UNPAID FUEL INCIDENTS FALL MORE THAN 5% DURING THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2024
Despite rising fuel prices incidents of unpaid fuel have fallen by more than 5% according to the latest Forecourt Crime Index from BOSS, the British Oil Security Syndicate.
During Q1 2024 incidents of unpaid fuel were 5.8% lower than unpaid fuel reports in Q4 2023, leading to the Forecourt Crime Index falling by 7.8 base points to 232.3 (241.2: Q4 2023), a level not seen since Q2 2022. However, the average amount of unpaid fuel drawn in each incident report increased marginally.
Incidents of No Means of Payment (NMoP) were 1.1% lower than in the previous quarter, continuing the decline of recent months, while Drive-Off-Failure-to-Pay (DOFP) saw its largest fall in a quarter of 7.2%. During Q1 the average number of unpaid fuel incidents per site fell one base point to 28.1 per site (29.1: Q4 2023) with NMoP incidents accounting for 58% of all Payment Watch reports.
The average cost of NMoP incidents decreased to £67.40 (£69.49: Q4 2023), while the average cost of a DOFP incident fell to £50.12 per incident (£52.51: Q4 2023). The fall in the average cost of unpaid incidents occurred at a time when the cost of fuel began to fall to an average of 141.3 pence per litre (ppl) for unleaded fuel (149.6 ppl: Q4 2023).
The average litres drawn in an NMoP incident increased to 43.52 (43.24 litres: Q4 2023). Litres of fuel drawn in DOFP incidents eased to an average of 33.41 litres per incident (34.32 litres: Q4 2023).
Claire Nichol, executive director at BOSS, said: “The latest Forecourt Crime Index indicates that forecourt operators are still facing unacceptable levels of unpaid fuel incidents. Despite a downward trend, the Index remains higher than pre-pandemic levels.
“The fall in both No Means of Payment and Drive-Off reports is very welcome and demonstrates that where there are concerted actions, losses can be stemmed.
“Forecourt operators should not be complacent and staying one step ahead is all important. We continue to urge fuel retailers to adopt robust procedures, such as Payment Watch, to manage the recovery of money-owed and tackle the scourge of unpaid fuel.”
Forecourt crime reduction guides that help forecourt retailers reduce incidents and keep forecourts safe places to work and shop are available from BOSS.