Coles Busted Jacking Petrol Prices

[joeyjoejoejuniorshabadoo]

ACCC warns Coles: We're watching you raise prices

The Federal Government's consumer watchdog says its analysis of petrol prices shows that Coles Express is leading prices upwards in the major cities.

An ACCC snapshot survey yesterday morning identified the Coles-linked service stations as having the highest prices in Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide.

And ACCC head Graeme Samuel says motorists should be wary of using discount petrol vouchers from Coles supermarkets, because the high pump prices will outweigh any saving.

Mr Samuel has told NewsRadio the ACCC now has Coles under close scrutiny.

"Watch out, because we're watching you," he said.

"Frankly, if you are the price leader we will name you, and where others are the price leaders we will probably name them."

The ACCC says its snapshot study showed that Coles Express was the first to raise prices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide yesterday.

The range between the highest and the lowest prices in the weekly cycle is usually between 15 and 20 cents a litre.

Petrol Commissioner Pat Walker told ABC Local Radio in Sydney that motorists should be aware of the differences between brands.

"Coles Express essentially led the cycle," he said.

"What you generally find is sometime after that the others will follow, and that was the trend that was applied in Sydney. So the others will rise up, but I guess what we're saying to motorists is, look, be alert to that."

Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan says the price watchdog's decision to name Coles Express as the price leader proves the Government's decision to appoint a national petrol commissioner is working.

"My advice to Coles is to look very closely at what they're up to and look very closely at what the petrol commissioner has to say to them," he said.

Coles Express says it is disappointed with the ACCC findings.

In a statement, the retailer says fuel prices move regularly as part of the normal fuel cycle and retailers are simply responding to competition.

Coles says it is disappointed that the ACCC would choose to conduct such a selective analysis of fuel prices, in terms of both the time frame and the number of sales monitored.

It says customers are astute and will not shop somewhere were they are not getting value.

Shell Australia, which supplies fuel to Coles Express, says it is only the wholesaler and Coles Express is solely responsible for setting prices.

source: abc.net

[dezz]

Maybe they should watch BP then...the 2 in my area are consistently no less than 2-3 cents more than Shell (which is a minute down the road) and every other petrol company at any given time, and they don't offer a discount.

[sh@un]

^ I've noticed this. BP is always more expensive than any other petrol retailer. They keep trying to pimp their '5% off purchases' with the BP Mastercard, but what's the point if ur paying more in the first place?

[turbo_brian]

I have noticed my local BP has been 'closing' the Unleaded pumps on cheap Tuesday, forcing people to fill on Premium or Ultimate, but suddenly Wednesday (and without the fuel truck delivering more petrol) they have enough fuel in the storage tanks to re-open the unleaded pumps.

Fuel criminals like this are just scumbags!!!!

B.

[mark_sudakov]

ive always found coles to have the cheaper fuel, well the one i pass often in liverpool

[sh@un]

and hooray to all the lemmings with your coles/woolworths reciepts that line up on the road outside the petrol station forecourts on discount petrol days and cause afternoon peak hour traffic to be even slower. take a bow, you dimwits.

[Modena]

Theu need to ban the silly things!

[unique1]

I have noticed my local BP has been 'closing' the Unleaded pumps on cheap Tuesday, forcing people to fill on Premium or Ultimate, but suddenly Wednesday (and without the fuel truck delivering more petrol) they have enough fuel in the storage tanks to re-open the unleaded pumps.

Fuel criminals like this are just scumbags!!!!

B.

lol ive noticed exactly the same thing at BP around here as well (Perth)

[DECIM8]

I saw that mastercard they had, Looked great.. Fine print read something like 18% P.A for normal purchases and I stopped reading cause I didnt want to see the period for payback.

Also that card can only use $300 a month in fuel or somthing WTF is the point if you drive a skyline? after the $300 you dont get any discounts.. f**k that..

And those discount dockets are shit, yes it screws peak hour traffic but I also buy petrol on a tuesday and all these dicks with dockets take twice as long scanning the stupid shit or finding one in their wallet. Pointless for 1.13 of your total fill up.

FYI - Caltex is always cheapest. so it seems in my area anyway

Edited May 8, 2008 by DECIM8

[R338OY]

dicks with dockets

Pure poetry- i love it!

Anyone notice how Tuesday prices are the same as Sunday & Monday? Then on Wed it hits the fkn roof? Tight-ass Tuesday doesn't really exist anymore IMO. I can't stand anyone that owns oil. Soon parents are gonna start cultivating their teen kids' pimples to run their cars on biofuel for f**ks sake

[Guest trikdoutvl]

fuel runs any1???

[DECIM8]

If any skyline did a fuel run the cops would be out in helis and riot uniform looking for it.. typical.. not that id do it..

Yeah sunday is 1c different to monday and monday is maybe 2c cheaper than monday.. seriously shit

[benm]

The ACCC are a fk'n joke, they don't even understand fuel prices so they just point out 1 brand to make it appear to the public that they are actually doing something about the prices.

Coles are not the first brand to raise prices, it totally depends on the area.

Generally speaking in my area (Penrith and Blue Mountains) Caltex is the first brand to raise prices, but considering that 10 of my 18 local servo's are Caltex brand (6 brands in total) that's to be expected. The Caltex with no immediate competition raise prices hours earlier than the Caltex servo's that are competiting directly with another brand (ie across the road).

For the people whinging about long queues on tight ass Tuesday why don't you get your fuel on the way to work and beat the rush instead of at 6pm on the way home like every other knob.

[GTR-32U]

ive always found coles to have the cheaper fuel, well the one i pass often in liverpool

yes if you are referring to the one on the hume hwy...they are always quite cheap..

[joeyjoejoejuniorshabadoo]

yeah but its not just about raising the prices ben...

the issue is with coles offering you a discount then jacking the price by 12 cents in some areas...

so your "discounted" petrol is actually 8c more than the competition

these jacked price servo's are usually located near coles shopping centres, and not around other servo's for comparison

although this is not illegal it is immoral... especially since coles & wolly's now dominate the petrol retail market

[benm]

Shell offer 4c/L via Coles Groceries

BP offer 5% via Credit Card

Mobil offer 4c/L via instore purchase

Caltex offer 4c/L via Woolies Groceries

United Petroleum don't offer any discounts

Shell, BP, Mobil, Caltex all raise prices in Sydney at midday every Wednesday by 12-16c/L FACT!

United Petroleum raise prices only once per week FACT!

I fail to see what the problem is?

[R338OY]

One thing you're missing here guys is that the ACCC is a govt body, and the govt and Oil companies are in bed together. Without Petrol the government would collape.

Why the f**k should they do anything about price spiking? They're quick to react to an invasion of Iraq, in unison with the US, but fuel prices are spiked repeatedly over a six month period. What's done about it?

Higher prices

Edited May 9, 2008 by R338OY

[DECIM8]

Im pretty sure as soon as it turns 12am wednesday the prices swap to 10c more its bs

[joeyjoejoejuniorshabadoo]

Shell offer 4c/L via Coles Groceries

BP offer 5% via Credit Card

Mobil offer 4c/L via instore purchase

Caltex offer 4c/L via Woolies Groceries

United Petroleum don't offer any discounts

Shell, BP, Mobil, Caltex all raise prices in Sydney at midday every Wednesday by 12-16c/L FACT!

United Petroleum raise prices only once per week FACT!

I fail to see what the problem is?

this issue isn't about price jacking...

teh accc are angry at coles for pretending to have a discount when infact they are adding to their price to cover the discount... and then some!

so for example if bp is at 145, mobil is at 145 etc etc

at coles express you should pay 141 with your discount docket no?

BUT

they have found some of the better positioned (i.e. close to coles stores) coles express will be at 157

so the discount will make the fuel 153

thats 8c per litre MORE than BP, mobil etc etc

it is deceiving the customer

its not actually legal to bump up prices of a product within 24 hours of a sale and then discount it back to the origional price (ala JB HI FI) advertising it as a saving

its in the fair trade act

[benm]

No that is incorrect, the ACCC said:

"The ACCC says its snapshot study showed that Coles Express was the first to raise prices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide yesterday."

That means that Shell could be doing the weekly price hike of 12-16c/L at say 1pm where as all the other brands are doing it at 2pm - it doesnt mean that Shell are selling at a higher price than other brands, they are just bumping the price BEFORE others.