BP breaks cycle with new hike
Issue Date: - Monday, 7 April 2008
BP has initiated a new price cycle, breaking the regular fortnightly pattern Perth motorists are used to.
41 BP sites across Perth will be selling their unleaded petrol (ULP) for 149.9 cents per litre (cpl) tomorrow.
Deputy Prices Commissioner Aaron Rayner said this hike has given him cause for concern.
“The last ULP price cycle started only a week ago on Wednesday 2nd April. Following a normal cycle pattern, we would usually see prices falling over the next seven days.
“Consumers will be denied these discounted prices from BP. This will be compounded by other retailers if they follow BP’s lead and raise their prices in the next few days.
“International benchmark prices have increased lately, but usually these increases are absorbed during the normal course of the price cycle.
“Consumers should never pay top dollar for their fuel. They should use FuelWatch to find their cheapest nearby fuel retailer.
“If consumers avoided the higher priced fuel, it would send a strong message to the price setters.
“Putting pressure on the oil companies by buying fuel from the cheaper retailers is our best defense against high prices.
“Saving 1 cent per litre may not seem like a lot to individual motorists but to the oil companies it means about $16 million a year,” Mr Rayner said.
Tomorrow over 130 sites are selling at or below 139.5 cpl with the cheapest fuel available from:
United Roleystone at 138.4 in the East
Caltex Woolworths Morley Galleria at134.4 in the North
Caltex Woolworths Maddington Centro Shopping Centre at 135.3 in the South
Motorists can find the best prices by checking the FuelWatch website at www.fuelwatch.wa.gov.au <http://www.fuelwatch.wa.gov.au/> or by phoning 1300 55 08 08.