Dear Reader,

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. That’s exactly what Ireland’s leading convenience and forecourt retailers are doing now as they face up to the country’s worst recession on record.

This month’s report from the recent Insight/NACS Global Convenience Benchmarks event in Dublin reveals how Mace, Spar, Centra and ADM Londis focus on value to stay competitive in the wake of increased threats from discounters. Value isn’t the only card they are playing, however. Convenience operators, such as Topaz and Petrogas, are continuing to focus on food-to-go, hot beverages and service, living up to their reputation as innovators and trend setters in the global field.

Those developments will remain key moving forward — and not just because of the economic downturn. A looming tobacco display ban threatens the sector; developing alternate revenue streams will be crucial.

Delegates in Dublin heard from international colleagues as well, including Total, 7-Eleven Australia, Tesco and Wawa. These retailers shared their views on the global recession and focused on the opportunities for future market growth. Benchmarking has never been so convenient.

Fiona Briggs, Editor

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Future of International Convenience Retailing 2009 London

Convenience Knowledge Bank