.

Theo Foukkare, CEO of the Australian Association of Convenience Stores, shared global convenience trends and the key drivers behind Australia’s growth.

The clear takeaway? Beverage and foodservice are driving the future of convenience retail.

Within beverages, energy drinks and coffee continue to dominate. Interestingly, in some stores push-button coffee machines are outperforming barista coffee — and where both are offered together, total coffee sales are growing rather than the premium offer being diluted. Chilled coffee, both freshly made and prepackaged, is also continuing to drive category growth.

Freshly prepared hot food is increasingly becoming a destination driver, with customers expecting much broader ranges — salads, sandwiches, dim sum, samosas, hot chicken and more. In some cases, convenience stores are beginning to look more like QSRs with a grocery offer attached than traditional c-stores.

There’s also increasing crossover into supermarket and takeaway territory through ready-made meals, take-home desserts and share pack ice cream offerings — something we’re already seeing more of in NZ.

Healthier snacking and protein-led products continue to grow too, with jerky, biltong, nuts and protein bars all expanding shelf presence.

To thrive, retailers need to innovate, understand how their customers live, and create genuine destination value to drive loyalty and growth.

With that in mind, walking the expo floor afterwards was fascinating. There was no shortage of innovation — avocado chips, individually wrapped par-cooked samosas, caffeine-infused chocolates, snack packs combining crackers, salami and cheese, pancake-wrapped hot dogs, protein ice cream and plenty more besides.

Safe to say there was plenty of food for thought.