NEW YORK CITY, New York: 7-Eleven is set to significantly shrink its North American footprint this year, planning to close far more stores than it opens as shifting consumer demand and rising costs weigh on performance.

The convenience store chain's parent, Japan-based Seven & i Holdings, said in recent earnings filings that its North American operator expects to shut 645 locations in the 2026 fiscal year, while opening 205 new stores over the same period.

The closures will include some locations being converted into wholesale fuel stores, the company said, reflecting a broader shift in its business model. Financial filings show that 7-Eleven has steadily expanded this segment, with more than 900 wholesale fuel outlets in North America as of December 2025.

The company did not specify which stores would be affected or provide further details on the closures.

7-Eleven operates more than 86,000 stores across 19 countries globally. In North America alone, 7-Eleven Inc., headquartered in Texas, operates over 13,000 outlets across the United States and Canada.

The planned closures come as the company continues to trim underperforming locations, a strategy it has pursued for several years, amid a more challenging consumer environment.

According to Seven & i, spending has begun to weaken despite a broadly resilient economy, particularly among lower-income households.

"Although the economy remained robust, personal consumption also began to soften" during the 2025 fiscal year, "particularly among low-income households, as inflation continued to weigh on spending," the company said in its April 9 report.

The pressure on consumers has intensified with rising fuel costs following the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran, which has unsettled energy markets and pushed gasoline prices higher.

Outside North America, however, the company is continuing to expand. Its Japanese unit plans to open 550 stores while closing 350, meaning global openings will outpace closures overall.

Seven & i expects revenue to decline 9.4 percent in the current fiscal year, to approximately 9.45 trillion yen (US$59.5 billion), underscoring the scale of the challenges facing the business.

In response, the company has been pursuing a broader transformation strategy to strengthen its core convenience store operations. This includes expanding fresh food offerings and growing its "7NOW" delivery service to better compete in a rapidly evolving retail landscape.

The restructuring is also unfolding under new leadership, with Stephen Hayes Dacus taking over as chief executive last spring.