RMI Petrol has called on retailers to get their MPs to support its business rates challenge. Brian Madderson, RMI Petrol chairman, has been leading the charge against the methodology used by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) in its recent revaluations after retailers

Car owners appear to have a more relaxed attitude to car use and fuel purchasing than they did in July 2008, when fuel prices were at their peak, according to a consumer survey by research company Key Note. Comparing the results of its latest survey which

Major oil companies have failed to demonstrate the sustainability of their biofuels, according to the Renewable Fuels Agency, in its latest report on the impacts of the biofuel supplied in the first year of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). The report

Euro Garages' big spend

Harvest Energy, which opened its ninth branded site just before Christmas and will be opening its 10th shortly, will be hard to miss at this year's International Forecourt & Fuel Equipment Exhibition (IFFE). That's because the oil company

Simply Coffee has signed a three-year contract with Murco to provide premium coffee to 130 of its refitted sites. This

Co-op staff have been thanked for their sterling efforts in coping with the recent bad weather by the company's

Barclaycard is to launch a new loyalty scheme Freedom in March, describing it as the broadest retail rewards scheme the UK has ever known.

Have you taken action to complain to the relevant parties about the new business rates scheme?

There is real momentum gathering over the issue of the business rates revaluation, and credit must go to the new man giving the 'formerly-known-as-PRA' organisation a good kick in the rear. Brian Madderson is breathing life into the argument that the revaluation calculations are based on unrepresentative data ie from high-volume oil company-owned sites and supermarkets, not the average independent retailing operation, which sells less than 2.5mlpa, and turns over £8,000 a week in a 59sq m shop (according to data from Experian Catalist). Hardly comparable to the figures achieved by the supermarkets.He is spreading the word through lobbying MPs, the media and meetings with staff at the Valuation Office Agency.

Retailers have been urged to keep up the pressure on MPs as the debate rages over the proposed increases in Business Rates. RMI Petrol said the Valuation

GENERAL APPEARANCE: In the centre of Old Town, Swindon, the Newport Service Station close to a large Co-op supermarket is easy to see thanks to its attractive Harvest Energy branding.

If you're in deep water...

Nothing up front and no back up

Since the start of the year it seems like not a day has gone by without a political pronouncement on alcohol policy. With the pre-General Election campaign well under way, this to-ing and fro-ing shows no sign of let-up. ACS cuts through the talk and answers the key questions about what this all means for forecourt retailers.

There was one thing the rural and motorway entrants to the Forecourt Trader of the Year Awards 2009 had in common very high standards. Yet again the sites that stood out showed that the retailers knew their market and were prepared to change, grow and do all they could to cater for this market.

Best Confectionery Outlet sponsor NestlÉ

The tobacco companies are all in agreement they're all bitterly disappointed that the government has ignored all the evidence that says a ban on tobacco displays will have no impact on young people smoking. The impact it will have however is on retailers and in a negative way financially in terms of compliance, and logistically in terms of queues of people waiting as staff search for tobacco products that have been hidden away.

Cartoon frog moneyboxes, multi-purpose car chargers and luggage scales have all been flying off forecourt shelves in the past year.

Chocolate's been in the news a lot lately with Kraft's bid for Cadbury and the placing of the story so far up the news' lists reflects UK consumers' love of the stuff.

WashTec has recently installed a state-of-the art SoftCare2 Pro car wash at the Harwoods Group's Texaco site on the Isle of Wight. The car wash has a number of new features including oscillating high-pressure jets, 21-inch wheel washers and a 270-degree revolving roof, high-pressure jet and drying system.

Durapipe UK is celebrating its milestone 1,000th forecourt project with one of the UK's leading forecourt suppliers, D Berry & Co Ltd this month.

The recent icy weather has caused no end of problems for businesses and organisations as staff and customers have battled against the elements. However, the problems have not ended at the front door. As snow is brought in by those who have managed to get across the threshold, hard surfaces can become dangerously slippery and cause a potential health and safety risk.

Fairbanks, the wetstock management specialist, has announced that following the successful re-signing of its contract for BP company-owned and dealer sites, the expansion of its MRH contract and securing the Tesco PFS contract during 2009, it has been engaged by Murco Petroleum to provide wetstock monitoring, SIR-based leak detection and pump calibration audits on the company-owned network of 230 sites.

Breakfast is a major focus of the day for British consumers, who spent £1.7bn on breakfast cereal in the past year, according to research company Mintel. And with 87% of adults in the UK eating cold breakfast cereal on at least a daily basis, it estimates the market will grow to £2.2bn by 2014.

The leading dish-care brand Fairy is 50 years old this year, and to celebrate Procter & Gamble is introducing a limited edition of the iconic white bottle. A heavyweight marketing campaign spanning print, online, in-store and TV kicks off this month, and is expected to trigger a clamour for the anniversary bottles, which are priced at £1.20.

JTI is strengthening its number one value range offering with the launch of Sterling Menthol king size 20s. Available nationally in all retail channels from this month, the new variant responds to the rising demand of menthol cigarettes and adult smokers seeking value for money.

Panadol Advance tablets will be back on national TV this month with screenings on both terrestrial and satellite stations through to March 7, representing a £500,000 investment for the first quarter. The 'Visible Man' ad, which uses a real man and woman, combined with computer graphics, has been updated to highlight Panadol's recent award as Pain Relief Product of the Year 2010 win. It also demonstrates how the Optizorb disintegration system used in Panadol Advance disperses in the stomach up to five times faster than ordinary paracetamol, allowing the paracetamol to reach the bloodstream more quickly.

Scott's Porage, Scotland's number one porridge, is launching a series of limited-edition packs to celebrate a partnership between Scotts Porage Oats and the Scottish Rugby Union.

The introduction of Galaxy Bubbles this month will be supported by a £2.5m launch spend.

Cadbury is launching a 45p rrp on-pack price promotion from this month for a limited period. The promotion will run across single bars of Crunchie, Double Decker, Twirl and Boost.

Premier Foods, the UK's largest food company, has signed a new deal for its Asian brand Sharwoods to fund Chinese Food in Minutes, a 13-episode cookery series to be broadcast on Wednesdays at 7.30pm on Channel Five.

Leading hard-boiled sweet brand Werther's Original, is launching a new bagged chocolate offering this year called Original Chocolate.

Pringles is celebrating St Patrick's Day this year with the launch of a limited edition can and new in-store activity. It will temporarily replace the green design for sour cream & onion.

The number one selling female blades and razor brand, Gillette Venus, is transforming the category for 2010, with new products and improvements to existing products.

Consumers can now support the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's volunteer crew, with earl grey, English breakfast and green tea joining the original Lifeboat Tea.

Guinness is kicking the 2010 international rugby season into life with a new advertising campaign featuring rugby union stars Lewis Moody, Lee Byrne and Paul Sackey.

Tetrosyl is giving readers the chance to win counter-top display units of its new Bug Blitz bug and tar remover wipes, Heavy Duty hand wipes and Interior Valet wipes along along with its already popular Screen Wipes.

Ariel is aiming to shake up the laundry market this year with the introduction of "revolutionary new technology" across its portfolio.

Capri-Sun has launched an on-pouch promotion in association with Skull Candy, one of the world's leading headphone manufacturers.

Forecourt Trader has teamed up with Swan to give readers the chance to win outers of both Swan Blue papers and Swan Smooth filters.

Write your name, address and phone number on a postcard or sealed envelope stating what you want – Swan, Ariel, Tetrosyl or Capri-sun – and we'll do the rest, including delivery. Send it to us at Forecourt Trader, William Reed Business Media, Broadfield Park, Crawley, West Sussex RH11 9RT by February 26, 2010.

When I get up at around 6.30am each weekday morning I can be sure of one thing that the working day ahead will bring a whole range of new challenges and opportunities.