The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has called on the chancellor to act in the Budget to support the UK's 8,300+ petrol forecourts, which have been hit hard by higher costs and challenging sales conditions made worse by skyrocketing pump prices.
ACS's 2026 Forecourt Report shows that UK forecourts have less room to invest than last year, with each store spending £14,810 on average compared to £15,550 in 2025. Investment is being constrained by major increases in business rates bills for forecourt retailers and the pressure of continued rises in employment costs.
At the till, customer spending is taking a hit due to the sharp rise in fuel prices over the last year, with an average spend of £13.09 compared to £13.48 in 2025 (excluding fuel).
Forecourts exposed to pump price rises
ACS chief executive Ed Woodall said: "It's easy for the government to point the finger at forecourts when fuel prices go up, but the reality is that they're exposed to pump price rises themselves.
"When prices at the pump increase, forecourt retailers are losing out because customers don't spend as much in store and they rely on those sales to trade viably."
Woodall added: "Forecourts are crucial national infrastructure and incredibly important to the communities they serve, but have been disproportionately hit by business rates increases, new regulatory reporting requirements and other cost of trading pressures.
"We are calling on the chancellor to take action in the Budget to support both customers and forecourt retailers by freezing fuel duty beyond January 2027, help them to invest by taking pressure off rates bills, and recognise the role they play in providing secure local jobs to over 90,000 people."
Key findings from the Forecourt Report
Additional findings from the report include: forecourts are rated by consumers as one of the top five most essential services in the local community; 77% of forecourt retailers engaged in some form of community activity over the last year; 40% of forecourt retailers are now aged 30 or under; and 21% of forecourt retailers took no time off last year.
ACS's #Checkout the Cost of Trading campaign has been running throughout the summer, highlighting the pressure that the convenience sector is under and calling on the government to act.
The campaign continues to press for government action to ease the cost pressures facing forecourt retailers and the communities they serve.
