All Forecourt Trader articles in September 2003
View all stories from this issue.
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News
Jet’s £6m boost to re-image network
ConocoPhillips is making a £6m investment in the future of the Jet brand by bringing its UK forecourts into a standard European image.It has also reaffirmed its backing for the Smile campaign, despite the decision earlier this year by Fuelforce – which has 170 Jet branded sites – to pull ...
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News
All change for Kellogg’s bars
Kellogg’s is investing £4m in a major overhaul of its Cereal & Milk Bar range.The reformulated cereal bars are now lower in fat but remain fortified with vitamins, iron and calcium. Complete with a new pack design, the range is now available in the following variants: Frosties, Coco Pops, Rice ...
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NewsBack to school
The summer heatwave is over; the nights are drawing in rapidly and the ‘Back to School’ campaigns are in full swing on the high street.These days kids are big business – whether through obvious marketing campaigns aimed directly at their own pocket-money or the even more insidious and cynical marketing ...
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News
Raising the bar
Confectionery is possibly the ultimate impulse purchase, with 70 per cent of consumers buying chocolate and sweets on the spur of the moment. But, according to Nestlé Rowntree, the category hasn’t been as profitable as it could have been.“The industry has driven volume at the expense of value,” says Graham ...
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News
Bertie returns to TV
Following nearly 10 years away from TV screens, Cadbury Trebor Bassett has unveiled its new-look Bertie Bassett character. The move is part of a strategy to help consumers easily locate products in store, while increasing profits for retailers. Chris Morgan, customer relations director, said: “The move to build on Bertie’s ...
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News
Big break for Oxford store
Britain’s biggest forecourt shop has opened at Oxford Services, on junction eight of the M40.The shop forms part of the busiest filling station in Europe, which is run by motorway service area operator Welcome Break.The company says that it has spent £750,000 doubling the size of the original forecourt to ...
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News
Big break for Kit Kat
Nestlé Rowntree has made a move on the growing bitesize confectionery market with the launch of Kit Kat Kubes.Available from September 15 in a 50g impulse and 175g hanging bag format, Kubes are mini Kit Kat pieces. Rrp is 37p and £1.25 respectively.Kubes will be marketed under the strapline ‘Have ...
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News
BP denies Nectar slowdown
BP is downplaying rumours about a decline in the number of Nectar points being issued at its sites.The oil company said that while there has been a dip in issuance rates at some sites, overall issuance was still up. “As with any new scheme there will be an initial surge ...
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NewsJames claims first indie Budgens
The first Budgens Corporate Store to operate independently has been bought by forecourt entrepreneur Jonathan James.The Lakeside Group member, who currently operates three forecourts in Cambridgeshire with wife Rebecca, will take ownership of the 7,500sq ft supermarket in Soham on September 9.Jonathan entered into discussions with Budgens about a possible ...
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News
Budgens ’a hit’ in Langford
A Somerset forecourt is expecting to reach £70,000 per week in shop sales following an extension to create a 3,000sq ft store.Before the refit at the Esso-branded Budgens Local in Langford, the site was averaging £45-50,000 per week from 2,000sq ft selling space. When the refurbishment was still going on, ...
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News
Strange soda change
Britvic Soft Drinks has been forced to rename its recently launched Freekee Soda to Tango Strange Soda following a legal challenge.Britvic’s category director Andrew Marsden said the new name would apply from September 1, adding that the product had achieved ‘fantastic success’ in its launch phase, reaching 39 per cent ...
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News
Congestion at the till
It seemed like one of life’s rich ironies when Carol Smith had to put the customer transaction for congestion charging through the PayPoint terminal 13 times. “Eight times is the norm,” she says, “and it’s the same with telephone top-ups. Error 2061 pops up.” This apparently means no lines available ...
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News
Taking control
Despite an increased emphasis on the shop side of the forecourt business, wetstock control remains central to effective site management. Although it can be a headache for many retailers, mis-managing wetstock means that not only can profits disappear into thin air but you risk breaching the terms of your Petroleum ...
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NewsCrisps go for gold
Golden Wonder is relaunching its range of crisps in a bid to make them the number one brand in Scotland and Northern Ireland.The company has splashed out £2m in product development – the biggest single investment in Golden Wonder’s history – while a £1.5m media spend supports the brand in ...
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NewsWrigley’s first mint
Wrigley is moving into the mint market with the launch of Extra Mints.Available from September 15, Extra Mints come in two flavours – peppermint and spearmint. Each flip-top box holds 20 mints and has a rrp of 40p. The company is putting £12m behind the launch and hopes to attract ...
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News
Irish Shell sells out to Henderson Group
Irish Shell has sold its 12 company-owned service stations in Northern Ireland to the Henderson Group. Henderson’s will buy the sites as going concerns and Shell will continue to supply fuel and lubricants to the forecourts. John McDonagh, retail director and chairman for Shell in Ireland, explains the strategy behind ...
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News
Masked hold up
A police helicopter and tracker dogs were used in a hunt for a masked raider who held up a petrol station at knifepoint.The robber, wearing a balaclava and wielding a large hunting knife, crept up behind a 20-year-old male cashier as he was sweeping the floor at the Texaco site ...
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News
Some like it hot
Forecourt operators are raising the stakes in fast food like never before. Take BP Connect, for example; its Wild Bean Café is going from strength to strength, and the oil company is supporting it with so much gusto that it has even invested in a radio and billboard ad campaign ...
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NewsSpur on your impulse sales
Valera has added two new impulse units to its range of Sanyo chilled display cabinets.The first is a four-sided glass merchandiser that offers all-round display to help encourage impulse sales. The unit has adjustable shelves to accommodate a variety of products and comes in two sizes – the smaller will ...