Fuel price hike disgraceful

20 January 2009

Perth motorists are being softened up for another round of petrol price rises with some BP stations hiking their prices for unleaded petrol by 18 cents a litre, according to the RAC.

The average price of petrol in Peth tomorrow will be 103.8 cents but some BP sites will be selling it for an inflated price of up to 119.9 cents.

RAC Head of Member Advocacy Matt Brown said he was concerned the move would allow other retailers to justify pushing their prices up in the coming days.

“This price hike at individual BP sites is so far out of touch with reality that we suspect it could just be a tactic to soften motorists up,” Mr Brown said.

“The move will drag the market price up across the board, perhaps not as high as 119.9 cents a litre, but certainly higher than the current average.

“This is not the first time that BP sites have been the first to push up prices by a large amount and wear the short term anger of motorists to gain the pay-off of higher prices across the board.”

Mr Brown said while the international price was moving up slowly, there was no justification for Perth motorists to be hit with radical jumps in the price of petrol.

“Motorists need to use their collective consumer power to punish these BP sites and send a message to petrol retailers that they won’t be gouged on petrol prices,” he said.

“If you see a BP station tomorrow charging 119.9 cents a litre, simply drive past it.”

The RAC is again urging motorists to use FuelWatch to shop around for the cheapest petrol.

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