All Forecourt Trader articles in November 2011 – Page 3
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News
Go-ahead for rural fuel duty rebate pilot
A rural fuel duty rebate pilot scheme has been given the green light from the European Union, to start on March 2012.The Treasury has confirmed that a 5ppl tax discount will apply to fuel sold in Scotland’s Inner and Outer Hebrides, Northern Isles, the islands in the Clyde and the ...
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News
Loco coming to forecourts
Nisa’s new Loco symbol group concept will be available to forecourt retailers. Speaking at the IGD conference, retail development director Raj Krishan said the first Loco would open in Newcastle this month. He explained to delegates that Loco – short for local convenience – is suited to stores of around ...
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News
CWA rolls out quality car wash scheme
The Car Wash Association (CWA) is rolling out its WashMark kitemark designed to act as a barometer for quality car washing facilities.Car wash operators that are members of the CWA can now apply for WashMark accreditation by completing a self-assessment questionnaire available to download on www.carwashassociation.co.uk.Once approved, retailers will be ...
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News
Spar launches convenience retail apprenticeship scheme
Spar wholesaler Blakemore Trade Partners retail training centre, The Guild Academy, has launched a new apprenticeship scheme designed specifically for the convenience retail market. The Spar wholesaler’s training academy linked up with Retail Skill Smart in summer 2010 to develop the Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship in Retail Management. So far ...
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News
DCC appoints director of retail at GB Oils
Former BP executive Ramsay MacDonald has been appointed director of retail at GB Oils, the DCC Energy subsidiary which has recently taken control of the Total dealer network. MacDonald will be responsible for all aspects of the company’s retail business. He has been working for DCC for more than a ...
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News
Stan’s latest discount offer
Customers of Stans Supermarket, in St Martins near Oswestry, can get their petrol for as little as 120.9ppl and diesel for 129.9ppl. That’s because the independent superstore is running an offer where shoppers who spend £50 or more in the store get an extra 7p off per litre. And Stans’ ...
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News
RMIP’s latest missive to the Chancellor on fuel duty
RMIP chairman Brian Madderson has again written to Chancellor George Osborne – as he prepares for next Tuesday’s Autumn Statement – recommending “in the strongest possible terms” cancellation of the planned fuel duty rises in 2012 on road transport fuels. With the government’s increased VAT rate of 20%, Madderson explains ...
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News
Cut-price fuel from Tesco’s garden centres
Tesco’s use of money-off-fuel activity to drive custom has extended to its garden centre chain, Dobbies. Until very recently, customers were being given 5p off per litre of fuel vouchers for Tescos when they spent £50 or more at Dobbies.The Tesco-owned chain has 32 outlets across England, Scotland and Northern ...
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News
Latest figures show boost for small stores compared to supermarkets
A new trend for small stores to perform better than the large supermarket stores has become apparent in the October retail sales figures from the Office for National Statistics. They showed that sales volumes increased in small stores by more than five per cent, while large stores showed a small ...
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News
ACS announces three-point plan to revive flagging high streets
Four out of five MPs support giving communities greater powers to use the planning system to stop their high streets becoming ’clone towns’. These findings are revealed today by the Association of Convenience Stores, as it sets out a three-point plan to revive flagging high streets. ACS represents ...
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News
ACS welcomes ’long-awaited’ Ofgem crackdown on energy companies
Local shops have welcomed new proposals to protect business customers against unfair energy contracts. The proposals, announced by Ofgem this morning, are due to be part of a consultation which looks to introduce the following measures: Extend protections which currently cover microbusinesses to include businesses with up to ...
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News
Forecourt Watch tackles fuel thefts in Torfaen
Service stations in Torfaen will get greater support from Gwent Police following the launch of Forecourt Watch in the area.Police officers in Torfaen have joined forces with the management of local service stations as well as the British Oil Security Syndicate (BOSS) to increase awareness, prevention and the reporting and ...
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News
Supply problems push up the price of diesel
Supermarket prices for unleaded fell by 0.9ppl to 131.5ppl in the past month, meaning the gap between supermarket prices and the UK average for unleaded has risen to 2.2ppl, according to the AA’s latest price report. Unleaded prices have fallen by 0.8ppl from 134.5ppl to 133.7ppl, while diesel prices have ...
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News
ACS calls for government support on ID scheme
ACS has called on retailers, retail staff and suppliers from across the convenience sector to support the new petition for Government action to support people carrying PASS approved ID. The petition follows increasing reports from cardholders of business owners refusing to accept valid proof of age cards such as CitizenCard and Young Scot. These schemes approved by the Proof of Age Standards scheme are supported nationally by Government, Police and trading standards. However local authorities are often unwilling or powerless to act when businesses refuse to accept these cards. The petition calls on Government to stipulate that PASS approved Cards are acceptable ID through legislation or statutory guidance. ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: "PASS cards are reliable and secure ID. They are available to everyone unlike driving licences and do not present the same risks to the owner from losing them as passports and driving licences. "The industry has invested heavily in PASS and retailers have included the acceptance of PASS cards in their training schemes. It is confusing and unhelpful for businesses to refuse these cards, even if their intention is simply to be strict and avoid mistakes. "The people who lose out are the young people who have made every effort to do the right thing. We believe Government must step in and help end this confusion.”
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News
84% of grocery shoppers choose stores based on price
Food and drink prices have contributed to the slowdown of the official rate of inflation – the CPI – in October, with most items (except fish) becoming slightly cheaper over recent weeks, according to IGD’s chief economist, James Walton. “Much of this may be due to price falls on global markets, which reflect economic uncertainty and an easing of global demand," he said. "The UK imports about one third of all food consumed; recent studies by DEFRA show that global markets play by far the biggest part in determining the prices paid by UK shoppers, although the interplay between global and local markets is very complex. “IGD’s ShopperTrack research, speaking to 1,000 shoppers every month, shows that 84% of shoppers now use price as a factor when deciding which grocery store to shop at – the highest level for a year. “Shoppers are also using more different types of grocery store in order to maximise their value for money when buying groceries – the average number of store types (eg: hypermarkets, discounters, online) used in the last month was 3.3 up from 3.1 in the same month in 2010. Again the highest recorded over the last year by IGD ShopperTrack. “Online shopping in particular has seen increased usage, partly due to improvements in service and quality, but partly also because shoppers use these outlets as a response to high fuel prices. “Looking ahead, shoppers continue to express concern over pricing issues: 87% expect further grocery price increases over the next year and so ’smart shopping’ (ie switching between different stores and products, using promotions) will be a key defensive strategy."
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News
Commons debate unites MPs in call for fuel duty cut
MPs voted unanimously to pass a motion demanding that the government puts the two fuel duty rises planned for January and August next year on the back burner. The backbench debate united all political parties with more than 100 MPs calling on the government to consider the feasibility of a ...
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News
Fuel price debate in House of Commons today
MPs will debate a motion to lower fuel prices at 3pm today in the House of Commons after more than 100,000 people signed the Fair Fuel UK e-petition. Conservative MP Robert Halfon drove through the e-petition, and his motion to rethink future tax rises is being backed by more than ...
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News
Pauline wins top forecourt sales assistant award
Pauline Irvine of Henderson’s Spar/BP forecourt in Lagan Valley, Northern Ireland, has been voted Sales Assistant of the Year in the forecourt category, and also triumphed by winning the Community award, in a competition run by sister magazine Convenience Store. The awards event was held at The Dorchester Hotel, with ...
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News
Bibby Line Group completes purchase of Costcutter
Transport and logistics group Bibby Line has acquired the remaining 49% share of Costcutter Supermarkets, and established a subsidiary Bibby Retail Services.The group bought a 51% stake in the convenience retailer in 2007, and has set the group a 12-month deadline to decide how best to grow the business.Costcutter’s management, ...
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News
Forecourts improve test purchase pass rates
Forecourt retailers have dramatically improved their performance in preventing underage sales of alcohol and cigarettes by adopting best retail practices, according to independent test purchasing company Serve Legal. Regular testing of sales procedures to ensure that staff are enforcing age check policies has seen many more sites regularly achieving pass ...