Following the successful one-day event last October, the Biodiesel Expo 2007 has been extended to two days. It will take place at the Newark Showground in Nottinghamshire on October 17-18.
A new group which will tackle the threats surrounding the traditional car wash industry is to be launched this month by the Association of Convenience Stores, Forecourt Trader has learned.
Electronic payment and ordering will play a much bigger part in the convenience sector in the next five years, according to grocery industry body, IGD.
LPG autogas is the answer to reducing motor carbon emissions, according to Mike Chapman, autogas manager for the LP Gas Association. He said that while the debate continues about the carbon benefits of biofuels, it is a known fact that LPG reduces emissions from petrol vehicles by 20%. In addition vehicles using LPG enjoy major air quality benefits when compared with their diesel counterparts.
Following Westbridge Motors of Northampton winning the Forecourt Trader of the Year 2006 award, I visited its website to find out more about the business. It's an informative website and gives focused details of a many-faceted business.
Virtually every business - and that includes petrol retailers - claims back the VAT on the petrol/diesel that it buys for its own consumption. Naturally HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has always assumed that at least some of that fuel is actually used for 'private' mileage.
Biodiesel in some form or other is here to stay - if only to reduce the UK's dependency on petroleum - so we might as well take the time to understand the pros and cons of using this fuel and the cautions that apply.
With all the talk about profits that can be made from the shop side of the business, it could be easy for the forecourt retailer to lose sight of the one thing that sets his operation apart from all the convenience stores in his vicinity. And that of course is the fuel, and the reason why most of his customers set foot on his site in the first place. And that fuel is no good to anyone without the pumps that dispense it. But just how much attention do you pay to your pumps? Are you certain that they are all working properly and that they are not coughing and spluttering and splattering your customers in fuel? And, more importantly, not over-dispensing and giving away your precious profits?
It looks like we're in for another hot one as the latest seasonal forecast from the Met Office reveals that this summer is likely to be warmer than normal. Indeed seasonal forecasters say the chances of temperatures similar to those experienced in 2003 and 2006 are around one in eight. Sounds great but retailers need to be ready for it so keeping an eye on the weather forecasts is vital. The BBC website can give you a five-day forecast for your local area - handy for consumers planning picnics and for retailers planning stock levels.
When it comes to soft drinks, forecourts are different to every other retail channel. In multiples grocers, multiple convenience stores, independents and symbols, colas reign supreme, outselling every other type of soft drink. But in forecourts it's the functional beverages that do best. Think Red Bull, Lucozade and Relentless to name just three.
David Plumb & Co passed a stringent BP health and safety inspection while decommisioning the former Admiral Service Station in Broomfield Road, Chelmsford, Essex.
Tidel's Sentinel BCD cash management system, which was unveiled at IFFE, is being used by Esso. The first UK site to adopt it is Kings Croft, Leatherhead, Surrey.
Pepsi has new pack designs across all formats. In its 109 year existence, the brand's design has changed just 10 times but to keep pace with "the ever-changing interests of today's consumers", six different pack designs are being introduced. There's a lead design for each variant, with 'breakdancer' for Pepsi Max, 'global festivals' for Pepsi and 'chandelier' for Diet Pepsi.
Confectionery continues to provide forecourt retailers with excellent sales opportunities, according to a new report by Mars. The company claims to be the only major confectionery manufacturer to have increased its share of chocolate sales in 2006 (by 0.5% to 27%), despite a slight market decline. Its performance was driven by 2.5% growth in the 'everyday chocolate' category. "Mars' policy of investing in fewer, but bigger and better promotional activities has been very successful in driving incremental sales," says trade relations manager Andrea Taylor. She says retailers can look forward to more of the same in 2007, including a big push behind Snickers, with a link to the new Die Hard 4 film, and a campaign featuring Mr T from the A-Team. In the meantime, forecourt retailers could achieve more than £3,000 worth of extra confectionery sales a year - an extra £700 profit - simply by getting confectionery displays right, with a range and display that reflects shopper behaviour. Sharing bags are increasingly important to forecourts, with bitesize pouches accounting for 20% of total confectionery sales in forecourts, where retailers should also capitalise on the impulse opportunity by stocking their best-selling products at the till.
Cadbury Trebor Bassett is spending £6.5m on a six-week campaign for Cadbury Dairy Milk - its biggest spend for any chocolate brand in five years. Activity includes TV, press, outdoor and digital advertising.
The latest on-pack promotion from Coca-Cola Enterprises gives consumers the chance to win 'The Ultimate Nintendo Wii Games Room'. Ten prizes are up for grabs every day throughout May and June. The prizes comprise a Nintendo Wii, a sports game, plasma screen and a mini fridge full of Fanta, Sprite and Dr Pepper.
Heinz has launched a rival to Pot Noodle. Called Big Eat, the range of microwaveable pot snacks - rrp £1.39 - are targeted at teenagers after 'real food, real fast'.
Emmi UK has secured a listing in Total forecourts for its Caffé Latte premium chilled coffee drink. There are three varieties: cappuccino, macchiato and light - all made with Swiss alpine milk. New to the range is a choco latte variant made with Swiss milk chocolate.
So, another May, another round of local elections. As Tony prepares to ride off into the sunset (and no doubt start earning enough from the after-dinner speaker roadshow to make him the major breadwinner in the Blair household for the first time), and Prudence readies himself to get his own hands on power, it is no surprise to see the government launching all sorts of 'new' initiatives in a forlorn hope of swaying the voters. Now although the number of voters that need swaying at local elections is probably less than a season's attendance figures at the Theatre of Dreams, certain policies have a sense of déjà vu.
