When over-the-counter medications and pain relievers sell more than eyeshadows and face creams, why should convenience store owners and operators incorporate makeup, skincare, and nail polishes into the limited space allocated for health and beauty aids (HBA)? While each business must make that determination, an overview of industry research might provide a convincing argument in…
How Can C-Stores Grow HBA Sales?
The health and beauty aids (HBA) category in convenience stores doesn’t fit neatly into traditional marketing and promotional packages like other c-store staples, despite heavy manufacturer advertising in print, on television and through social medial channels. It’s not like a loyalty program offering “buy 10 lip balms, get one free” will drive foot traffic. Sure,…
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Why Is the Health & Beauty Category Important to C-Stores?
The health and beauty category is one of the most diverse groupings of products on convenience store shelves today. Other categories have some common denominator. Snacks have themes like salty, crunchy or sweet. Tobacco products contain some form of nicotine. But items that fall under the umbrella of health and beauty aids (HBA) range from…
How Can C-Stores Drive HBA Sales?
Health and beauty aid (HBA) is a destination category, which means consumers coming into a c-store are looking for immediate relief. The key to maximizing sales is to have what consumers need — clearly and conveniently displayed, often in a single-use package. The category has taken a hit during the pandemic, as many people stayed…
What Trends Are Ahead for HBA in 2022?
For two years, COVID-19 dictated much of the direction for the health and beauty aids (HBA) category in the convenience store channel. Hygiene products dominated, with soap beating out all other product lines by a very healthy margin — cashing in nearly $2.8 million more in sales for 2020 than second place skin care, per…
How Did COVID-19 Impact the Health & Beauty Category at C-Stores?
Traditionally, unit sales within the health and beauty aid (HBA) category, which covers a variety of products from toothpaste to pain relief, from contraceptives to cosmetics, pale in comparison with alcohol, beverages, tobacco or snacks, but COVID-19 lifted those statistics for certain elements. As the reality of the global pandemic set in, people became much…
Sorting Out Health & Beauty
When consumers think of stopping at a convenience store, health and beauty aids (HBA) and personal care items probably don’t rank high on the list of reasons. At least, not until that customer finds herself with a headache and no pain reliever or forgets to put on deodorant that morning. That’s when this often-overlooked category…
Lil’ Drug Store Products Strengthens C-Store Presence
A year following its August 2020 acquisition of Mechanical Servants, dba Convenience Valet (CV), Lil’ Drug Store Products Inc. is poised to take full advantage of the combined strengths of the two companies in an economy that is fast recovering and bringing new life to the on-the-go marketplace, including travel, hospitality and convenience store retailers,…
Hand Sanitizers See Biggest HBA Growth
In 2020, the health and beauty aid (HBA) category struggled overall, but sales of hand sanitizers and masks helped compensate for category losses. In a year when people worked and attended school at home, and when social gatherings were discouraged, in-store sales of certain HBAs slacked off substantially, especially cosmetics. There simply weren’t as many…