Esso signs Chartman

Top 50 Indie the Chartman Group has signed a new five-year supply deal with Esso for three previously BP-branded sites. John Hartshorne, managing director, said: "Despite a 30 years-plus trading history with BP we were persuaded to change by an ultimately more determined and convincing approach from Esso. We are really pleased with the new imagery and look forward to developing our business with them."

C-store shortfall

Figures from the Office of National Statistics show that the economy returned to growth in the third quarter of 2012, but local shops did not benefit from economic growth according to a survey by the ACS, which reveals that only a quarter of retailers had seen sales increase from July to September, and a quarter have seen cash profit growth over the past year, with only one in five retailers based in the North and Scotland showing cash profit growth.

Online growth

The online food and grocery market is set to be worth £11.1bn by 2017, almost double its current value of £5.6bn, according to the latest research published by IGD at its Trading in a Digital World conference.

Surcharges

ACS has welcomed government plans to ban above-cost card surcharges, but has warned the Department for Business that small businesses would be disproportionately impacted if it is introduced early.

Retail crime

Retailers across England and Wales are contacting their police and crime commissioner candidates to highlight the impact of crime on their business after the latest ACS Crime Survey revealed that 93% of retailers have experienced some form of shop theft in the past three months.