Thursday May 17, 2007 FEATURES Consumer groups to Congress: Big Oil to blame for high prices Households are spending about $1,000 more per year for gasoline than they were just five years ago, an 85 percent increase according to consumer groups' analysis in testimony given to the House Judiciary Committee. Between January and May 2007, gasoline prices have increased 80 cents—60 cents going toward increased refining and marketing prices, according to Consumer Federation of America and Consumers Union. (Full Story) EIA notes boycott effort; sees summer average of $2.95 per gallon On May 15, some consumers heeded a call spread through the Internet to not buy gas that day, the Energy Information Administration noted in the May 16 edition of "This Week in Petroleum." However, if such consumers simply shift their gasoline purchases to a different day, while continuing to use the same amount of fuel, no reduction in actual consumption of gasoline will have occurred, the EIA pointed out in its weekly publication. (Full Story) Sign up for a FREE subscription to NPN, the magazine that has been reporting news and trends in the petroleum and convenience store industry since 1909. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT Get The Data That Drives The Petroleum & Convenience Industry Today! To order your print copy or CD version of the 2006 NPN MarketFacts edition, please click here NEWS ITEMS Holiday selects PDI/Enterprise Holiday Stationstores in Minneapolis, has announced the selection of Temple, Texas-based PDI's next generation software, PDI/Enterprise, to automate its home office and 427 retail sites. (Full Story) Murphy USA joins Tempo Payment Network Tempo Payments, Inc., on May 15 announced that Murphy USA has joined the Tempo Payment Network and is initiating a system-wide implementation of Murphy-branded PIN debit cards at more than 1,000 gas stations, with an initial roll-out to 111 stores in Atlanta, Dallas/Ft. Worth, and Houston. (Full Story) Shell operator in Minnesota shuts down pumps on day of boycott effort Frank Yamoutpour shut off his gas pumps from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 15 to protest high gas prices, according to a report by Scott Seroka on KARE 11 News. Yamoutpour's protest coincided with a national gas boycott petition circulating on the internet. (Full Story) TravelCenters of America reports net loss of $11 million TravelCenters of America on May 15 announced financial results for the period ended March 31, 2007. (Full Story) 'Pantry's 11' sets gas prices every day but Sunday There are 11 people in a faded blue trailer in Sanford, N.C., who set the gas prices at the 1,639 stores owned by The Pantry, according to a May 15 article by Sue Stock in The News & Observer. They crunch numbers, run data and transmit new prices to each of the stores every day but Sunday, according to the article. (Full Story) Iowa governor attends kickoff for E85 at a Kum & Go Iowa Governor Chet Culver, a longtime advocate of cleaner-burning biofuels, helped kick off a special E85 promotion May 15, at the Kum & Go store in Grinnell, according to Grainnet.com. (Full Story) Chain letter on Internet calls for boycott of gas stations on May 15 According to a widely circulated chain letter on the Internet, May 15 is targeted for a nationwide grass-roots boycott effort that aims to withhold $2.3 billion from gasoline retailers by encouraging consumers not to buy gas, reported Alexander Coolidge in an article in The Enquirer, a newspaper in Cincinnati. (Full Story) In New Jersey: Bill would set more severe penalties for price-gouging A committee of the New Jersey state Assembly on May 14 approved a bill to increase the penalty for price gouging on gasoline to as much as $3,000 per violation, according to a May 14 article in The Star-Ledger. (Full Story) Bush orders action on auto emissions As gasoline prices reached an all-time high and congressional Democrats prepared to push ambitious energy legislation, President Bush on May 14 ordered his administration to begin regulating carbon-dioxide emissions from cars and trucks, according to an article by Maura Reynolds and Richard Simon in The Los Angeles Times. (Full Story) In Baltimore, a BP gas station is 'green' A new BP gas station in South Baltimore's Locust Point neighborhood is the latest building to go "green" - with a "living roof," according to a May 11 article by Ryan Sharrow in the Baltimore Business Journal. A living roof is a roof with plants and soil that helps to absorb rainwater runoff. (Full Story) In Canada: Lottery Corp. audit uncovers big prizes for retailers Atlantic Lottery Corp. is making changes and handing over files to police after a forensic audit found it made mistakes when monitoring wins claimed by retailers, according to a May 14 article by Brian Flinn in The Nova Scotia Business Journal. (Full Story) The Pantry and Chevron in branding, supply deal for Petro Express Stores The Pantry, Inc. announced May 14 that it has executed a new gasoline branding and supply agreement with Chevron covering the 66 Petro Express convenience stores that The Pantry recently acquired in North and South Carolina. (Full Story) Changes at Valero include elimination of 100 retail positions Valero Energy Corp. is eliminating more than 100 positions in its retail division, offering early retirement to managers above store-level rank as part of a restructuring, the company said May 11, according to an article by Vicki Vaughan in The Express-News. (Full Story) In Florida: Stickers target underage drinking In Florida, Lake County Sheriff Gary Borders joined dozens of students May 12 in discouraging adults from buying alcohol for minors by placing stickers on beverage containers at convenience stores, according to an article by Martin E. Comas in The Orlando Sentinel. (Full Story) Report: Five of 23 gas stations in Appleton, Wis., overcharged motorists Records reviewed by The Post-Crescent newspaper show that inspectors found pumping errors beyond state standards at five of 23 stations in Appleton, Wis., last year, according to a May 14 article by Steve Wideman. (Full Story) Gas station owner charges $4.33 per gallon to make a point At Bob Oyster's Shell station in San Francisco, regular is $4.33 a gallon, plus is $4.43, and "V-Power'' is $4.53, according to an article by C.W. Nevius in The San Francisco Chronicle. (Full Story) Kentucky AG sues Marathon Oil for $89 million; alleges price-gouging Kentucky Attorney General Greg Stumbo announced litigation filed May 10 in Franklin Circuit Court against Marathon Oil Corporation, Marathon Petroleum Company, LLC and Speedway SuperAmerica, LLC, charging the corporations with profiteering during the time of emergency following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. (Full Story) News report: Tesco would exit U.S. fast if unsuccessful Tesco believes its entry to the United States this year could create "billions of pounds in value," but is prepared to pull out fast should it prove unsuccessful, a senior executive said in an interview, Reuters reported May 10. (Full Story) Petroleum Consolidators of America completes second acquisition Petroleum Consolidators of America, Inc., a gasoline station and facilities consolidator, announced May 10 that it has completed the second of a series of planned acquisitions for 2007, according to a press release. (Full Story) Marathon responds to pricing allegations in Kentucky Marathon Oil Corporation, Houston, Texas, issued the following statement in response to a suit filed May 10 by the Kentucky Attorney General against Marathon Oil Corporation, Marathon Petroleum Company LLC and Speedway SuperAmerica LLC seeking restitution and alleging violations of the Consumer Protection Act and the Kentucky price gouging law. (Full Story) RedPrairie announces it will supply C-store solutions to Chevron RedPrairie Corporation on May 10 announced that Chevron has chosen RedPrairie's BlueCube Enterprise for its North American company owned, company operated stores and franchise sites. (Full Story) In-store dispenser prints offers that fit shoppers' buying patterns Ukrop's Super Markets, Richmond, Va., announced May 8 that Savings Spot, a one-to-one shopper program delivering personalized offers and messages to shoppers at the start of their shopping trips, is now available in all Ukrop's Super Markets in Virginia. (Full Story) In Wisconsin: Gas station owner told to raise prices A service station in Wisconsin that offered discounted gas to senior citizens and people supporting youth sports has been ordered by the state to raise its prices, according to a May 9 article by The Associated Press. (Full Story) EZ Energy buys 13 U.S. gas stations for $12.7 million EZ Energy Ltd. has signed a contract to buy 13 gas stations and convenience stores in the U.S. for $12.7 million, according to a May 9 article by Erez Wollberg in Globes Online, a publication in Israel, where EZ Energy is based. The company previously bought 40 gas stations and convenience stores in the U.S. for $37 million in March and April, according to the article. (Full Story) In Connecticut: House Dems try to thwart increase in gas tax With gasoline prices approaching record highs statewide, majority Democrats in the Connecticut House of Representatives are considering canceling a $40 million increase in annual gasoline taxes, according to a May 9 article by Keith M. Phaneuf in The Journal Inquirer. (Full Story) EIA: gasoline prices continue upward while diesel prices fall Gasoline prices rose sharply for the second consecutive week, increasing 8.3 cents to 305.4 cents per gallon for the week of May 7, according to the May 9 edition of "This Week in Petroleum," published by the Energy Information Administration (EIA). (Full Story) PRODUCT OF THE WEEK Striking Lighters Calico® is pleased to announce the introduction of its newest 3D lighter design - the new Bowling series features three attractive designs for avid and amateur bowlers alike. This line is offered in a 30 ct. tray with header. The lighters have a suggested retail price of $1.49 and will be available starting January 2007. Calico Brands, Inc. SAcosta@CalicoBrands.com CALENDAR OF EVENTS OMEGA WV Trade Show Stonewall Resort Roanoke, WV May 21-23 (304) 343-5500 www.omegawv.com Vermont Fuel Dealers Association Spring 2007 Conference Top Notch Resort & Spa Stowe, Vt. May 23-24 (802) 485-7999 www.vermontfuel.com   NACS Marketing Conference Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center Dallas June 5-7 (703) 684-3600 www.nacsonline.com Wisconsin Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association 2007 Summer Outing Trapper's Turn Golf Course Wisconsin Dells, Wis. June 12 (608) 256-7555 www.wpmca.org   NACS Global Forum Tokyo, Japan Shanghai, China June 15-20 (800) 966-6227 www.nacsonline.com NACS Advanced Category Management Seminar: Turning Data Into Dollars New Orleans June 20-21 (800) 966-6227 www.nacsonline.com   For a complete list of industry events, go to NPN's calendar web page.  Published By NPN Group |  © 2007 NPN Group | All Rights Reserved For more information on NPN MarketPulse, contact: Gary Bevers, group publisher M2MEDIA360 Retail Distribution Group Ph: 832-444-7675 Fax: 800-430-3446 Keith Reid, editor-in-chief M2MEDIA360 NPN Group Ph: 630-739-0280 Fax: 630-739-0321 This newsletter is protected by United States copyright and other intellectual property laws and may not be reproduced, rewritten, distributed, re-disseminated, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast, directly or indirectly, in any medium without the prior written permission of M2MEDIA360.

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