The expansion by supermarket chains onto local high streets is forcing many independent shops to shut down, new figures suggest.
Data from research firm IGD shows although the convenience store market grew 5% to £23.9 billion over the past year, the number of independently owned shops dropped 7% during the same period.
In contrast, shops like Tesco Metro and Sainsbury's Local - operated by supermarket giants - have seen sales rise by 18%.
Over recent years several large retailers have moved onto high street sites traditionally home to independent corner shops.
Some smaller food chains have been taken over completely such as Sainsbury's buy-out of Teeside-based family business Bells Stores and Co-op's purchase of Alldays.
Independents now make up only half of all shops and just a third of all sales, IGD said.
David Rae, from the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), claims the figures show independents are struggling to compete with the large chains.
"The major multiples wield enormous buying power which allows them to operate on a profit margin far in excess of the independent," he said.
"The profits and sheer scale of the multiples derived from their superstore operations are leveraged to their advantage in competing head-to-head with independents."
Rae called for a full review into the convenience store market's 'uneven playing field.'
The Office of Fair Trading is currently consulting on the need for a review.