This may not be as spectacular as a fire-breathing V12, but it is still something people have to deal with on a weekly or monthly basis. There is currently a major shift taking place within the gas station world. All Total pumps in the Netherlands were sold last year to the large Canadian concern Couche-Tard. And this year you will see the first results.
Total's approximately 400 petrol stations will remain simply called Total for at least the next five years. What will mainly change are the shops near the pumps. 'Bonjour' is often said on the facade there, but Couche-Tard is putting one of its subsidiaries forward. The Total petrol stations in the Netherlands will receive one shop and a car wash from the American Circle K.
Circle K is also a chain of gas stations
What happens after those five years is not yet known. In other countries, Circle K is also the name of the gas station next to the shop. So we cannot rule out that the Total will disappear completely in a few years. Or are the gas stations (in the future) a side issue and Circle K is mainly about selling sandwiches and coffee?
If you ever travel abroad, you probably know Circle K. You can already find the shops in Sweden, Norway and Denmark, as well as in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. You can also encounter them in Bali, to name but a few. There are now almost 5,300 branches in Europe. They have more than 9,000 locations in the US and Canada.
Also takeovers in our neighboring countries
You will also find Couche-Tard stores when you refuel in Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg. Circle K, by the way, comes from the US and has been around since 1951. It has been in Canadian hands since 2003. Circle K is the largest chain of small supermarkets in the world, in terms of a chain in which all branches are owned by the company. 7-Eleven is larger, but the owners there are often franchisees.
#chain #gas #stations #coming #Netherlands
