In the fourth study of the Competence Center for on-the-go Consumption, Prof. Dr. Benoit focused on convenience and surveyed consumers about their mobility behaviour and consumption of convenience products. The following questions were used as guidance:

• What mobility trends are there?
• Who uses what method of transport on work days and on non-work days?
• Who tends towards on-the-go consumption, and who does not?
• Which products are bought by the respective mobility types, and where?
• Which trends and developments can be derived from this?

Main findings

Modal breakdown

“Motorised individual transport” currently dominates passenger transportation in Germany: in 2010, the car was used for more than half of all flows of people. In the same time, Germans used the train for only eleven per cent of journeys.

Multi-modal mobility

In future it is to be expected that “multi-modal mobility” will increase: more and more people will make a journey using different methods of transport.

For example, they will complete one part of the journey by train and the second part by car.

They would also like to use the connection time and the change of method of transport for on-the-go consumption. This presents opportunities and challenges for the providers of products for on-the-go consumption, such as operators of kiosks, bakeries and petrol stations. If they satisfy the requirements of consumers, they open up new consumer groups and sales opportunities.

Opportunities of multi-modal mobility

With the Germans’ increased level of travel, people will spend more time on the move and will therefore require well-priced, healthy, quick and flexible eating options. This gives providers of on-the-go consumption many opportunities to introduce a wide range of products to different consumer groups in diverse contexts, and thus develop new sales opportunities.

Challenges of multi-modal mobility

The increased volume of traffic will lead to more and more traffic jams, mainly in towns. The attempt to avoid traffic jams will dominate the method of transport chosen: the longer the waiting times, the earlier alternatives will be sought. Since more and more people are on the move for increasingly long periods of time, travelling will be viewed by many as a burden, and not as an enriching experience.