MSE News: Service stations could have to show rivals' petrol prices 14 May 2013 at 11:17AM in Motoring 28 replies 2.1K views

Former_MSE_Helen

"Motorway service stations could be forced to display the prices of cheaper rivals, Number 10 has revealed..."

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Service stations could have to show rivals' petrol prices



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Jimmyc

Service stations are a complete rip off the take advantage of people desperate for fuel.. May be a good thing but could encorage price fixing

OddballJamie

Motorway service stations cash in on the convenience factor.

Will this mean that number 10 will force every rip-off convenience shop to show supermarket prices next to theirs too?
Of course not.

This is just another pointless exercise to get around not having to reduce fuel duty.

StrongWork

I noticed driving in Europe, many service stations (especially in France) have signs a mile before showing the prices.

Often in the UK, the price is not clear/obvious until you've pulled in to the petrol station itself (especially if part of a rest stop complex with other shops).

jobdone1

Why in this modern digital world of sat navs can drivers not plan ahead and pull off a slip road to a petrol station that is non service.

Yes lets blame the service stations but lets be fair you are not switched on if you have to use the service station petrol pumps.

In my view its about planning.

alinwales

the services signs used to have fuel prices on them...

Wywth

alinwales wrote: »

the services signs used to have fuel prices on them...

Exactly, was just about to post the same.

A good starting point would surely be to get service stations to reintroduce their prices on the motoway roadside prior to the driver having to enter the services.

It was once claimed that due to prices changing so frequently and/or the dangers involved in people having to change such prices on the motorway, they were stopped.

But motorways have numerous electronic, remote controlled signs nowadays ... so why can't the service stations have their prices displayed electronically on the service station sign?

Regarding publishing prices of competitors, well doing that on the motorway would just be confusing.
Even if such information was offered on the forecourt, how would the 2 closest competitors be established? Nearest as the crow flies or nearest by road? Would they provide directions and distance? What about opening times of their competitors? What if the competitors are not open 24/7/365 (something motoway service stations must be)? Bit of a non starter I would say ... especially for the car driver who is running on fumes anyway

Gordon_the_Moron

Everybody knows service stations are considerably more expensive than non-motorway petrol stations. Fill up before you set off and use your sat nav and pull off when you need fuel, there is no need to pay these prices and if you do it is your own fault. Displaying the prices on the motorway is unnecessary too and distracting for drivers, everyone knows the stations are more expensive, signing the prices on the motorway won't change that.

MX5huggy

What % of sales in Motorway service stations would be to people buying their own fuel and not company car drivers using fuel cards etc, who don't care.

vikingaero

There are three types of people in this world:

(1) Those who are stupid enough to pay the inflated prices of fuel and shop items at a motorway services.

(2) Those that plan ahead and fill up elsewhere and buy their drinks/snacks at a supermarket.

(3) Those that use them as a necessary evil for minimal cost.

I use motorway services for hot food only for the convenience. I don't buy from the shops because I always have a stash of food and drinks in the car and if I really really need fuel I'll put in the bare minimum, say £10, to get me home.

redux

I'm reminded of John Major's Cones Hotline.

I've used UK motorway services about 6 or 7 times in the last 20 years. One of those was I bought just two litres at Clacket Lane.

Nowadays I avoid most of the motorway services abroad as well. In Belgium and France there can be about 16 cents a litre difference. Luxembourg is cheaper than those though, and the same official price almost everywhere.