Battlefields for Consumer Spend

Once the preserve of the limp sandwich and the cold cup of tea, today's train stations have become the latest battlefields in the fight for consumer spend and dwell time. From the major stations in the big cities to regional stops, more and more branded and independent companies are focusing on these outposts to meet expansion targets, raise brand awareness, reach new audiences and trial new concepts. Big operators like SSP are performing a juggling act between their own brands and the commercial catering franchises they have in their portfolios. Like smaller single-brand players, they must think carefully about the range of food and beverages they offer and try to understand consumers' needs and expectations in the very special travel environment. Part 2 of our pan-European Survey.