National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), Alexandria, Va., released the “NACS State of the Industry Report of 2015 Data,” the convenience and fuel retailing industry’s premier benchmarking tool and most comprehensive collection of data and trends.

This year’s 203-page report examines economic conditions and their potential impact on the industry. The report also includes a comprehensive selection of charts and tables that focus on every area of the industry’s 2015 performance, including financials, store operations, merchandising, foodservice, fuels sales and quartile analysis.

According to the report, U.S. convenience stores reached record in-store sales of $225.8 billion in 2015, higher than overall industry sales in 1998. Overall industry sales for 2015 reached $574.8 billion, evidence that the value of convenience continues to resonate with consumers.

“The comprehensive NACS State of the Industry Report of 2015 Data is a compelling testament to retailers’ desire to move the convenience industry forward. Future profitability means using the best tools available, and thanks to our retail survey participants, the new and more visual report provides the best possible industry benchmarks and insights. Furthermore, sharing data means that the convenience store industry has the best information available to support our positions legislatively both at the grass roots level and national levels,” says Bob Swanson, NACS director of research and statistics. “Only with the deep involvement of retailers sharing their data and other key supplier partnerships is such a report possible. We appreciate all NACS retailers who participated and encourage others to do so in the future.”