7/28/22 How C-Store Retailers Can Define Their Value High gas prices and decades-high inflation have been forcing consumers to change their lifestyle habits, including driving less, and convenience-store retailers must decide how they are going to define their value during these economic times, according to this week's NACS Convenience Matters podcast episode. 7/29/22 Car Insurance Could Cost More In NJ. Two Lawmakers Pushing Hike May Benefit, Experts Say Two state senators − both personal injury attorneys − are pushing a bill that would raise the minimum requirement for automotive liability insurance and could lead to an increase in the cost of those premiums for drivers. Senate President Nicholas Scutari, D-Union, and Sen. Jon Bramnick, R-Union, claim the change would ultimately benefit motorists. But insurance experts - and even their colleagues in the Legislature - say the pair stand to gain financially from the insurance overhaul if Gov. Phil Murphy signs their legislation into law. 7/29/22 Feeling Lucky? Friday's Mega Millions Jackpot Swells To $1.28B (Updated) When the Mega Millions drawing takes place July 29, the $1.28 billion jackpot will be the second-largest in U.S. lottery history. Sal Risalvato, executive director, New Jersey Gasoline, C-Store, Automotive Association, said the buzz created by the Mega Millions jackpot is not only exciting, but also leads to an economic boost for his members. "Anytime a jackpot reaches dream-worthy levels, there is excitement among the entire population," Risalvato told NJBIZ. "My members enjoy the excitement, and certainly they enjoy the extra traffic entering stores to buy lottery tickets. It is not a coincidence that more customers entering their stores to buy lottery also buy more coffee and other food items." Risalvato said his members are loving the enthusiastic conversations with their customers and building the camaraderie around the shared lottery dreams. "They are all rooting for one of their customers to buy the winning ticket because they also receive a significant prize for selling the winning ticket," said Risalvato. 7/29/22 Two NJ Gas Stations Robbed Within 15 Minutes Of Each Other
Two separate gas station robberies 15 minutes apart in Hanover and West Orange Thursday afternoon appear to be connected to at least two other North Jersey gas station robberies. Hanover police told RLS Breaking News the Shell station on the westbound side of Route 10 near Reynolds Avenue was held up at gunpoint around 4:15 p.m. Following the robbery, the suspects were seen speeding eastbound on Route 10. Hanover police on Friday morning did not respond to New Jersey 101.5's request for more information 8/1/22 FDA Menthol Ban Comment Period Closes Tomorrow Tuesday is the last day for convenience retailers to submit comments to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the agency's two proposed tobacco product standards that would prohibit menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes and prohibit all flavors other than tobacco in cigars. The FDA is accepting comments until tomorrow at 11:59 p.m. NACS is asking members to file comments on the proposed rules. It's imperative that the FDA hears from convenience retailers, as NACS cannot replicate the personal testimony convenience retailers can provide with their comment letters. The convenience industry invests millions in compliance efforts to ensure that legal, regulated tobacco products do not get into the hands of minors. These protections and investments will be lost if the proposed bans go into effect. 8/1/22 U.S. Gasoline Prices Continue To Slide Toward $4 The national average for a gallon of gasoline in the United States fell again on Monday to $4.212, according to AAA data. U.S. gasoline prices are down 14.3 cents from last week, and 63 cents from a month ago when gasoline was trading at $4.842. A year ago, gasoline prices were just $3.173 per gallon-meaning that while gasoline prices have come down substantially in recent weeks, the average is still $1.039 more than what it was a year ago. 8/2/22 NJ Gas Prices Could Rise Again After Weeks Of Falling After weeks of historically high gas prices gradually falling, costs at the pump may rise soon, according to experts. New Jersey hit a record average of $5.06 per regular gallon June 13, but the average price dropped to $4.38 as of Tuesday, according to AAA. Low domestic demand for fuel and oil prices in the mid-$90s per barrel contributed to price reductions, according to experts. But that trend could end soon - before the Garden State's average can even drop below the $4 per gallon mark. 8/2/22 NACS Says Menthol Ban Would Create Illicit Market NACS submitted comments to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the agency's two proposed tobacco product standards, which would prohibit menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes and prohibit all flavors other than tobacco in cigars. "NACS believes that adopting these regulations that ban two of the most popular tobacco products in the U.S. will push a portion of current smokers to the illicit market and severely injure the convenience store industry," wrote NACS in its comments. "These bans seek to prohibit the use of two of the most popular tobacco products among adult users, and it is unrealistic to assume that demand for these products will just disappear. Instead, an illicit market for these products will emerge, creating a larger problem within tobacco regulation than the FDA hopes to solve by instituting these bans." |
