Nielsen data to w/e 13/06/2026 and Lumina data to w/e 21/06/2026 show a market that’s still growing in value, but not evenly. Convenience stores are doing well, symbols and independents have slipped, and forecourts are showing signs of stabilising after a tough run.
Total Market: Growth, but Narrow
Value is up 2.5% over the last four weeks, though volume (the actual number of items sold) is barely moving, up just 0.1%. Nearly every part of the category is growing except multipacks and nuts. Sharing bags are doing most of the work, take those out and the growth story looks much thinner.
Convenience: Carrying the Market
Convenience stores are the strongest performer, with value up 3.7% in the last four weeks. But volume is down 1.3% year on year, meaning shoppers are spending more while buying less. Growth is coming from price-marked packs (products with the price printed on them) and large sharing bags, Pringles, Hula Hoops, Wotsits, Tyrrells and own-label are leading the way. Multipacks are the one area in decline.
Shopper data backs this up: fewer people are visiting, visiting less often, and spending less per trip. Category value is only holding up because of price and product mix, not because more people are buying.
Independents & Symbols: Losing Ground
This channel has turned negative, down 0.3% in value and 7.0% in volume over the last four weeks. Price-marked packs and standard sharing bags, previously reliable growth drivers, have slowed. Single packs are now actively dragging performance down.
Interestingly, more shoppers are visiting, and visiting more often, but they’re spending slightly less per trip. So, footfall is improving, but it isn’t yet translating into more sales.
Forecourts: A Small Improvement
Forecourts remain in decline but by less than before. Value down 0.5% and volume down 3.8% in the last four weeks. Restrictions on how HFSS (high in fat, salt or sugar) products can be displayed and promoted are still limiting sales, especially of single packs. With multibuy deals no longer allowed, shoppers are shifting towards price-marked packs and sharing bags instead.
