In the past year, there was a year-over-year (YoY) increase in foot traffic and the number of unique customers in convenience stores—by 14.2% and 2.6%, respectively—as well as in hypermarkets, which saw growth of 7.1% and 2%. Conversely, supermarkets experienced YoY declines of 5.6% and 2.9%, while discount stores recorded drops of 1.8% and 1.9%.
Additionally, convenience store chains maintained the largest share of total visits to the analyzed retail formats, with 41.6% in 2024 compared to 40.6% in 2023. Hypermarkets had the smallest share in both years—6.3% in 2024 and 5.9% in 2023. Only these two retail formats saw an increase in shopping frequency YoY, while discount stores remained unchanged and supermarkets experienced a decline. These findings are part of an annual analysis of consumer behavior based on over 1.4 million shoppers across more than 38,000 retail locations.
Growth in Foot Traffic and Unique Shoppers
According to a report by the technology company Proxi.cloud on grocery stores, in 2024, foot traffic increased YoY in two retail formats: convenience stores (+14.2%) and hypermarkets (+7%). In contrast, supermarkets and discount stores saw a decrease in foot traffic by 5.6% and 1.8% YoY, respectively.
“The increase in foot traffic in convenience stores may have been driven by the expansion of this format. Their wide availability and extensive promotional campaigns encouraged visits. Given the results, it is highly likely that consumers focused on making larger but less frequent purchases in hypermarkets while using smaller stores closer to home for everyday needs,” explains Mateusz Nowak, co-author of the Proxi.cloud report.
The analysis also indicates that the number of unique customers (unique shoppers) increased YoY in convenience stores (+2.6%) and hypermarkets (+2%). However, supermarkets and discount stores experienced YoY declines of 3% and 2%, respectively.
“The explanations are similar to those regarding foot traffic changes. However, the growth or decline in the number of unique shoppers is not drastic. The report suggests that planning weekly shopping trips in stores with a broad assortment became more significant last year. Hypermarkets, known for their extensive product selection, benefited from this shift,” comments Weronika Piekarska from Proxi.cloud.
Market Share of Different Retail Formats
In 2024, the market share of different retail formats in total visits to analyzed stores saw slight changes. Convenience stores led with a 41.6% share (compared to 40.6% in the previous year), followed by discount stores at 32% (32.4% in 2023), supermarkets at 20% (21% in 2023), and hypermarkets at 6.3% (5.9% in 2023).
“The market share of each retail format is directly linked to foot traffic dynamics. The reasons behind these changes are similar, including the expansion of convenience store networks and shifts in shopping habits,” adds Mateusz Nowak.
Shopping Patterns and Cross-Visitation Trends
The report also identifies three strong shopping patterns:
- Shopping exclusively at convenience stores.
- Primarily shopping at hypermarkets while supplementing purchases at convenience stores.
- Mostly shopping at discount stores with occasional visits to convenience stores.
Cross-visitation data further supports these trends:
- 90.7% of typical discount store shoppers also visit convenience stores.
- 94.3% of hypermarket shoppers visit convenience stores.
- 92% of supermarket shoppers frequent convenience stores.
- 93.1% of hypermarket shoppers also visit discount stores.
- 88.5% of convenience store shoppers also buy from discount stores.
- 90.1% of supermarket shoppers visit discount stores as well.
Shopping Frequency and Duration
In 2024, the frequency of shopping visits increased YoY in convenience stores (from 9 to 10 visits per month) and hypermarkets (from 2.8 to 3). Discount stores remained unchanged at 7.1 visits per month, while supermarkets experienced a slight decline from 5.3 to 5.2 visits per month.
“The only noticeable difference occurred in convenience stores, likely due to their increased availability. However, this change may not have been felt evenly across all retail chains due to varying expansion rates,” explains Mateusz Nowak.
Weronika Piekarska adds that convenience stores now offer more attractive promotions, potentially driving higher visit frequency. “However, we cannot confirm whether this increase translated into higher revenue, as we do not have access to basket values,” she notes.
Average Visit Duration
The report also provides insights into how the average visit duration changed YoY in 2024:
- Supermarkets: Increased by 8 seconds (from 11 minutes and 17 seconds to 11 minutes and 25 seconds).
- Convenience stores: Decreased by 1 second (from 4 minutes and 9 seconds to 4 minutes and 8 seconds).
- Discount stores: Decreased by 6 seconds (from 14 minutes and 32 seconds to 14 minutes and 26 seconds).
- Hypermarkets: Decreased by 1.5 minutes (from 22 minutes and 38 seconds to 21 minutes and 8 seconds).
“The relatively stable visit durations across most formats suggest that Polish consumers’ shopping habits remain consistent. The slight decrease in hypermarkets may be attributed to better checkout efficiency and self-service kiosks, which reduce queue times, particularly for smaller purchases,” analyzes Mateusz Nowak.
Total Monthly Shopping Time Per Shopper
The analysis found that the total monthly time spent shopping per customer increased YoY in convenience stores (from 37 minutes to 41 minutes). In contrast, it remained unchanged in discount stores (1 hour and 43 minutes in both years) and declined slightly in supermarkets (from 59 minutes to 58 minutes) and hypermarkets (from 1 hour and 3 minutes to 1 hour and 2 minutes).
“There is no indication that consumers are significantly changing the time spent on shopping. Polish shoppers’ habits remain relatively stable. The only significant increase was seen in convenience stores, where an expanding assortment allows consumers to fulfill daily needs more efficiently,” concludes Weronika Piekarska from Proxi.cloud.
About the Study
The study was conducted by Proxi.cloud using data collected throughout the past year and 2023, excluding holidays and non-trading Sundays. The analysis covered consumer behavior in grocery discount stores, supermarkets, hypermarkets, and convenience store chains (a total of 25 retail networks). The sample size consisted of 1.4 million consumers across 38,200 retail locations, whose addresses were sourced from retailer websites and Google Maps.
A customer visit was recorded when a user entered a geofenced area and stayed within predefined time limits:
- Convenience stores: 30 seconds to 20 minutes
- Supermarkets: 1 to 90 minutes
- Discount stores: 1 minute to 2 hours
- Hypermarkets: 2 minutes to 2.5 hours
The data was collected through a network of mobile applications using Proxi.cloud’s proprietary geofencing technology, which passively records customer entries and exits within designated zones using mobile device location services. The technology ensures high accuracy (ranging from 2 to 20 meters, depending on the device’s location method), enabling precise tracking while filtering out external foot traffic and store employees.
