Fuelling the Festive Rush

November 27, 2025

The festive period is busy for businesses across the board, and it’s no different for fuel stations. Although, they are not primarily somewhere many would give a second thought, especially at such a busy time of year, fuel sites are the crux of holiday travel. As such, fuel retailers and forecourt operators need to ensure they are prepared well in advance, especially if research from recent years is anything to go by.

Motoring services provider, the RAC and transportation analytics solutions specialist, INRIX predicted – in a jointly conducted study – that 29.3 million journeys would have been made by motorists across the UK in the week leading up to 25th December 2024. With such a high number of motorists expected to travel in such a short period, it is no surprise that fuel stations will become much more in demand than usual.

The level of liveliness, however, will depend on whether a site provides motorists with additional services, as well as providing reliable refuelling opportunities. After all, the global data and business intelligence platform, Statista found in its own research that UK consumers had been forecasted to spend around £88 billion on retail during the 2024 festive season, German customers just over £73 billion and French consumers an estimated £62 billion.

With such huge figures, fuel retailers cannot afford to be unprepared. Leaving organisation until the last minute or completely ignoring the requirement to have their site “yuletide-ready”, to meet last-minute (and sometimes frantic) festive consumer demand, is a critical oversight and an overlooked advantage in an intensely competitive market.

Fortunately, advanced energy dispensing equipment provider Dover Fueling Solutions^® (DFS) is on hand to provide some advice to help fuel retailers and forecourt operators prepare for the demanding festive period, to ensure they can capitalise on the increased footfall…

Sleigh the Forecourt Flow

With high volumes of traffic expected across Europe during the festive period, it is almost certain forecourts will be bustling with a significant number of motorists. This means a steady fuel supply is non-negotiable.

Running out of fuel, during peak travel times, is not an option for fuel retailers. Having to put up signs to indicate out-of-service dispensers will only annoy those already travel-stressed motorists, to the point where they may lose trust in your services and choose to visit a nearby fuel station instead.

Jeroen van Pelt, Sales Director, DFS, points out: “People are often in more of a rush during the festive period, so retailers should aim to meet the most common expectation on a fuel site – refuel and go, without slowing down the travel day.”

“Fuel management systems can really help retailers stay on top of their fuel inventory. Our automatic tank gauge (ATG) systems and wetstock management solutions are designed to continuously monitor tanks across an entire fuel site’s network, providing real-time insights so they can stay on top of stocks, ensuring they can reorder fuel well before a supply is about to run short.”

With an ATG console, retailers can create a system of comprehensive fuel information management that can provide advanced functionality, such as centralised site management, precise inventory reconciliation, and loss prevention analysis. When partnered with wetstock management, retailers can transform the entire reconciliation process and lower operational costs – all while mitigating risk. Not only will this provide true visibility into fuel stocks, but it enables retailers to become savvier when planning fuel deliveries.

Managing the C-Store Festive Footfall

As the festive season ramps up, c-stores play a crucial role in supporting time-pressed travellers, last-minute shoppers, and those simply looking for a quick festive pick me up. From hot drinks and seasonal snacks to essential travel items, the c-store becomes more than just a stop – it’s part of the festive journey.

With footfall projected to increase throughout December, expectations of speed and efficiency are at an all-time high, making self-checkout kiosks and order kiosks valuable solutions to help streamline the instore experience. Not only do these solutions reduce queues, ease staffing pressures, and give customers a faster, more stress-free way to shop, they also present a unique opportunity to cross or upsell additional products to increase festive revenue.

“While it might seem difficult to introduce a self-checkout on the forecourt, we have designed a cost-effective solution that fits seamlessly with the in-store experience,” explains Raf Tormans, Product Management Director, DFS. “The fast-paced nature of the DFS Self-Checkout Kiosk^™ makes the retail experience quicker, giving customers the option of avoiding long queues elsewhere, and the DFS Order Kiosk^™ powered by FLYX helps to reduce queues and waiting time by up to 40%.”

“In fact, The DFS Order Kiosk can help increase the average basket size by 25-35%,” adds Jenthe Govaerts, Product Manager, DFS.

During the festive period, or any busy period, the c-store becomes a key touchpoint for customers – presenting valuable opportunities for retailers to meet customer needs and drive additional revenue. With increased footfall and tighter schedules, speed and convenience aren’t just desired, they are expected. For retailers and operators investing in these technologies, it’s not just about efficiency – it’s about creating a smoother, more positive experience during one of the most demanding times of the year.

Tis the Season to be Loyal

The booming festive season also presents a unique opportunity for retailers to capitalise on digitally integrated loyalty programs and advanced point-of-sale (POS) systems.

Modern POS systems enable fast, frictionless payments – including mobile and contactless options – while also providing valuable data insights into consumer behaviour, product performance, and peak trading times. When combined with a loyalty program, fuel retailers can use this data to deliver targeted festive promotions, personalise offers in real time, and increase customer retention through meaningful rewards.

By unifying control of multiple touchpoints into a single interface, Prizma enables retailers to streamline operations across single or multi-site setups. This is especially valuable in EMEA, where cross-border retail often involves managing language preferences, regional regulations, or differing fuel types.

Prizma removes friction across a fuel station, making on-site and remote control easy while enabling the retailer to optimise the customer's experience, which ultimately helps maximise site profits. This is incredibly important, as research shows 86% of consumers are willing to pay more for a great customer experience, with those customers spending up to 140% more than those who experience negative interactions.

In a highly competitive market, leveraging digital tools to connect payment, loyalty, and customer insights can turn seasonal footfall into long-term loyalty – making the festive period a key moment for data-led growth.

With many millions of people set to take a road trip this festive season, retailers who ensure they have reliable dispensers, fast payment options, and smart loyalty rewards in place – not to mention an effective wetstock management and ATG system – can turn a simple stop into a festive essential. In turn, these steps will keep customers fuelled, festive, and coming back for more, even after the holiday period.

Sources

• https://media.rac.co.uk/getaway-gridlock-rac-predicts-record-29m-festive-trips-before-the-25th-as-the-country-drives-home-for-christmas-3360482
• https://www.statista.com/statistics/1063481/christmas-spending-in-european-countries/
• https://www.doverfuelingsolutions.com/europe/en/products-and-solutions/automatic-tank-gauging/consoles.html
• https://www.doverfuelingsolutions.com/europe/en/thought-leadership/why-businesses-should-upgrade-to-tank-gauging-systems---atgs.html
• https://www.doverfuelingsolutions.com/europe/en/products-and-solutions/fuel-retail/prizma-cloud-services/dx-power.html
• https://www.bp.com/en_gb/united-kingdom/home/news/press-releases/bp-reveals-how-motorists-are-fuelling-themselves-for-christmas.html
• https://www.anytimefuelpros.com/fueling-up-for-holiday-season-logistics-strategies-to-meet-increased-demands/
• https://kalibrate.com/insights/blog/location-intelligence/12-tips-for-gas-station-owners-this-christmas/
• https://www.lsretail.com/resources/practical-ways-avoid-long-queues-retail-stores
• https://www.met.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/keeping-business-safe-from-crime/petrol-stations/