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Pump action: the AA says shoppers in Aldershot, Farnham, Sandhurst and Camberley who fill up at their local supermarket are getting a poor deal compared to their neighbours in Fleet
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Supermarkets accused of pumping up petrol prices

By Pete Castle
June 24, 2010

MOTORISTS in parts of north-east Hampshire and west Surrey suffer from some of the largest disparities in petrol prices in the country, according to a new report.

While wholesale petrol prices have fallen this month by up to 4p a litre, motoring organisations have criticised supermarkets for failing to pass on those savings to customers.

The differences mean that the average family in Aldershot, Farnham, Camberley or Sandhurst is paying up to £150 a year more than those in Fleet.

According to the AA’s mid-monthly fuel price report for June, motorists were for the first time facing massive differences in fuel prices depending on where they live.

Above average prices

Supermarkets on the Surrey-Hampshire border have been named as among the worst offenders.

The report highlighted the difference between prices at the pumps at supermarkets in Fleet, where unleaded petrol is just 115.9p, compared with prices at the big stores in Aldershot, Farnham and at the Meadows between Camberley and Sandhurst.

At all three locations the price was 119.9p a litre – above the regional average.

The AA said that for the first time, living in the wrong place could mean paying 4p a litre or £2 a tank more than a neighbouring town.

A two-car family in Aldershot, Sandhurst, Camberley or Farnham using their local supermarket to fill up had therefore seen monthly petrol costs average up to £12.74 more than for a similar family in Fleet, the AA said – equivalent to more than £150 a year.

"More selective"

Edmund King, AA president, said that while Asda and Morrisons had largely passed on the entire 4p saving, other supermarkets had been "much more selective" as to which customers were enjoying respite from the record sky-high prices.

“Unfortunately, with oil prices back above $75 a barrel, the AA is expecting wholesale prices to rise again – which only makes the failure to pass on cost cuts all the more galling,” Mr King said.

“Drivers are right to ask how a small rural petrol station between Farnham and the M3 can sell petrol at 115.9p a litre, and stay in business, while a major supermarket in Farnham, with all its buying power, charged 119.9p.”

The average price of petrol in the UK has fallen from the all-time high of 121.6p per litre in mid-May to 118.1p.

However, in large areas of the south, the cheapest supermarket petrol price is 119.9p, down just 2p over the month.

The average price of diesel has fallen to 120.5p per litre, down from its recent high of 123.1p in the third week of May.

Drivers across the South have on average been short-changed from the fall in petrol wholesale prices by a penny, while petrol stations in the Midlands and the North have benefited from the full 4p cut, the report stated.

What do you think? Are motorists being taken for a ride by the supermarkets? How far would you go to find cheaper petrol? Enter your comments below.

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Tesco's reveal their ugly interior quite nicely with fuel prices, they make their money by us the community allowing them to exist. If we shopped elsewhere we easily have the power to bring them to their knees, yes it would cost more in the short term but if a branch profits took a pounding they would realize that their customer base will not put up with it. I noticed in the Star they plainly did not mention this retailer directly well shame on them Tesco's are solely the problem, little retailers are not, they will move with the big stores. We need another large supermarket close by to assist in kicking their asses.

wickeed
11/07/2010 at 07:14

Here in Medicine Hat, Alberta, we regularily pay 5-10c more per Litre than they do 30 miles away.

Dake, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada
5/07/2010 at 22:12

This is nothing new. Supermarkets have almost a total monopoly on the prices, and it's amazing how everytime they increase the price, it tends to be the government who is blamed.

Supermarkets earn a phenomenal profit from selling petrol and diesel. They know we all need it, and we can't create it ourselves unlike much of the food sold.

For an oil producing nation, I do wonder why for the last 30 years we've had to pay such massive premiums for petrol, when other oil producing nations, it's so cheap to buy.

Simon in Aldershot, Bagshot
3/07/2010 at 23:27

Unless it's escaped anyones' notice our economy is based on the capitalist principle and therefore market forces will apply for the provision of services and good like petrol. If the market will bear a higher price than, say, 5 miles down the road, then that's what they'll charge. If you want to make a point then boycott those with higher prices by finding out cheaper locally (petrolprices.co.uk is a good start). Otherwise forget it. And it's difficult to see quite why this makes a good story.

mistergrumpy, Frimley Green
28/06/2010 at 19:34

At last someone as highlighted this situation. I noticed a few weeks ago that petrol prices out of the Surrey Heath, Rushmoor areas were up to 4 - 5p a litre cheaper. And some of the cheaper petrol was in small rural areas, so how can the petrol suppliers warrant this? Should there not be a national price, why should there be vast differences in such local areas!!!