Posts by theo@aacs.org.au

The leading global trade fair for sweets and snacks – ISM – is inviting the international industry to discover the most exciting trends and innovations from 2 to 5 February. From sustainable treats, to healthy alternatives, through to spectacular taste combinations – the sweets trade fair is demonstrating what the creative and dynamic industry has to offer. With almost 200 entries the new products database is presenting the most innovative products of the participating companies. Sustainability remains a key theme and characterises the innovations of the sweets and snacks industry – and not only with regards to packaging. The demand for environmentally-friendly, plant-based and locally sourced ingredients grows constantly. At the same time, sustainable production processes and transparency are becoming increasingly more important: consumers are asking more and more often where and how their snacks are manufactured – and acknowledge brands that provide clear answers. At ISM 2025, manufacturers are…

Overall store count drops by 0.1%, but there was growth in stores selling fuel. The U.S. convenience industry stands at 152,255 stores, a slight decrease of 141 stores (0.1%) compared to the store count last year, according to the 2025 NACS/NIQ TDLinx Convenience Industry Store Count. The number of convenience stores selling fuel increased 1.5% to 121,852 stores. Convenience stores sell an estimated 80% of the fuel purchased in the United States. The bulk of convenience stores comes from “A-sized” (1-10 stores) operators at 95,946 locations (63.0% of total c-stores). “E-sized” operators with more than 500 stores account for 34,042 stores (22.4%). Texas continues to have the most convenience stores, growing by 112 stores to 16,416, or more than 1 in 10 stores in the United States. California was second despite a decrease of 8 stores to 12,169, and Florida added 46 stores to 9,732, which was third overall. The…

bp Australia has completed its acquisition of X Convenience, the South-Australian based fuel and convenience retailer. This is a milestone for Australia in the growth of bp’s strategic convenience and mobility business,expanding bp Australia’s network with 49 sites in South Australia and Western Australia. Paul Augé, senior vice president Mobility, Convenience & Midstream, Australia and New Zealand,said the acquisition enables bp to further expand its customer offer in South Australia and ensure astrong national network of sites. “Today is a landmark day for bp Australia. We are thrilled to welcome the X Convenience team to bpand supercharge our quality fuel, convenience and card offers through our refreshed network in SouthAustralia.” “We look forward to learning from each other as we grow our business together.” In May, bp announced it had agreed to acquire X Convenience. Now that the acquisition is complete, X Convenience’s strategically located network complements existing sites supplying…

Small businesses in Australia are paying significantly higher debit and credit card fees compared to large retailers, according to submissions to the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) review of merchant payment costs and surcharging. The Independent Payments Forum (IPF) has criticised banks and card schemes for maintaining what it describes as an unfair fee structure. IPF claims that small businesses are often charged three to five times more than major retailers, based on RBA data. “This skewed approach to fees is a betrayal of small businesses and their customers who want to access their own money at the lowest possible cost,” said IPF co-founder Brad Kelly. Some banks and US card schemes have pushed to protect all aspects of their fees – interchange, scheme fees and margin – while hiding them by banning surcharging, according to submissions made to the RBA. IPF argues that such a move would obscure the…

Tobacco excise revenue has shrunk to a nine-year low as smokers turn to the black market for cheaper cigarettes, prompting calls for the federal government to boost enforcement to plug the growing shortfall. The federal government collected just $9.7 billion from the tobacco excise last financial year, according to Treasury, a 40 per cent fall from the record $16.3 billion haul in 2019-20 and the lowest take since 2014-15. Successive Labor and Coalition governments have collectively increased the tobacco excise by 282 per cent since 2013, pushing the cost of a 25-pack of cigarettes to about $50 dollars – $34 of which goes to the government. Economists say the increases have become counterproductive and pushed consumers to the black market, rather than deterring them from smoking. The growth in illegal sales has also come at the expense of tax revenue. Treasury has consistently overestimated how much tobacco tax the federal…

The rise of more complex and digitized supply chains is leading to an uptick in risks. Supply chains and retail landscapes are getting more digital, but not all companies are adapting. In fact, too many seem to be turning a blind eye. In a survey from the 2023 Convenience Store News Technology Study, only 38 percent of respondents called improving data security a top business priority. As we enter 2025, the new year presents an opportunity for convenience store leaders to learn more about the key cybersecurity threats and what can be done to mitigate these threats. The Supply Chain is the Priority As supply chains become more complex and digitized, bad actors are seizing on opportunities for cyberattacks — and there are many more than most retailers realize. Consider the recent discovery of vulnerabilities in automatic tank gauge (ATG) industrial control systems (ICS). Researchers revealed critical vulnerabilities in six ATG…