ACNielsen Enhances Industry-Leading Convenience Store Channel Information Service.

Business Editors

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 13, 2003

Sample Doubles to 2,500 Stores, Adding New Levels of Analytic

Capabilities Channel Definition Aligning With TDLinx/NACS

ACNielsen U.S., an operating unit of ACNielsen, a VNU business, today announced plans to significantly enhance its Convenience Track(R) retail measurement service through a major expansion in coverage. The announcement was made here during the annual National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Show.

The newest enhancement will boost the sample used for sales projections to over 2,500 convenience stores across the U.S. and in 30 local markets - twice the number of stores used by any other information service. The enhancement will also incorporate the TDLinx c-store definition, endorsed by NACS, which means the sample used within Convenience Track will represent nearly 130,000 stores - both large chains and independents, including those that do not sell gasoline.

John Petrakis, senior vice president, Marketing, ACNielsen U.S., said, "The convenience store channel is the primary seller of several important categories and is offering manufacturers new growth opportunities for numerous non-traditional c-store categories. The enhancements to our Convenience Track service will enable us to continue to provide our clients with the industry's most comprehensive read of this important channel."

The ACNielsen Convenience Track service utilizes both scanning data as well as store audits to measure sales in the convenience channel. Since a relatively small percentage of convenience stores use point-of-sale scanners and even fewer can provide complete and accurate data on a timely basis, it is essential that audits be conducted in non-scanning stores to derive the most accurate and unbiased measurement of sales in convenience stores.

Convenience Track is the only c-store service to provide sales information on a local market level, with reporting in 30 markets for non-alcoholic beverages, candy, other tobacco, ice cream, frozen novelties, energy bars, cookies, crackers, nuts, meat snacks, other salty snacks, and a host of health and beauty aid product categories. The service monitors beer sales in 22 markets and client-defined custom areas. ACNielsen Convenience Track is also the leader in offering account-level reports that track sales at specific retailers in their respective markets, with over 70 such reports available.

ACNielsen, a VNU company, is the world's leading marketing information company. Offering services in more than 100 countries, the company provides measurement and analysis of marketplace dynamics and consumer attitudes and behavior. Clients rely on ACNielsen's market research, proprietary products, analytical tools and professional service to understand competitive performance, to uncover new opportunities and to raise the profitability of their marketing and sales campaigns.

TDLinx, an ACNielsen brand, maintains the consumer packaged goods industry's most comprehensive and accurate database of stores and accounts by retail channel.

Note to Editors: Look for this press release and other ACNielsen news on the Internet at http://acnielsen.com/news. Visit ACNielsen during the NACS show at booth #4545.