Gulf Petrol Forecourt Retail C-Store Design Benchmarking
We build forecourt brands designed to transform markets.
Vision. Creativity. Profitability.
Benchmarking international petrol forecourt brands and convenience retailing strategies for Gulf Oil, exploring the evolution of petrol stations.
CampbellRigg was tasked by Gulf Petrol UK to deliver a strategic petrol forecourt benchmarking programme focused on retail branding, convenience store design, and customer experience. The objective was to improve forecourt usability and drive stronger commercial performance across its retail network.
Gulf Oil operates more than 1,400 branded service stations across 23 countries, with a network spanning licensed dealers and franchise partners. To support its continued growth, we proposed a comprehensive sector benchmarking study. This document serves as a catalyst and first step toward creating unified global forecourt design guidelines, ensuring consistency, clarity and stronger brand recognition across international markets.
When the management team of Gulf retail requested a proposal for the development of their petrol forecourts and convenience stores.
To help predict future forecourt trends, we began by researching the market. Looking at historic and present-day forecourt and c-store design. This is an essential task prior to beginning the
design phase. Our findings follow.
Copyright is vested in each of the named Architects.
Our focus was to reposition Gulf Petrol’s forecourts by benchmarking historic and modern retail destinations, spaces that blend efficient refuelling with compelling convenience retail environments and intuitive customer journeys.
To help predict future forecourt trends, we began by researching the market. Looking at historic and present-day forecourt and c-store design. This is an essential task prior to beginning the design phase.
Shell Petroleum
Architect: Joe Glenn and Bert Bennett
Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
Date: 1930’sAn icon of USA functionalism and branding. When a Winston-based marketer of Shell Oil, decided to build eight gas stations shaped like giant shells to lure in customers.
Firmly oriented toward the future while also paying tribute to the past. Our creative team benchmarked international forecourt brands that create differentiation, drive brand loyalty and increase margins in their products.
We examined present-day trends in contemporary architecture,
design and branding of EV charging hubs.The surge in EV adoption opens up opportunities for automakers to enter the energy market and each manufacturer will have a huge amount of flexibility to offer over the next decades.
Mercedes-Benz Charging Hub
Architect: Mercedes architect
Location: Sandy Springs, Georgia, USA
Date: November 2023Setting new standards for ultra-fast, convenient, and reliable charging of electric vehicles, helping to increase the acceptance of EVs in the U.S. market.
Hyundai Charging Hub
Architect: Hyundai architect
Location: Seoul, South Korea
Date: October 2023Hyundai Motor Group deploys EV charging hubs nationally, allowing for convenient, ultra-fast, rapid charging. As it explores the business models to trade electricity to EV owners.
We identified how leading fuel retailers are redesigning forecourt formats to respond to evolving energy and mobility needs. This includes rethinking canopy architecture, refreshing brand identities and upgrading convenience stores around modern consumer expectations.
By introducing more localised product ranges and stronger retail environments, operators are increasing customer appeal, encouraging impulse purchases and elevating the overall retail experience beyond fuel.
International trends in contemporary architecture, design and branding of
petrol forecourt.From a series of mushroom, wing and kite-like structures whose streamlined gravity-defying shapes inspire one to think of the future, while simultaneously ushering in some of the
very first 'modern' service station.
GAS
Architect: Atelier SAD
Location: Matuskovo, Slovakia
Date: 2011The streamlined mushroom-like structures appear to be defy gravity. A UK newspaper, the Telegraph, named it as one of the 10 most beautiful gas station in the world.
United Petroleum
Architect: Peddle Thorp
Location: Corio Victoria, Australia
Date: 2017United Petroleum’s new petrol forecourt at Corio is an innovative fuel and convenience retailing outlet that creates a bold eye- catching new image for the company.
F24 Petroleum - Q8
Architect: AG5 Arkitekter
Location: Springstrup, Copenhagen, Denmark
Date: 2018A branched steel construction creates a canopy with transparent membrane providing cover while allowing lots of natural light through. A spectacular and memorable design.
Creative brand concepts in retail design and innovative canopy architecture.
The challenge is to update a roadside forecourt identity while delivering an innovative yet highly recognizable solution capable of being easily constructed as new service station systems.
ENO Petroleum
Architect: Aedas
Location: Dubai, UAE
Date: 2020ENOC is a true pioneer in fuel retail, designing and constructing the first station in the region to incorporate a carbon fibre canopy, a wind turbine and 283 solar panels for power generation.
Fuel-mix and the future
Stringent emission regulations/standards and an imminent influx of electric vehicles have led to a change in fuel mix, which in the future will also comprise electric charging points and alternative fuels such as hydrogen and biofuels.
Electrification will lead to partnerships between forecourt retailers, carmakers and energy providers to expand electric vehicle (EV) charging beyond forecourts; while the forecourt of the future will have to be designed keeping in mind the EVs. Hydrogen has the potential to become a vital part of the transport mix in a low-carbon future - requiring players to re-invent their business models to account for new infrastructure requirements (around fuel production, storage and distribution).
Production of hydrogen (H2) utilises renewable source of energy such as water and is a sustainable source of energy. As a result, fuel cell hydrogen vehicles can travel up to 700km on a single tank and can refuel in a few minutes could be the future.
Royal Petroleum
Architect: VDS
Location: Almaty, Kazakhstan
Date: 2021-2022VDS company has carried out large-scale work on the development of a new corporate Identity for the retail chain. A spectacular design and memorable architecture.
Gazprom Neft
Architect: Campbell Rigg International
Location: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Date: 2018Gazprom’s new petrol forecourt design includes LED screens embedded into the canopy and facade. The concept that creates a bold, eye-catching new brand image for the company.
Trending petrol forecourt branding and interior design concepts for convenience stores.
Delve into how the gastronomic food trends of
today are shaping forecourt retailing now and tomorrow.
Retailers are investing in convenience retail
offerings where the food and beverage margins
on c-retailing are significantly higher than fuel.
Adding a wide variety of healthy, superior
gastronomic alternatives.
Shell Select
Architect: Conticello Arquitectos
Location: Argentina
Date: 2021More comfortable and with more services, a new concept that is already operating in different parts of Argentina. Adding a superior gastronomic convenience menu to customers.
Besides the standardising branding of their global stores, most forecourt retailers are revamping their in-store design to differentiate themselves from peers and attract more customers.
Increasing the retail space to supplement their freshly cooked food-to-go or eat-in, offering seating for customers who would prefer eat in-store.
Virsi Gas Stations
Architect: H2E
Location: Riga Latvia
Date: 2020Virsi continues to expand the CNG gas station Network in Latvia. The interior design of the C-Store has functionality and reliability at its core. Values manifest in the Virsi company.
Petrol forecourt retailers are introducing new menu concepts, such as live preparation to stay up-to-date and sustain consumer interest. Offering healthy and localised products–fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy, deli and low-calorie drinks and snacks to cater to different age groups and customers. Altering product-mix to keep pace with changing customer requirements and increasingly launching own private labels of fresh food and coffee.
Socar Petroleum
Architect: ANDRES&FERRARI Architectes SA
Location: Renens Switzerland
Date: December 2020Each C-Store is unique, so it is important to take into account the local population's needs and tastes. Analyzing the range of services and products to offer the local target audience.
Socar Petroleum
Architect: Not Known
Location: Kyiv Ukrain
Date: Febuary 2021Modern retail outlets focus on differentiation, fresh food assortment, contactless payment, freshly cooked ready-to-go meals and delivery. Technology shapes the future of filling stations.
A benchmarking programme of brands and environment design helps
point the way forward for forecourt retailers."This is an essential task prior to beginning the creative design phase of a project." Campbell Rigg - CEO
