Aussies giving up meat pies, sausage rolls but can't resist the chocolate Aussies are ditching meatpies as they try and save money. Picture: Campbell Brodie Source: adelaidenow THE humble meat pie or sausage roll from the corner store has become the latest victim of cautious economic times. Instead, we might treat ourselves to a chocolate bar as a "cheap and cheerful instant reward" to have with our home-made lunch. Confectionary sales in convenience stores and petrol stations have climbed 19 per cent since 2010 while sales of baked goods have fallen nine per cent, according to an industry report by BIS Shrapnel. "In these past two years we have seen a jump in chocolates and lollies which is very much a recessionary reaction," said head of BIS Foodservice Sissel Rosengren. It is because chocolates are a cheap way we can reward ourselves quickly. At the same time there has been the decline of the pie purchase at the convenience store because they can't compete with supermarkets and quick service restaurants. Social researcher and statistician Charlie Nelson said "falling out of love with credit cards," unemployment prospects and losses sustained during the GFC had an impact on discretionary spending. "A lot of these people are very, very determined to build their savings," he said. People are realising it's a couple of bucks a day but every year it's a few hundred bucks. People are feeling now that they have less money left over from meeting all their commitments than they did a year or two ago. You put all these things together, you don't like plastic any more, people are keen to save money, and concerns about unemployment, it's no wonder people are looking at ways to cut back on things. Ms Rosengren said service station convenience stores had also grown, with their total market value almost tripling since 2010 helping squeeze out old-fashioned corner stores which are unable to compete with them, in addition to battling supermarkets and fast food outlets. "The cost of living and the cost of food in this country has gone up astronomically since 2005," Ms Rosengren said. It's a tough retail market out there and that is part of the reason behind the demise of the corner store. Confectionery sales in the "route trade" market have grown 19 per cent since 2010 to $711 million with chocolate accounting for two-thirds of that at $457m. Despite a 5 per cent drop in sales since 2010, drink sales still make up 59 per cent of the market worth $1.9 billion annually.