Sainsbury's, Britain's favourite fuel retailer

Sainsbury's is the UK's favourite fuel retailer with 52% of drivers selecting it above competitors for its exceptional service and experience, according to an independent study by Market Force Information.

The consumer intelligence firm surveyed 5,900 customers in June 2015 asking them to evaluate the service provided by the last gas station they had attended. The survey wanted to find out the satisfaction with the services and likelihood to refer that service station to others.

Questions about service satisfaction included price, brand image, customer service and other added values such food or coffee shops.

Sainsbury´s took first or second place in five of the nine attributes measured, finally achieving the highest overall rating. Shell was awarded first place for fuel quality and brand reputation, closely followed by BP. Meanwhile, BP led customer satisfaction for fresh food and coffee, mainly due to their partnership with Marks and Spencer, which operates food outlets in some of their stations.

In general, supermarkets were rated higher for providing a better overall experience, with loyalty cards playing a big role. Tesco and Sainsbury´s battled for the best loyalty programme, with the former beating the later by a 1% margin.

ASDA was number one in price satisfaction, with other supermarket chains (Sainsbury´s, Tesco and Morrisons) following closely.

Cheryl Flink, Chief Strategy Officer for Market Force Information, noted: “We found that one in six consumers were dissatisfied with their most recent fueling experience. With the plethora of options available to motorists, it’s difficult for brands to differentiate. To be competitive, brands must deliver on core customer expectations like a competitive fuel price, good fuel quality and ease of getting in and out of the location. In addition, they have opportunities to differentiate on service, site maintenance and overall image. Attention to these will lure customers over and over again.”