MSE News: Supermarkets charging too much for petrol, RAC says

MSE_Petar

Motorists are missing out on cheaper petrol because major supermarkets, which are the UK's biggest fuel retailers, aren't lowering their forecourt prices to reflect far lower wholesale costs, according to motoring organisation the RAC.

Read the full story:
'Supermarkets charging too much for petrol, RAC says – here's how you can cut fuel costs'

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oldagetraveller1

Why only supermarkets? If wholesale prices have fallen then all fuel retailers should have done the same.

I don't know if it's a local issue, but there is no E5 Petrol available at three of the Petrol stations close to me, Shell, Tesco, Essar. Staffordshire Moorlands.

Stubod

..yes we are being ripped off...our local / rural indy garage is selling at around £1.49 for Petrol/E5...if they can do it I am sure all the "big boys" can if they wanted to??

Ebe_Scrooge

Stubod said:

..yes we are being ripped off

...yes we are being ripped off.  In my local town there's an M&S petrol station (who even knew that they sold fuel?) that is charging 10p per litre more than Asda which is literally 500 yards up the road.

<Actually .... "Sparks" .... fuel .... no thanks >

facade

Why can't they charge what they like?

It is called "market forces" which means they put their prices up as high as the market will stand. As long as none of their mates crack and lower their prices (why should they if they are the same as elsewhere) they can make a bit more money, (and more VAT for the Treasury)

It is like "price matched to (insert name of popular supermarket)" means they can all raise the prices together, not keep them down!

Brie

facade said:

Why can't they charge what they like?

It is called "market forces" which means they put their prices up as high as the market will stand. As long as none of their mates crack and lower their prices (why should they if they are the same as elsewhere) they can make a bit more money, (and more VAT for the Treasury)

It is like "price matched to (insert name of popular supermarket)" means they can all raise the prices together, not keep them down!

As long as they are not all getting together and fixing a price then yes they can charge what they like.

The problem I see is that some places give you a coupon for something like "spend £60 in store & get 6p off a litre". So the gullible shopper thinks "bargain!!" not realising that the price may be lower elsewhere even with the 6p off.

And yes there will always be those extra gullible M&S shoppers who will think that Sparks fuel is better quality than what is sold at Asda.  

Stubod

Ebe_Scrooge said:

Stubod said:

..yes we are being ripped off

...yes we are being ripped off.  In my local town there's an M&S petrol station (who even knew that they sold fuel?) that is charging 10p per litre more than Asda which is literally 500 yards up the road.

<Actually .... "Sparks" .... fuel .... no thanks >

..yes but it not just petrol.....it's M&S petrol....   ..

RobM99

The base fuel is pretty much the same - a blend of reformate, isomerate, raw gasoline, alkylate, butane and alcohol. It's the additives that differ. Each ingredient has its own plus and minus points.

BatterBits

I've just filled up at Sainsbury's - the pump price for Unleaded was shown as 159.9

The receipt shows 35.66L @ 1.599 - almost an extra penny per litre, which is a difference of £0.32

I don't know if this is common practice, but I think that if the pump cannot display the correct price, then they should be made to round it up

facade

BatterBits said:

I've just filled up at Sainsbury's - the pump price for Unleaded was shown as 159.9

The receipt shows 35.66L @ 1.599 - almost an extra penny per litre, which is a difference of £0.32

I don't know if this is common practice, but I think that if the pump cannot display the correct price, then they should be made to round it up

Erm.....

159.9p is the same as £1.599, surely?

Are you saying that they charged you £57.34, when it should be £57.02?

BatterBits

Doh!

Schoolboy error - I misread the receipt. They did indeed charge me £57.02...