All Forecourt Trader articles in April 2012 – Page 2

  • News

    Emotional goodbye as Harry Tuffins sells up to Midcounties Co-op

    2012-04-30T00:00:00Z

    Harry Tuffins managing director Paul Delves said he had "mixed emotions" about leaving the business this month following the sale of the group to Midcounties Co-op.The Delves family agreed to sell its 10 businesses in Powys, Flintshire, Shropshire and Gloucestershire at the start of last month. The network includes eight ...

  • News

    Plain pack consultation

    2012-04-30T00:00:00Z

    The government has launched its consultation on the plain packaging of tobacco products to examine evidence on the promotional impact of packaging as well as look at competition, trade and legal considerations, and the impact on the illicit trade in tobacco.James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, ...

  • News

    Comeback for Wham

    2012-04-30T00:00:00Z

    The Wham bar is being brought back following Tangerine Confectionery’s acquisition of the brand late last year. The 1980s classic, which at its peak sold more than 30 million bars a year, is making a comeback with an improved recipe.The original raspberry flavour will be at the heart of the ...

  • News

    chris Hunt

    2012-04-30T00:00:00Z

    A week is a long time in politics as the saying goes. Certainly one Cabinet Minister must have felt that even a day seemed an eternity in the aftermath of his advice to motorists in advance of threatened industrial action by tanker drivers. Some of the advice from the ...

  • News

    Government MPs told to vote in favour of Sunday Trading changes

    2012-04-30T00:00:00Z

    Local shops are urging their MPs to vote down proposals to liberalise Sunday Trading rules across England and Wales.Government MPs will be subjected to a three line whip, meaning that Party leaders require MPs to take part in the debate and vote in favour of the Bill and against Opposition ...

  • News

    ’Rough justice’ in licensing change

    2012-04-30T00:00:00Z

    Planned changes to alcohol licensing rules could discriminate against small businesses and undermine growing partnerships, the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has warned the Local Government Association.ACS public affairs director Shane Brennan said: "Together the changes to alcohol licensing rules proposed mark a significant reduction in the rights of businesses ...

  • News

    Budget car care lines

    2012-04-30T00:00:00Z

    Sakura offers a comprehensive range of car care and valeting products with recommended retail prices from £1.49 to £19.99, and new products for this year include a tough spot car mitt, drip-stop drying towel, dust-off detailing towel, flow-through wash brushes plus accessories and a 3-in-1 wash mitt. Distributor Saxon says ...

  • News

    Brulines changes name to Vianet Fuel Solutions to reflect its diversity

    2012-04-30T00:00:00Z

    Brulines Fuel Solutions is changing it name to Vianet Fuel Solutions (VFS), in line with its parent company Brulines Group, which has been renamed Vianet Group. This has been done to reflect the fact that the group has grown into a diverse organisation, with services including data capture, transmission storage ...

  • News

    Service Centre: Jac Roper looks at rates, a marathon deal and Britain’s first driver-less car

    2012-04-30T00:00:00Z

    Cliff-hanger The little East Yorkshire village of Mappleton, 3km south of Hornsea, had been subject to intense erosion at a rate of two metres a year, resulting in the access road being only 50m from the cliff edge at its closest point, until it was halted by the erection ...

  • News

    in brief

    2012-04-30T00:00:00Z

    S&S Motors wins awardIsle of Man retailer S&S Motors was named Forecourt Retailer of the Year at Palmer and Harvey’s annual Pro-retail awards last night.Since joining Mace in November 2011, S&S Motors has seen an increase in profits of more than 50%. Owner Gill Spadoni (pictured left) strives to make ...

  • News

    Price-marked brekkie

    2012-04-30T00:00:00Z

    Quaker Oat So Simple is launching its new golden syrup morning bars in two impulse-specific single- serve formats. They are available now in both 50p price-marked and non-price-marked packs. The launch aims to help impulse retailers maximise the growing on-the-go breakfast occasion.Convenient ready-to-display merchandising units have been designed to ensure ...

  • Analysis

    Merril Boulton: OFT brush-off

    2012-04-30T00:00:00Z

    It wasn’t quite the response he was looking for, but at least the Office of Fair Trading didn’t completely slam the door in Brian Madderson’s face when considering whether to conduct a market study into road fuel retailing (see News Extra). Brian and his team at the RMI have ...

  • News

    Day in the life: Robert Botkai

    2012-04-30T00:00:00Z

    A day in my life? Well, this should put an end to any misconceptions that a lawyer’s lot is a glamorous one. My day starts with a 15-minute period of peace and quiet contemplation even. Then it’s off to battle with two kids who need to be woken and ...

  • News

    Vimto Bon Bons deal

    2012-04-30T00:00:00Z

    Tangerine Confectionery has agreed a licensing deal with Vimto to produce and market Vimto Bon Bons. The chewy sweets are softer than traditional versions, fitting well with the market trend for ’softer eating’ confectionery.Made from the secret Vimto recipe and containing real fruit juice, Vimto Bon Bons are available in ...

  • News

    Blowing hot and cold

    2012-04-30T00:00:00Z

    Forecourt retailers can now merchandise both heated and chilled products in a single unit following the launch of Fusion’s latest cabinet.The heated section uses infrared heating technology able to hold a wide variety of food products hot. The refrigerated section uses a moving air curtain system to hold displayed product ...

  • News

    Focus on Soft Drinks: Big softies

    2012-04-30T00:00:00Z

    You don’t want to take your eye off the soft drinks market. There’s always something new to stock; the category’s in growth; plus soft drinks represent more than 10% of sales in your typical forecourt convenience store (IGD). And this year we have the so-called ’summer of sport’ with ...

  • News

    Something for tonight is a big sales opportunity

    2012-04-30T00:00:00Z

    Convenience store retailers need to cash in on the fact that 93% of shopping trips in the channel are for the ’something for tonight’ mission, according to new research by Diageo GB. Following an in-depth research project into shopper behaviour in the total off-trade, Diageo has unveiled recommendations for convenience ...

  • News

    Indies better than majors

    2012-04-30T00:00:00Z

    Communities and shoppers respond better to independent retailers than to major multiples, but only if they harness their advantages, according to new research from ACS and Said Business School at the University of Oxford.The new research reveals that some of the key advantages for independent operators are the greater discretion ...

  • News

    Best of British promo

    2012-04-30T00:00:00Z

    Ginsters is cashing in on the anticipated demand for all things British this summer with its biggest ever on-pack promotion appearing on more than 20 million packs from now until September.Its Best of British Celebration gives consumers the chance to win a different British-themed prize every day for 126 days. ...

  • News

    Retailers bear the rising cost of forecourt crime

    2012-04-30T00:00:00Z

    Crime on Britain’s forecourts cost fuel retailers £23.4m in 2011, up from £22.5m in 2010, according to figures revealed in the British Oil Security Syndicate’s (BOSS) annual forecourt crime survey.The main source of the estimated total loss is £16.2m resulting from drive-offs compared to £15.5m in 2010 with ...