Alimentation Couche-Tard closed the doors of about 10 convenience stores and gas stations last year, in what would mark one of the largest waves of closures in recent memory for the Quebec retailer.
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“It's the first time since I've been Couche-Tard that I've seen so many closures,” said Guy Leroux, editor of the convenience store website depquebec.com.
The 11 stores that Couche-Tard closed in Quebec in 2023 are several years old — at least two of them were former convenience stores of La Maisonnée, a 1980s chain. Six of them sold gasoline.
“I don’t know if this is the start of a trend,” Mr. Leroux said. Are they cleaning?”
A closed Couche-Tard supermarket on Beaubien Street in Montreal. Photo Pierre Paul Poulin
Network of more than 600 companies
This industry expert emphasizes that the number of closures remains minimal compared to the number of convenience stores and gas stations operated by Couche-Tard in Quebec.
“When there are stores that are less successful, they sometimes turn them into Provi-Soir, that is, they give them franchises,” explains Guy Leroux.
644
According to Guy Leroux's database, the company currently has 644 branches in the province.
Still, Couche-Tard was the only major player in the industry to close so many operations last year, according to Leroux. Other major convenience store and gas station operators in Quebec include Sobeys (Shell and Voisin), Metro (Servi-Express and GEM), Groupe Beaudry (Beau-soir) and Harnois (Proxi).
For several years, the total number of convenience stores and gas stations in Quebec has been declining, largely due to the closure of many independent stores. According to data compiled by Mr. Leroux, there were about 5,279 convenience stores (including 2,473 with gasoline) at the end of 2023, compared to 5,353 two years earlier.
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Headwind
The expert points out that convenience stores and gas stations face several headwinds, including gradual increases in the minimum wage, high inflation, and declining fuel and tobacco sales.
According to data from the Régie de l'énergie, gasoline sales in liters fell by 8.6% compared to 2022 to 2019. However, the price increase largely offset the decline in volumes.
As for the sales of cigarettes and related products, we can estimate their development by examining the revenue that Quebec receives from tobacco taxes. These increased from $995 million in 2018-2019 to $635 million in 2022-2023, a decrease of 36%.
“We sometimes make strategic decisions – like any retailer – to close or sell stores that no longer fit the brand direction due to size, configuration, local market strategy or other factors,” Alimentation Couche-Tard specifies in an email sent to the Journal -Mail.
In its financial disclosures, the company said it closed 205 stores worldwide in the 24 weeks ended October 15. It has also expanded its network to include 94 establishments.
During the same period in 2022, Couche-Tard closed 106 stores and added 307.
As of Oct. 15, the retailer had 12,321 locations, including about 2,000 in Canada.
The 11 Couche-Tard is closed
- 6, ball. Interprovincial, Pointe-à-la-Croix
- 900, Boul. René-Lévesque West, Quebec
- 2940, bullet. Laurier, Quebec
- 899, Boul. Lebourgneuf, Quebec
- 5325, sphere. Guillaume Couture, Levis
- 3250, Boul. Henri-Bourassa East, Montreal
- 3985, rue Beaubien Est, Montreal
- 8275 balls. Saint Laurent, Montreal
- 2520, sphere. Curé-Labelle, Laval
- 3010, chemin d'Oka, Ste-Marthe-sur-le-Lac
- 872, bullet. Curé-Poirier West, Longueuil
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