C-store giant 7-Eleven has sought to cool talk it could re-enter the UK after reports the retailer was poised to return to the market.

Chris Tanco, the head of 7-Eleven’s international business, reportedly told an industry conference in the UK the convenience store retailer was studying how to move back into the market.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

“We would like to get in before the market takes off economically because that would be the best time,” Tanco was quoted as saying by the conveniencestore.co.uk website. Tanco was said to have added 7-Eleven was “most interested” in “the German and UK markets”.

However, a spokesperson for 7-Eleven in Dallas told just-food today Tanco’s remarks were “taken out of context”.

“We continually do feasibility studies, not only in the UK and Germany but other parts of the world. Bottom line is, we have no immediate plans to enter the UK at this time.”

7-11 left the UK in 1997 when its stores in the country were acquired by local operator Budgens.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact