Healthy eating trends are driving demand for healthier products from forecourt retailers. They must respond to capture the full market potential, says the report, Category Growth in Forecourt Convenience Retailing.

Consumers are increasingly eating on the go. They are more discerning in their food choices, looking for alternatives to current service station offerings. They want to be provided with flexible and convenient eating options which fit in to their busy lifestyles. Growing demand for food and drinks which are convenient, healthy and indulgent at the same time is evident.

Many petrol retailers have already cottoned on to food and drink products as the most important non-fuel items in forecourt retailing with regard to profitability. Service stations must pay close attention to these consumer trends when selecting the products they sell. The retailers who do this most successfully will be best placed to maximize the already strong growth of their non fuel sales over the coming years.

The market has seen particular growth in the sales of cereal bars with an annual growth rate of 7% over the 2005-2010 period across Europe. Functional drinks also continue to shine with the market forecast to grow at a rate of 6% across Europe over the same five year period.

Take a look at Category Growth in Forecourt Convenience Retailing for a comprehensive overview of growth and trends within the forecourt food and drink market. It highlights how oil companies can maximize the potential of this market by carefully selecting products which match consumer trends.