forecourttech returns in 2026 with its most commercially focused programme to date. Two days built around a single, unbroken red line: the structural shift from fuel-first sites to integrated customer destinations, and the technology, data and payments infrastructure that will determine who profits from that shift.
Speakers will be announced soon, and detailed programme timings shared with registered delegates.
Day 1. Protecting and Earning the Margin
Welcome: From Innovation Theatre to Everyday AI
Christian Warning and Stephen Bozdan open the conference with a scene-setter that frames the programme’s central argument: AI is not an IT project. It is a P&L intervention. Every session that follows builds the commercial case, from protecting margin on Day 1 to growing it on Day 2. Delegates leave the opening with a clear map of how the two days connect and how to use the structured meeting slots to act on what they hear.
The Global Tech Compass
The programme opens with a worldwide perspective on where convenience and mobility retail is heading. Against the backdrop of structural pressures — labour scarcity, margin compression, and the rise of digital-first consumer expectations — delegates will hear which international markets and formats are leading the way, and what the most relevant moves elsewhere mean for EMEA operators.
Waylet: Building Europe’s Leading Mobility Loyalty Ecosystem
One of the most closely watched loyalty transformations in European forecourt retail takes centre stage. With ten million users reached ahead of target, the story behind this open mobility loyalty ecosystem is not simply about scale, it is about the strategic logic of evolving a fuel payment tool into a multi-service platform spanning retail, mobility and energy. The session traces the data and personalisation playbook behind the platform, and draws out concrete lessons on how loyalty can be used to drive frequency, optimise the customer experience, and build commercial partnerships that extend well beyond the core category.
The Digital Mile: Mapping the Connected Customer Journey from Car to Checkout
The customer relationship no longer begins at the pump, it begins on the road. From the moment a driver spots a price on a roadside pylon to the second they tap to pay at self-checkout, every physical touchpoint along the forecourt visit is now a digital moment. Yet for most operators, these touchpoints still function as isolated systems rather than a single connected customer journey.
This panel maps the full digital mile, from in-car navigation and pre-arrival engagement, the price pillar as the first brand statement, pump-side screens, shop entrance communication, self-order terminals, to self-checkout, and the digital signage layer that ties it all together. The discussion moves touchpoint by touchpoint, examining where the technology is mature, where the investment case is proven, and where the biggest gaps between ambition and operational reality still exist. Dwell time is a genuine commercial asset. The operators who win will be those who have stopped thinking in screens and started thinking in journeys.
Fleet 2.0: The $315bn Mobility Payments Opportunity
Day 1 closes with the scale of what is at stake in B2B payments. The transition from closed-loop fuel cards to open-loop mobility cards, instruments that cover EV charging, parking, tolls, maintenance and cross-merchant spend on a single platform, represents a market opportunity that most operators have not yet positioned themselves to capture. This session sets out the commercial logic of Fleet 2.0, the risk of disintermediation for operators who don’t participate, and what it takes in data and partnerships to remain central to the B2B customer relationship as mobility broadens beyond the nozzle.
Day 2. Growing and Monetising the Margin
The Smartest Store in the World: Global Lessons in Format Design
Day 2 opens with a global tour of the formats redefining what convenience retail cn be. Design, experience quality and artificial intelligence are converging to drive profitability in ways that are no longer confined to flagship concepts with unlimited budgets. This session showcases the sites setting the standard worldwide and draws out the commercial thinking behind them in terms that translate to everyday operations.
From Concept to Till: A Retailer in Conversation
Theory meets the shop floor. A working operator joins the conversation to test the global lessons against the realities of live trading — what actually works, what doesn’t, and the numbers behind the decisions. This is the grounded counterpart to the global tour: candid, benchmark-driven, and built around the real-world trade-offs between concept ambition and day-to-day execution.
From Fuel Stops to Customer Destinations: The Changing Face of Forecourts
A fireside conversation that steps back to take stock of the industry’s transformation from fuel-focused operations to integrated retail and energy platforms and looks forward at where technology, data and AI are taking it next. The session explores changing consumer behaviour including the impact of EV adoption on dwell time and retail opportunity, and draws on perspectives from across EMEA markets and beyond.
The Orchestration Layer, Making Payments, Loyalty and Partners Work as One
The modern forecourt only delivers its commercial potential when payments, loyalty and partner systems operate as a single connected stack. This panel brings together technology providers and an operator voice to examine the integration choices that separate a smooth customer journey from a fragmented one and to explore how a well-constructed orchestration layer becomes a commercial advantage rather than a technical overhead.
Closing: The Red Line, Reconnected. Five Priorities for the Boardroom
The two days close with a synthesis that ties the programme back together. Protect margin. Integrate data. Monetise loyalty. Build retail media. Design for EV. Five priorities clearly sequenced, directly actionable, and grounded in everything the programme has covered. The closing session is designed to give every senior leader and independent owner something concrete to take back to their business. Not inspiration. Action.
Join forecourttech ‘class of 2026’ on 14th & 15th October at the Asia Gardens Hotel in Alicante, Spain.
"I was pleased to take part in a brilliant panel discussion at forecourttech, on the possibilities to Accelerate AI in Retail."
"I had the honour of speaking at forecourttech ’25 which continues to be a must-attend event for anyone in the fuel retail sector who wants to stay close to innovation and connect meaningfully with industry peers. The speed dating format adds real value — a fast, effective way to discover new vendors, ideas, and partnerships."
"Another forecourttech in the books, we put numbers behind our discussions about retail tech and how important tech is in our industry. To all of those who have not been here you really missed something. "
"It’s a very important event for us, really having the focus where we can have the conversations with the international mobility industry to talk about how technology can support them, just because there are challenges but also in the opportunities they want to achieve. "
"This is by far the number 1 event for our industry. We get to meet a lot of people from the fuel & convenience industry, other vendors and we have very meaningful conversations in a very short time frame. "
"Whenever our industry comes together to talk about what is coming our way, especially on technology, you just feel the excitement in the room. The biggest acknowledgement that we have to have is change is coming fast, be it Ai and be it everything that Ai makes possible, it changes completely the way we do business."
"There are a lot of new solution providers here offering new ideas to the retail audience, it’s been an interactive couple of days, especially the meetings program, this is a really great way to get to know what’s out there, assessing the opportunities and then connecting and making new relationships, that’s the way to get business done, its really efficient."
"forecourttech was a super event, I had numerous good conversations. The presentations and discussions were high class."
"forecourttech was a rewarding and productive experience, very useful and informative for me. I can say that it opened new doors in my mind."
"The choice of venue was simply outstanding, and it provided the perfect backdrop for all the insightful discussions and presentations."
"The field of delegates was exceptional and very enriching and the topics on stage covered the essential topics of the day."
"The opportunity to attend was truly invaluable, and I'm thankful for the chance to learn from the experts in the field and to network with like-minded individuals. The topics discussed were not only relevant but also provided me with a deeper understanding of the subject matter"
Find out more about forecourttech ’26