It was selling the 'cheapest petrol in Britain' that put Stans Superstore on the map - but an expanded grocery offering gives shoppers an extra reason to visit, says Beth Phillips


Asda hit the headlines last month when it slashed the price of a litre of fuel from an average of 103.8ppl to 99.9ppl. But unbeknown to the national media, independent retailer Stans Superstore had beaten Asda to the punch.

Located in the village of St Martins, near Oswestry in Shropshire, Stans may have a turnover of £17m against Asda's £17bn, but the one-store outfit claims to sell the 'cheapest fuel in Britain', something it even managed to do when fuel prices were at their highest last September. Stans current promotion gives shoppers 10p off a litre of fuel once they spend £50 or more in the main store, pushing prices down to 90.9ppl.

"We opened the petrol station in 1994 and have always been known for cheap fuel," says Andrew Faulks, a third-generation director of Stans Superstore. "It's been a great footfall driver."

Fuel may be Stans' bread and butter, but Faulks believes a major investment in the grocery offer will change customers' perception of the business. Stans recently completed a 5,000 sq ft £650,000 extension, taking the total retail space to 28,000 sq ft. As well as a customer services kiosk, gifting, cards and newspapers, the extension has allowed Stans to double the size of its existing flower shop and BWS offer. It also houses an enlarged café, double the size of its predecessor, offering 20 meals for less than £5 each. Takings in the café have leapt two and a half-fold since the extension.

Faulks has even found a way to offer a promotion complementing the fuel deal. Shoppers who have spent £40 or more in the store for four of the past five weeks can now claim a £30 voucher.

The extension is just the start of Stans' plans for 2009. Faulks intends to extend the petrol station with either an automatic car wash or a hand car wash. And he's still considering a second store.

This is a far cry from the business's humble origins. Faulks' grandfather Stan founded the store in 1947. He spent time in a Japanese prisoner of war camp during WWII and threw himself into local enterprise on his return to the UK.

He started up a fish and chip shop for the local miners and, with rationing making food scarce, was soon buying groceries from a nearby Woolworths to sell on at no extra charge.

His grandfather's commitment to the local community remains at the core of Faulks' ethos. "My grandfather's attitude was that he was lucky to be alive, so he would help anyone," says Faulks. "We've continued this by donating to local schools, hospitals and charities. We don't refuse anyone."

Faulks estimates that he knows 80% of his customers, while more than 80 product lines are sourced from local suppliers within a 30-mile radius. "Customers really appreciate the service we provide, the local products we have and our support in the community," he says. "We're surrounded by supermarkets but we're not giving up. We've got too much to offer."