South Africans are frequenting petrol station convenience stores and spending more in the kiosks while buying less fuel than before.
This is according to data from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), which found that since April this year, year-on-year fuel volume sales are down, while convenience store sales volumes have jumped.
Stats SA’s April and May reports revealed a fascinating divergence. It found South Africans are pumping less fuel but are increasingly buying more food, coffee, and daily essentials at forecourts.
These purchases are officially defined as “Income from convenience store sales”, which specifically captures the income generated from quickshop and café sales at filling stations, including other sales and trading income.
In April, fuel volumes fell by 5.0% year-on-year, revised down from a preliminary estimate of 4.2%, while convenience store volumes jumped by 10.1% year-on-year, revised from a preliminary spike of 11.9%.
A month later, the trend continued, as real fuel volumes dropped even further, posting a sharp 8.6% year-on-year decline, as petrol station convenience store sales volumes grew 7.1% year-on-year.
When looking at nominal sales, including the rapid rise in petrol prices in recent months, the picture looks rather different.
In April, nominal fuel sales rose by 10.5% year-on-year, as convenience store sales grew by 13.4% year-on-year, while in May, fuel sales rose by 23.1%, and convenience store sales grew by 9.7%.
Statistics South Africa’s data points towards local motorists facing increased pressure from two sides.
Because of soaring fuel prices, they are spending significantly more money at the pumps but are actually taking home far fewer litres of fuel.
Alongside this surge, desperate motorists are cutting back on travel costs by driving less, but at the same time shifting their daily shopping habits.
This includes using filling station quickshops as high-margin, convenience-first neighbourhood grocery hubs.
South Africa’s petrol stations are becoming grocery stores
The role of petrol stations in South Africa is changing, with many forecourts rapidly expanding their services to include courier services and even licence disc renewals.
A recently published Forecourt Retail Report 2025/26, compiled by Trade Intelligence and Nedbank, found that 46% of visitors to a fuel station in South Africa are not buying fuel.
Many shoppers are instead shopping for other items, like barista coffee from in-house cafés, late-night convenience food or takeaways, grocery staples, and other daily essentials.
Earlier this year, TopAuto visited one of South Africa’s most luxurious petrol stations to witness this convenience first-hand.
The Pantry, located in Rosebank, Johannesburg, is far more than a standard petrol forecourt with a convenience store.
Instead, this Sasol-managed petrol station features eight pumps and two electric-car charging points, and what can only be described as a full grocery store, a bakery, and multiple fresh-food takeaway counters.
Upon entering the convenience store, visitors are offered a choice between a seemingly standard kiosk to the left and multiple takeaway counters to the right.
Walking through the “kiosk”, visitors will soon realise that they can do their month’s grocery shopping at this single store, including fresh food, frozen meals, and even toiletries.
Some shelves are packed with imported snacks and drinks, as well as upmarket products in what seems like a dedicated gifting section and expensive toys, including Lego sets and Pokémon cards.
Other shelves are lined with perfumes, candles, and soaps, while some even feature cocktail ingredients and imported Japanese food.
Leaving this area, visitors are led towards a bakery, fresh food counter, pizzeria and café, and even an ice cream parlour through aisles of fresh flowers and produce.
On the other side of the Pantry, visitors can buy ready-made fresh pastries, like cakes and croissants, order at a coffee counter and visit a takeaway section selling freshly prepared roast veg, burgers, pasta, and pizza.
Surprisingly for a petrol station, there is a wide variety of wines to choose from in the back corner, right next to an ice cream parlour.
The Pantry is not merely a takeaway convenience store, as patrons have ample seating both inside and outdoors to choose from.
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