UK Retail Research Suggest C-Stores Have Far Higher Retail Media Impacts Than Larger Supermarkets

February 25, 2025 by Dave Haynes

New research commissioned by UK-based c-store retailer Co-op suggests those smaller footprint environments deliver significantly higher impacts for brands than ads run in larger supermarkets.

The study, done for the Co-op Media Network (CMN) in partnership with Lumen Research, found ads placed in smaller convenience stores (around 2,000 sq. ft.) generated twice the visibility, triple the attention, and 4X the brand recall compared to campaigns in larger stores, defined as 14,000+ sq ft.

“Traditionally, in-store advertising has been viewed by media buyers as a pure sales activation tool that was great for last-minute promotions but not brand-building,” says Kenyatte Nelson, Chief Membership and Customer Officer at Co-op. “However, this evidence spotlights retail media, especially in a convenience setting, as one of the most powerful brand recall tools.”

The research used advanced eye-tracking technology to monitor shopper behavior in both small and large store formats, with faux shoppers wearing eye-tracking glasses while hunting for items for a barbecue meal. That mission required shoppers to navigate multiple departments, with the devices precisely recording what shoppers were viewing, where they looked and for how long. After completing their shopping journeys, participants were tested on brand recall and filled out brand choice surveys.

Co-op says it is thinking smaller store footprints, formats, and higher shopper visit frequency all contribute to ads naturally being seen and recalled by more people, more often. The mixed category aisles common in convenience stores also expose customers to more ads and brands more quickly.

Retail media was ranked in research as the second most effective channel for brand recall when compared to traditional advertising methods – outperforming out-of-home advertising, online banner ads, and social media campaigns.