Walmart dives into the fuel business

Retailing giant Walmart announced last week that it will be boosting its gas and convenience store business.

Threatened by the growing shadow for internet retailer Amazon, Walmart has decided to invest in a more traditional business – convenience stores. On Wednesday, it opened a new gas station in Plano, Texas under the banner of Walmart Fuel Stations.

The new concept is just under 3,000sqm (278m2), has eight pumps and includes a convenience store with an extensive food-to-go offer.

Walmart plans to open three more stores of the kind in the parking lots of supercenters in the Dallas-Forth Worth area before the end of the year. This move represents the company’s change in strategy away from large stores while investing in smaller, convenient concepts.

Since 2016, the retailer has been easing out of a partnership with Murphy USA, which built and runs some 1,200 gas stations at Walmart, to boost its own fuelling brand, reports Retail Dive.