THE forecourt market may be challenging but there’s scope to succeed and a group of sites in Scotland might show the way forward.
That’s what Certas Energy retail director Ramsay MacDonald told the forecourt seminar run by the Association of Convenience Stores and the Petrol Retailers Association last month.
Certas Energy, the largest fuel supplier in the UK independent sector, bought the Calanike network of filling stations in central Scotland in 2012
The sites have become a test bed for innovation – in the development of forecourt promos, shop brands, responses to legislation and more. Once assessed, advice is made available to Certas Energy dealers including its Gulf- and Pace-branded networks.
“It brings into stark focus the challenges facing the independent operator and has given us a chance to see if the mantras we preach actually stand up to the test,” MacDonald said.
“From tank linings and shop development to latest EU legislation and back office systems, we can share our experiences with our dealers on almost any aspect of petrol retailing.”
