The latest monitoring report on road fuel by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has shown that prices at the pump have risen since late January, accompanied by above average margins and spreads.
The CMA is collecting data from fuel retailers under the interim scheme which remains voluntary, until the regulator’s statutory compulsory information gathering powers come into effect later this year.
The latest report, published on Thursday, sets out the CMA’s observations on developments in the market since the previous update in November 2023.
“Drivers are feeling the pinch as fuel prices have been edging up since January. We’re particularly concerned by high margins which indicate weakened competition and are not a good sign for drivers,” Dan Turnbull, senior director of markets at the CMA, said.
“[The] report reinforces the need for Pumpwatch and statutory powers to be in place as soon as possible, to ensure competition is effective in this market and to get a better deal for UK drivers.”
Fuel margins
The report has found that that fuel margins of retailers remain at the high levels seen during the CMA’s market study.
On a percentage basis, supermarkets recorded margins of 4 per cent in 2017, which increased to 7.6 per cent in 2022, the year the CMA carried out its market study, and 7.8 per cent in 2023. For other retailers, margins were 6.4 per cent in 2017, increasing to 7.3 per cent in 2022 and 9.1 per cent in 2023.
Fuel margin figures for 2023 are based on the calendar year, as the financial year is ongoing. All other annual figures are based on the financial year. As such, the comparison is not like-for-like but gives a strong indication of competition issues in the sector, the CMA said.
“This sustained increase in the level of fuel margins is concerning and suggests that a key finding of the CMA’s market study – that overall levels of competitive intensity have weakened in the road fuel retail market – remains valid,” the CMA said.
“This emphasises the importance of the government pressing ahead with its plans to implement both recommendations from the CMA, for a statutory monitoring function and statutory fuel-finder scheme, as soon as possible, which will help drive greater competition in the market.”
The CMA issued requests for information to: Applegreen – Petrogas, Asda, Bp, Esso, Euro Garages Ltd, Morrisons, Moto Hospitality, Motor Fuel Group, Rontec, Sainsburys, Shell, Tesco, and Welcome Break.
Responses were received in time for inclusion in this report from all but Shell, the regulator said, while adding that Shell has been providing data voluntarily in response to our information requests since January 2024.
Separately, the temporary pricing data scheme set up by the CMA now has 14 retailers participating, representing approximately 40 per cent of UK forecourts and more than 65 per cent of fuel sold. The data is used by third parties such as petrolprices.com and the AA, providing pricing information in an open, transparent manner.
Ten global beverage companies have joined forces under a new industry-wide consortium, called REfresh Alliance, which is designed to help accelerate renewable energy adoption across the industry’s supply chain.
The new initiative invites additional companies from across the beverage industry to pool and scale their resources to remove barriers to renewable energy adoption in the supply chain, provide education on best market practices and support the industry’s transition to Net Zero.
Companies currently part of the REfresh Alliance include: Bacardi, Carlsberg Group, Constellation Brands, Diageo, Heineken, Molson Coors Beverage Company, Pernod Ricard, The Coca-Cola Company and Whyte & Mackay.
The programme is managed by leading energy solution provider, Enel X. Through its Advisory Services division, Enel X connects the participants with renewable energy providers and supports renewable energy transactions, aiming to accelerate renewable energy adoption.
The programe also features a dedicated educational platform to help program participants prepare for renewable energy adoption.
Scope 3 emissions, which are not directly produced by a company but from its supply chain, often account for approximately 90 per cent of a beverage company’s carbon footprint. As suppliers continue to face a number of barriers to decarbonisation, REfresh has already engaged with more than 300 suppliers to discuss their involvement in the programme as it aims to support their adoption of renewable energy solutions.
“We have long recognised the need for industry collaboration to deliver the most impact and to accelerate the transition across our supply chains,” Ralf Peters, chief procurement officer of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), and chairman, Coca-Cola Cross Enterprise Procurement Group (CEPG), said.
“I know from my experience across the Coca-Cola system that supporting our supply partners is a key part of our sustainability action – and that encouraging them to transition to renewables is one of the most impactful things we can do to help decarbonise their businesses, and to do the same in ours.”
Hervé Le Faou, chief procurement officer of Heineken, said: “Scope 3 emissions are one of the biggest challenges that the industry faces in delivering on our Net Zero ambitions. We must work together to identify areas of our supply chains where we can pool our resources to accelerate this transition for our suppliers. We look forward to working with other beverage companies to achieve this and accelerate the decarbonization of our industry.”
Jane Liang, chief procurement officer of Diageo, said: “The climate crisis is the most pressing issue of our time and the transition to Net Zero is becoming increasingly important. However, there is only so much we can do as individual businesses. The REfresh Alliance will drive collective action within the industry to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy. We are calling on all companies and suppliers within the industry to join us and support the industry in its transition to Net Zero.”
REfresh intends to initially launch in the mature renewable energy markets of Europe and North America, where it will be able to use existing networks to accelerate impact in support of the industry’s decarbonization efforts. As it continues to grow, the consortium will look to expand to other markets and welcome businesses from across the beverage industry to join it in supporting suppliers in their decarbonization journeys.
Vape industry bodies have raised concerns over chancellor Rachel Reeves’ budget announcement introducing a flat-rate excise duty on vaping products, saying it could hurt public health and increase financial pressures on consumers.
The new excise tax, set to begin on October 1, 2026, will add £2.20 per 10ml of vaping liquid, with additional VAT. This rate replaces the previous government’s proposed tiered tax structure, which many in the industry had criticised.
The Independent British Vape Trade Association (IBVTA) welcomed the shift from a tiered structure but voiced strong concerns about the overall impact on vapers, particularly those on lower incomes.
“The government has already proposed regulation that will ban single use products, which despite helping many adult smokers access vaping, have via irresponsible retailers been disproportionately accessible to children,” said IBVTA chair Marcus Saxton.
“It would seem a little questionable then to increase the cost of vaping, especially given there are still around six million adult smokers for who you’re trying to give every opportunity to make the transition to less harmful products.”
Saxton warned that higher costs could hinder the progress made by public services utilising vapes within their smoking cessation services, adding, “The IBVTA do not believe that any excise tax should be applied to products supplied via these services.”
The UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) voiced even sharper criticism, highlighting the potential for the new excise tax to become an economic burden on adult vapers.
John Dunne, UKVIA’s director general, noted that the additional £2.64 per 10ml of e-liquid (inclusive of VAT) could result in a 267 per cent price hike for some e-liquids, a change that he described as “a kick in the teeth for former adult smokers who have switched to vaping to quit their habits.”
Dunne cautioned that the new excise rate would be “the highest in Europe,” and warned that it could deter adult smokers from considering vapes as a smoking cessation tool.
“Some 3 million adults are former smokers thanks to vaping, which is strongly evidenced as the most effective way to quit conventional cigarettes, saving the NHS millions of pounds in treating patients with smoking related conditions. This announcement today deters adult smokers from considering vapes as a method to give up their habits, and hits the lowest paid,” said Dunne.
He criticised the government’s approach, calling it a “revenue grab from former smokers” and noted the inconsistency with reduced VAT rates applied to other nicotine replacement therapies.
“It would also make more sense for vapes to be taxed at a lower VAT rate, which is the case for other nicotine replacement therapies, which have proven to be considerably less successful than vapes in helping smokers quit,” he said.
The budget also announced a consultation on new compliance measures, including vaping duty stamps and supply chain controls to combat illicit production of nicotine products. This consultation, open until December 11, 2024, aims to limit illegal manufacturing while ensuring the new duty’s effective enforcement.
The latest findings highlighted by Lumina Intelligence Convenience Tracking Programme reveal a shift towards lighter shopping trips, the impact of weather on daytime meal occasions, and strategic growth in forecourt impulse purchases driven by expanded meal deal offerings.
The Convenience Tracking Programme has uncovered significant shifts in the UK's convenience shopping landscape, indicating a continued rise in market penetration with a notable trend towards "lighter" shopping. The number of shoppers in the market has grown, with an impressive +2.8 percentage point increase in year-on-year penetration. Managed convenience channels are driving much of this growth, reflecting heightened consumer interest in convenience store options.
However, while more shoppers are making trips to convenience outlets, they are increasingly favouring lighter shopping trips. The data indicates a -10 per cent decrease in items per trip, paired with a modest -0.4 per cent decline in total spend per visit. This shift suggests a consumer preference for smaller, more frequent purchases as opposed to larger basket sizes, with customers prioritising efficiency and value.
The data also revealed an increase in share for daytime meal occasions, rising by +0.8 percentage points. This shift is partly due to a rebalancing in food-to-go purchases, which peaked last year during an extended period of favourable weather. This year’s comparatively poorer weather has driven shoppers to consume more meals at home, leading to a greater focus on in-home meal preparation. Consumers are purchasing ingredients and essentials to make meals at home, highlighting a sustained demand for convenient meal solutions that align with at-home dining.
In an otherwise stabilised market, forecourts have emerged as a unique growth channel for impulse purchases, registering a +1.3 percentage point increase year-on-year. Meal deals have been a pivotal driver of this growth, up +4.1ppts as a reason for purchasing on impulse. Leading forecourt operators, including BP and Shell, have expanded meal deal offerings in partnership with established retailers, delivering enhanced value and variety to time-pressed consumers. This strategic move addresses the evolving needs of busy shoppers, who are seeking quick, affordable meal solutions.
Two of the biggest brewers Anheuser-Busch InBev and Carlsberg sold less than forecast in the third quarter as consumers, particularly in China, cut their spending by drinking less or choosing cheaper beer.
The world leader AB InBev's profits and revenues fell short of analyst expectations, sending its shares almost 4 per cent lower as a $2 billion share buyback and a guidance raise failed to win over investors.
Its volumes and revenues slipped by double digits in China, with other large territories the US, Mexico and Europe also seeing volume declines. AB InBev cited lower consumer demand, and said sales in bars and restaurants in China were particularly slow.
Beer makers had anticipated a rebound in margins and volumes this year, but sluggish economies and high inflation and interest rates have held customers back. Adverse weather and competition from cheaper, local rivals has added to the impact.
The world's third biggest brewer Carlsberg, which makes beers including Kronenbourg 1664 and Tuborg as well as its namesake brand, saw volumes fall 1.3 per cent, citing factors including a "very weak" consumer in China.
Chief executive Jacob Aarup-Andersen told Reuters the company would, in the short term, adjust a strategy relied upon by brewers for years: developing and promoting more expensive brands, marketed as premium beers, to offset falling volumes.
"In markets where we are seeing a significant pressure on premium, we are reallocating some of our focus into making sure we are promoting properly around the right mainstream brands," he said.
For the long term, Aarup-Andersen said he remained confident, and that pricier brews would account for a significantly larger portion of Carlsberg's portfolio in a decade.
AB InBev's third-quarter statement highlighted stronger growth for its more expensive beers, like Corona, which grew 10.2 per cent outside of its home market, Mexico, during the period.
In China, however, where AB InBev's strategy is focused on its premium portfolio, revenues and volumes fell 16.1 per cent and 14.2 per cent respectively. It said this strategy "remains a compelling value creation opportunity".
For some, the third-quarter performance in China raised questions for the maker of Budweiser and Stella Artois, particularly because rival Heineken, the world's No. 2 beer-maker, said it had significantly outperformed there.
"Are they priced wrong?" Siphelele Mdudu, investment analyst at AB InBev investor Matrix Fund Managers, said of the brewer, adding if companies push too hard on prices or premium beers when drinkers are stretched, their customers may look elsewhere.
This may require brewers to reconsider the balance between more expensive and cheaper beers in their portfolios, he said.
Heineken's volumes rose 0.7% in the quarter, but it also flagged a challenging consumer environment and steep declines in markets such as Cambodia because of competition from cheaper local brands.
£40K in prizes go to 22 National Lottery retailers in latest quarterly draws
Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, has announced that it has awarded 22 deserving National Lottery retailers with prizes totalling £40,000 in its two latest Site, Stock, Sell online quarterly prize draws.
Two National Lottery retailers took home a whopping £10,000 each, while a further 20 retailers won the £1,000 runner-up prize. All 22 independent retailers were entered into the quarterly draws because they achieved high scores out of 10 in Allwyn’s Site, Stock, Sell online in-store standards programme.
The programme assesses a store’s National Lottery point of sale (POS) items – such as the National Lottery Playstation, Scratchcard dispenser and signage – for their sales-driving ability. All independent retailers need to do is upload images of their POS to the National Lottery Retailer Hub each month to be scored out of 10.
Ravindrasinh Bhatti, owner of The Corner Shop in Hythe, took home one of the huge £10k top prizes, while the other top prize was won by a retailer in Carlisle who has chosen to remain anonymous.
“I’ve been a National Lottery retailer for 16 years now and I’m extremely happy to have won after so long. I’m also celebrating my 60th birthday, so this is a fantastic present,” said Ravindrasinh.
Kandasamy Thivakaran of VSN Convenience Store in Merthyr, who won one of the £1,000 prizes, said, “Uploading the pictures of my point of sale every month to The National Lottery Retailer Hub has paid off and I’ve finally won! It takes five minutes to do and I think £1,000 for five minutes of work is amazing.”
Allwyn’s Interim Retail Director, James Dunbar, added, “Congratulations to our latest Site, Stock, Sell online quarterly winners, your prizes are thoroughly deserved. Ensuring your POS is in the best possible shape to help drive sales not only helps boost your own bottom lines, but it also ensures that National Lottery players continue to raise around £30 million every week for Good Causes. Thank you for all the work you do in maximising National Lottery ticket sales.”