Fuel Brand
Engen has emerged as the most visited fuel station brand by Johannesburg drivers in March 2024, according to Lightstone’s analysis of aggregated and anonymised Tracker telemetry data. The analysis draws from more than 600 service stations in Johannesburg and over 5,000 nationally, based on the real-world travel behaviour of Joburg’s passenger vehicle drivers.
Engen leads the pack
Among the brands competing for Joburg drivers’ attention, Engen stands clearly ahead. The graph below shows Engen as the most frequented service station brand, followed by Shell, BP, and Sasol:
The top spots for Joburg drivers
Zooming in on location-level insights, several Engen service stations stand out for their consistently high visit volumes:
- Oxford Service Station
- M1 North and South
- My City Sandton Court
- Midway Mews Convenience Centre
- Other high-traffic stations include BP’s Grayston Drive, Shell’s Glenhove and Cosmo City Convenience Centres, and Sasol Waterfall.
Convenience is King—especially after hours
Our data reveals that when traditional retail outlets close for the night, service stations become the default stop—not just for fuel, but for food, coffee, and other convenience needs. This shift is clearly visible in the graph below, where the proportion of convenience-led visits spikes between 7pm and 6am:
If 1% of all service station stops occur at midnight, but 2% of convenience stops happen then, it gives a convenience score of 2—indicating that consumers are twice as likely to be stopping for non-fuel reasons at that time.
Brand-specific behavioural patterns
Different brands are seeing different usage patterns. For example, Astron service stations experience higher peak visits between 6am and 10am, pointing to a commuter-focused routine that’s unique among its peers.
A sector in motion
“Fuel retail has seen more change in the past few years than in the decade before it,” says Mohit Narotam, MD of Lightstone Retail. “Covid shifted consumer routines, remote work redrew traffic patterns, and new players have entered the market. The data tells a story of shifting loyalties and evolving behaviours—some driven by convenience, others by broader market dynamics. For fuel retailers, understanding these patterns isn’t just valuable—it’s essential to staying ahead in an increasingly competitive space.”
Frequency of stops: A window into consumer routine
Nearly 50% of Joburg’s passenger vehicles made between one and five fuel station stops nationally during March—a reminder that each visit is an opportunity to influence brand preference.
As market dynamics continue to evolve, so too does the opportunity for retailers to rethink location strategy, brand loyalty drivers, and the growing role of convenience in consumer decision-making.
About Lightstone
Lightstone is a provider of comprehensive data, analytics and systems on property, automotive and business assets. Lightstone has access to unique and proprietary data sets which allow it to build sophisticated analytics and spatial models to deploy various technologies to a range of industries. Our analytical, business and industry expertise are paired with our technical excellence to guide clients in managing risk and making business critical decisions. For more information, please visit: www.lightstone.co.za.
Media contact:
Thando Ntsinde
079 166 7576
https://www.icandicq.co.za
