Convenience stores in Thailand - statistics & facts
All the hot pressed sandwiches, made-to-order omelets served on top of Jasmine rice, and Thai or Western ready-to-eat meals you could imagine are served in 7-Eleven stores in Thailand. As of 2023, 7-Eleven and other leading convenience chains comprised the majority of Thailand’s retail outlets. Moreover, trying food from 7-Eleven has become one of the tourists highlights when visiting Thailand. However, who is behind the success of the 7-Eleven chain in Thailand, and how are other players in the business faring?
As 7-Eleven in Thailand is greater in number compared to other chains, CP All has economies of scale as well as negotiation power when it comes to product assortment. The company can choose specific products and restrict its partners from shelving these products elsewhere. Moreover, despite the possibility of paying utility and insurance bills in 7-Eleven shops, PromptPay QR payment is not accepted. The main types of payment accepted are cash, debit or credit card (when the minimum order amount is reached), and TrueMoney Wallet. As of May 2023, TrueMoney, also run by CP Group, had the highest market share of e-wallets in Thailand. A 'life on the go' lifestyle is common among Thailand's younger generations; thus, convenience has become the key to the heart of Thai consumers.
The leading convenience store chains in Thailand
On every corner of Bangkok, there is a convenience store. Among the leading chains, 7-Eleven dominates the convenience store market in Thailand with the highest number of branches. Moreover, when compared to Japan and South Korea, the countries that spearhead in terms of the total number of 7-Eleven stores, Thailand has the highest number of 7-Eleven stores by population ratio. The most popular products sold in Thailand’s 7-Eleven outlets are food. While 7-Eleven launched its first store in Bangkok before spreading through the country, several local convenience chains such as CJ More started in other provinces before expanding into Bangkok. On the other hand, Tops Daily shops are part of stores operated under Central Group, another Thai conglomerate that is a central player in the large-scale retail segment. In 2023, the group closed all their FamilyMart stores and changed them to Tops Daily. Meanwhile, Lawson 108, a Japanese inspired convenience store chain, is famous for its Oden (Japanese fishcake stew), made-to-order meals, and desserts. Unlike in the U.S., convenience stores in gas stations in Thailand are operated separately, as the gas stations rent out the space.Who owns and operates 7-Eleven in Thailand?
CP ALL PCL reserved the rights to the 7-Eleven trademark in Thailand under the Charoen Pokphand Group, a conglomerate with eight business lines covering a range from animal feed to food production and telecommunication. The group also operates the second leading convenience chain by number, Lotus’s go fresh, which operates under another subsidiary company. Despite the similarities, Lotus’s go fresh focuses on selling fresh foods and representing a compressed version of Lotus hypermarket.As 7-Eleven in Thailand is greater in number compared to other chains, CP All has economies of scale as well as negotiation power when it comes to product assortment. The company can choose specific products and restrict its partners from shelving these products elsewhere. Moreover, despite the possibility of paying utility and insurance bills in 7-Eleven shops, PromptPay QR payment is not accepted. The main types of payment accepted are cash, debit or credit card (when the minimum order amount is reached), and TrueMoney Wallet. As of May 2023, TrueMoney, also run by CP Group, had the highest market share of e-wallets in Thailand. A 'life on the go' lifestyle is common among Thailand's younger generations; thus, convenience has become the key to the heart of Thai consumers.
