Petrol retailers association
The Petrol Retailers' Association represents petrol retailers and forecourt operators. Our members also include convenience retail outlets and motorway service areas.
What We Do For You
- Provide daily Platts-based wholesale fuel prices
- Publish a bi-monthly membership magazine entitled ‘Forecourt’, incorporated into the RMI Automotive Insight magazine
- Provide evaluation and advice on commercial offers for Supply Agreements with oil companies
- Appoint specialist agents for rating revaluations
- Work closely with HSE on risk assessment and other controls
- Host regional open meetings to present topics of interest and value to the industry
- Offer training to improve on-site safety and skills
- Provide a benefits package to reduce the cost of site operation and improve profitability
- Offer a bank deal encompassing finance provision, card processing and money transmission
- Represent members’ interests to oil companies, Government, forecourt customers and the media
The Petrol Retailers' Association is committed to helping members run their businesses legally and more profitably, and to adapt to new challenges in the market through advice and support, representation and high-profile campaigning.
It is the only trade association representing the requirements of all types of independent forecourt owners in the UK. Forecourt retailing is one of the UK's most regulated industries with onerous penalties for non compliance, therefore having the Petrol Retailers' Association participate in drafting new or replacement legislation and regulations is critical in protecting the interests of individual businesses.
Advice to members is freely given on key issues, including:
- Supply contract negotiations and pricing advice, together with advice from subsidiary BigOil’s experts
- Dispute resolution
- Legal support via expert witness input
- Fuel cost price discrepancies and claim management – we saved one member £32,000 in 2009!
- Every technical requirement for operation of a legal forecourt business
- Biofuel and other fuel quality issues (storage and potential stock losses)
- Heath and Safety Regulations
- Mandatory staff training
- Assistance in using BigOil.net (Platts fuel price quotes)
- Expert opinion on all fuel industry issues
- Equipment replacement and maintenance
- Guidance on key relationship interaction (eg Trading Standards)
- Crime and business protection
Members get a range of specifically tailored and cost-saving benefits such as specific insurance (including environmental cover), reduced banking costs, including credit and debit card transactions, equipment discounts, free legal helpline and free general advice helpline.
The Petrol Retailers' Association's objective is to make sure the cost of membership is outweighed by the savings available from participating in the benefits programme. It delivers a series of Regional Business Forums annually to brief members on key issues and provide expert guidance on day-to-day problems.
A strong relationship with the media allows the Petrol Retailers' Association to keep the industry and the many issues it faces in the public eye.
Successes gained on behalf of members are maintained in confidence but financial reimbursements via compensation payments have often been at a level of five-figure sums and the Petrol Retailers' Association intervention has frequently prevented an authority from pursuing legal action against a fuel business. It supports retailer disputes with fuel suppliers - in a recent contract dispute a retailer was awarded up to £70,000 in compensation. It also acts as a mediator and has been involved in several cases where it has got retailers released from contracts without onerous penalties.
And finally, many members join the Petrol Retailers' Association to give them access to face-to-face discussions with other retailers.
