The Fragmented Forecourt: Episode 3 – Live from The Forecourt Show: EV promise meets forecourt reality

The Fragmented Forecourt: Episode 3 – Live from The Forecourt Show: EV promise meets forecourt realityForecourts and convenience retail sit at an increasingly awkward intersection. They are expected to reflect changing consumer habits, support new technologies like EV charging, and respond to health, regulatory, and economic pressures, all while running on infrastructure that was never designed for this level of complexity.Recorded at the Forecourt Show, this episode brings together Matt Oldham from Attenda and Ghermaine Henry from Aevi to explore what is really changing on UK forecourts and what is proving harder than expected. From shifting product mixes and healthier convenience options, to the realities of EV charging economics and unreliable customer journeys, the conversation cuts through assumptions and looks at what is actually happening on the ground.Rather than focusing on distant future visions, Matt shares what retailers and suppliers are seeing right now. Why health and wellness products are becoming more prominent, where EV expectations are running ahead of operational reality, and why payments and technology robustness remain critical foundations that too often get overlooked.In this episode, we explore:What the Forecourt Show reveals about the current state of retail and supplier prioritiesThe rise of health-focused convenience and why alcohol sales may be softeningWhy EV charging presence at industry events may be decliningThe economic and operational challenges of making EV charging work for forecourt operatorsHow customer journey failures, authorisation issues, and unreliable tech damage trustWhy payments and infrastructure robustness matter more than novelty in new servicesHow longer EV dwell times are reshaping forecourt layouts, concessions, and customer expectationsWhat unattended retail and age verification could unlock for 24/7 forecourt modelsWhere retailers should focus now to avoid compounding complexity laterThis conversation is grounded in today’s realities: pressure on margins, fragmented technology choices, and customers who only notice payments when something goes wrong. It highlights why simplifying foundations, choosing resilient partners, and designing for real customer behaviour matter more than chasing every trend.If you work in forecourt retail, convenience, EV charging, or payments and are navigating shifting consumer demands alongside fragile infrastructure, this episode offers a practical view of what is changing, what is stalling, and where attention should be focused next.