Lollies more popular than meat pies

A new study shows chocolates and lollies have beaten the humble meat pie as Australia's snack food of choice.

BIS Shrapnel's Foodservice looked at items bought at convenience stores, service stations, corner stores, milk bars, delis, cinemas, video stores and newsagents.

It found a dramatic 19 per cent jump in demand for chocolates and lollies from 2010 despite the global financial crisis cutting impulse buying.

The meat pie suffered a 9 per cent drop in market value over two years, while bakery products, ice cream and other snack foods also took a hit.

"Chocolate is quick to buy and eat, whereas meat pies are more of a lunch item," BIS Foodservice head Sissel Rosengren said in a statement.

"It’s also much easier to eat a chocolate bar. A meat pie can be a struggle to eat when you’re on the run, for instance."

The researchers found most people also bought a drink from those outlets, making up 60 per cent of market value.

The study also found service stations with internal shops are killing off the old-fashioned corner store.

It found that since 2010, there has been a 10 per cent jump in the number of service stations with internal convenience stores.

Independent convenience stores suffered a sharp drop in shop numbers and now make up just 12 per cent of the total market.

In 2007, it was 20 per cent.

"We continue to see the decline in the number of independent convenience stores – the demise of the corner store is a fact," Ms Rosengren said.

"We fully expect this decline to continue due mainly to the rise in number of supermarkets and convenience stores attached to service stations."

Source: ABC News, 3 April 2013