Why fuel retailers need to think globally

NACS Convenience Summit Europe provides global insights and lessons learned from other markets.

“The future is already here, it’s just unevenly distributed.” That famous quote by futurist William Gibson gives us a forward-thinking lens to view convenience and fuel retail through. As different countries experience issues at different stages, like fuel regulations or trends in sustainability and electric vehicle development, those that pay attention to lessons learned from operators that came before them will be better prepared to weather industry changes and set their businesses up for success.

Where should you start? By attending NACS Convenience Summit Europe, which will be held in Barcelona June 4-6. During three days of programmed education sessions, networking opportunities with over 150 leader delegates representing 20 countries and Ideas 2 Go store tours showcasing the most innovative retailers in Barcelona, NACS brings innovation, inspiration and thought leadership to European retailers.

“At the heart of Convenience Summit Europe is the ability for global retailers to discover where the future of their business is heading, depending on which part of the world their stores are located in,” said Mark Wohltmann, NACS global director. “Digging into the global issues life cycle at CSE can help retailers predict and prepare for potential legislation and regulations by understanding how retailers in other countries have already handled them.”

Wohltmann, along with NACS CEO Henry Armour, will spearhead the event’s discussion of global issues, providing future foresight for emerging trends that will impact retailers across the world.

“NACS Convenience Summit Europe is one of the best events I attend that’s dedicated to the European convenience and fuel industry. Each year, I leave with new global insights and a broader perspective on the future of our industry,” said Patrick Steppe, CEO Lekkerland AG & Co. in Germany.

Industry thought leaders in their fields will give in-depth insights into the most relevant topics for fuel retailers during education sessions, such as:

The EV Consumer: Their Usage, Pain Points, Learnings and Future — Based on his extensive research, CEO of Insight Research Dan Munford will share insights on the current electric vehicle landscape from a consumer’s perspective. The session will look at data that suggests how current consumer behaviour can lend to an overall outlook on the near- and mid-term future across different European regions.  
Staying Relevant in Times of Mobility Shifts — The future business of petrol station operators is moving beyond fuel and out of the existing sites. How do we become a coffee and food destination, and where should the industry be heading to remain relevant? Carol Chen, global CMO & SVP, Shell Global Mobility, will share Shell's success story during times of shifting mobility.
Artificial Intelligence Applications in Convenience Retail — Amidst the confusion of AI, what is the relevance for convenience retail? Accenture managing director Brian Gray will share exclusive research on AI use cases for retail, what is possible today, what could be possible tomorrow, and how retailers can ensure they don’t miss the opportunity to leverage AI’s full potential.

Retailer case studies will also offer attendees a snapshot of successes stories they can take back to their own stores: BP’s Creating a Growth Engine case study will explore the future for eFuels and hydrogen, how eFuels can support a net-zero journey, and what opportunities exist for today’s fueling stations, drawing from the company’s view of opportunities and potential futures, as well as their successes in investing in eFuels.

The Ideas 2 Go Barcelona tours will take attendees to c-stores and fueling stations that put innovative ideas into practice to stand out among the competition in their market. The small group tours offer a glimpse of what successful strategies some of Barcelona’s best-in-class owners have implemented in their stores and glean new insights moving forward, and are a great opportunity to network and explore the city.

“During our store tours in Barcelona, delegates will visit a market that is on the verge of moving from fuel to food and see stores that are investing in the latest designs and technologies,” said Wohltmann. “For example, as the original case study subject for MIT Professor Zeynep Ton’s The Good Jobs Strategy, Spanish retailer Mercadona will show delegates why paying higher wages leads to a raised bottom line.”

The event will wrap up by celebrating the best of the best. The NACS Convenience Retail Awards Europe gala — a prestigious competition that recognizes outstanding achievements in the European retail communities — will be held on the last night of the event, June 6. The event will announce winners in four categories: Convenience Retailer of the Year, Convenience Industry Leader of the Year, Convenience Retail Sustainability Award and Convenience Retail Technology Award.

The awards — judged by the pillars of the convenience industry — provide one of the greatest benchmarks of global convenience retailing excellence.

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