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The number of service stations in the UK has risen for the first time since 1997.
The latest Retail Marketing Survey, conducted by the Energy
Institute (EI), shows that by end-2008 the UK fuel retail market had
turned a corner, with the number of service stations in the UK actually
increasing from 9,271 sites in 2007 to 9,283 in 2008 – the first rise
in numbers since 1997. However, the increase was a mere 0.13% on
the previous year and the question remains as to whether this is just a
small blip in the statistics or a sign that the sector has now bottomed
out and stabilised.
The Retail Marketing Survey, published with the EI’s March issue of
Petroleum Review, provides a comprehensive, statistical overview of the
UK forecourt market. Data is broken down by company, region and
forecourt facilities. The survey is based on statistics relating to
end-2008 and does not reflect changes since that date.
Key findings of the survey show that there were 9,283 operational
service stations in the UK at the end of December
2008. Petrol sales totaled 18.455mn tonnes by year-end – a
rise of just 22,000 tonnes on year earlier levels. Diesel sales totaled
20.905mn tonnes by year-end – falling by 132,000 tonnes on year earlier
levels.
Total 2008 road fuel sales fell from 39.470mn tonnes to 39.360mn
tonnes. By the close of 2008, unleaded prices
had averaged 107.46 p/l (versus 95.40 p/l in 2007); while diesel prices
closed the year at an average price of 118.22 p/l (versus 97.88).
Registered UK vehicles reached an all time high in 2008 of 33.957m,
with each forecourt supplying an average of 3,658 vehicles. There
were 764 quick-serve restaurants attached to service stations(Little
Chef, McDonalds etc), and 714 in-forecourt (Wild Bean Café, Bake N Bite
etc). Average site throughput, at 4,403,940mn l/y,
was a new record level. 806 sites now retail auto-LPG; the
largest operators are Shell with 227 and BP with 209.
The five largest oil company operations in the UK by number of branded forecourts were (2007 figures in brackets):
BP – 1,200 (1,146) up 54
Texaco – 1,061 (1,018) up 43
Shell – 932 (880) up 52
Esso – 872 (880) down 8
Total – 835 (855) down 20
At the PetrolWorld Langkawi Forum in Malaysia, Barry Wyeth of Wyeth
Projects gave an overview of the UK petrol retail market over the last
25 years. This included the rise of the UK supermarkets.
PetrolWorld 050309 Source: Energy Institute London
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