Esso is targeting hauliers with the launch of an HGV fuel card, and identifying almost a fifth of the 175 MFG and Asda sites that switched to its brand last year as truck-friendly.
The oil giant has revealed that most of the sites which switched to its brand in 2025 are owned by MFG, and previously supplied by Shell. The other are Asda outlets.
While MFG (135 sites) and Asda (40) were the big wins for Esso last year, other major names also converted sites to the brand including Top 50 Indie Joseph Richardson.
Some 30 of the MFG and Asda forecourts now sporting the Esso colours have been described by the oil giant as HGV-friendly, because they have 4m high canopies, fast pumps, truck lanes and a big enough egress suitable for all HGVs.
While it says that its new Esso Card Truck can be used at all of its 1,468 branded sites, it has updated its fuel station finder map on its website to enable hauliers to find locations with dedicated HGV facilities.
The new card, from payment specialist WEX, requires that users pull a minimum volume of diesel per transaction, rather than stipulating an annual commitment. The amount will be dependent on the arrangement card resellers agree with each individual business.
Hauliers will be given a fixed weekly price, which WEX says is ever important with the current spike in global oil prices. And hauliers will be charged a single price across the Esso network, regardless of whether filling up at a company-owned or dealer site.
Esso Petroleum Company commercial development advisor Ben Richards says that while forecourt operators receive lower margins on fuel cards they are an important part of their offer, with hauliers using the cards to avoid fraud and to control expenditure by their drivers.
“Taking the card will be essential to win haulier business,” he asserts. “It’s the first time Esso have launched a true HGV focused card in the UK and could possibly even be the first card in the UK market that has aimed to differentiate HGVs from other vehicles by fuel lifting patterns – which is more difficult than you’d imagine!
“We’ve learned a lot about the HGV industry, about refuelling habits, driver preferences, retail pump cut offs, canopy heights and more. As always, the devil is in the detail.”
