Marketers see premium sales skid, but majors use ethanol to collect additional profit

摘要

Those big bucks that some majors spent on premium marketing campaigns a few years back seem pretty worthless to many marketers now. Jobbers in a number of states say their cash-strapped dealers are letting premium tanks run dry, rather than tie up money in a grade that has slipped to barely 5% of sales. Wholesalers also are lashing out at branded suppliers for being oblivious to premium sales prices. While spot 93-octane could be purchased for less than a nickel over regular in recent weeks, the typical major rack still shows prices that are 20-26cts/gal over regular.