The number of female drivers is growing, but the masculine atmosphere at many service stations does not appeal to the women. If the service stations do not adapt to the growing female segment they risk missing out on a substantial revenue in their shops, says Peter Hermes, commercial director in the international bakery group Lantmännen Unibake.
A necessary evil seems to be the perception of service stations among women. Filling, paying, and leaving again quickly is how they prefer it. While statistics say that the number of female drivers is growing, international research points to the fact that women spend less time and money on average when they go to the service station compared to men. If this habit can be changed, new opportunities will emerge according to Commercial Director Peter Hermes from the international bakery group Lantmännen Unibake. He works closely with service stations, in-store bakeries and convenience stores, advising on shop design and the presentation of bakery products and points to the traditionally masculine atmosphere of the typical service stations as one of the main explanations for the trend.
- Service stations are becoming more and more dependent on the sales from the shops. That’s where the profit is, not in the gas itself. We are seeing a clear development from traditional gas stations towards something like convenience stores. You might call it a trend towards more feminine values, removing the service station from the male universe and offering a wide assortment of different types of freshly baked bread and cakes and more feminine product types with a special focus on health, freshness, and convenience. It they can manage to do this the service stations may have a great potential at their hands, says Peter Hermes.
The smell of fresh bread sells
Warm, freshly baked bread has turned out to be an effective way to attract customers and increase sales of other goods. Research shows that customers spend almost 40 percent more time in a shop if their sense of smell is stimulated.
- Bread is no longer an ordinary off-the-shelf item, but offers competitive advantage. At many service stations, in super markets and convenience stores you are met by the smell of freshly baked bread and we have numerous examples of how our bake-off service concepts have increased the sales of fast food, bread and pastry by up to 20 to 25 percent, says Peter Hermes and continues:
- The bake-off service concept is a good example of the trend that we see at the gas stations. We adapt the concept to the requirements of the individual customer to increase the revenue, reduce waste and use the smell of the bread to attract customers to the shop. We train the managers in planning and optimization of the business, and we train the staff in baking, decoration, serving and good hygiene to ensure that the shop appears inviting to the customers, gradually moving away from the traditional masculine stereotypes that many people associate with the service stations.
For further information please contact:
Corporate press manager
Jesper Skovlund
+45 2368 5148
jesper.skovlund@lantmannen.com