Petrol surging in Melbourne - go and fill up?

[GASWAGON]

Petrol prices in some servo's in Melbourne are back down to 159.00 ltr.

[MrMaestro]

Originally Posted by EF_6

Petrol prices in some servo's in Melbourne are back down to 159.00 ltr.

Phew. Thank god that's over.

[GASWAGON]

1.60 is STILL way too expensive for this country..... they're still only paying 1.00 ltr in the U.S at the moment..

[KIWI-1]

RACV website now saying 147.9 in Melbourne South East.

[BA-XT]

Originally Posted by KIWI-1

RACV website now saying 147.9 in Melbourne South East.

Er, nope. Still 1.60 here.....

[vztrt]

http://www.theage.com.au/business/re...729-2qu3q.html

Regulator blasts supermarket giants over fuel discounts
July 29, 2013 - 2:12PM

The competition regulator has fired a salvo across the bow of the nation’s most powerful supermarket chains, Woolworths and Coles, warning the escalating petrol discounts offered by the duo are likely to lessen competition and flagging action to curb excessive discounting.

The chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Rod Sims, has further ignited the issue around the popular shopper docket petrol schemes, arguing in a strong speech today that if the supermarket chains wish to offer discounts to their customers it should be on supermarket purchases, not petrol.

The ACCC has no power to ban shopper dockets offers ... however, the ACCC can investigate market activity and ... take court action seeking injunctions to stop the conduct.

“If Coles and Woolworths wish to offer their customers a discount, it should be off supermarket products, not petrol,” Mr Sims said.

Retailers have cried foul for years over the docket scheme, claiming the discounts given to supermarket customers - which this month hit as high as 45 cents per litre off the price at the bowser - was unfair competition.
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Many, such as grocery wholesaler Metcash last week, have also suggested a conspiracy between recent hikes in petrol prices and escalating shopper docket discount schemes.

Both supermarket chains have strenuously denied any link between higher petrol prices and the proliferation and steepness of their petrol discount schemes, pointing to the fact petrol prices are influenced by factors outside their control such as world oil demand and currency movements.

The strong comments from Australia’s competition tsar today, including warning of acting soon to curb the excesses of the petrol schemes, comes as the ACCC navigates through a near 12-month long investigation into the petrol discount deals offered by Woolworths and Coles through their ownership of petrol station businesses and supermarkets.

Addressing the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ Leaders Edge Lunch in Melbourne, Mr Sims stressed his further concerns about the escalating shopper docket petrol discounts, now reaching 45 cents per litre in some cases.

“The ACCC has previously signalled its concerns about the impact of shopper docket petrol discounts by Coles and Woolworths on the competitive process,” Mr Sims said. “The ACCC believes this activity is likely to have a negative effect on competition in the petrol industry. Over time, higher petrol prices could be the result."

Mr Sims said his concerns have been intensified by the expansion use of shopper docket and other discounts by both Coles and Woolworths recently.

‘‘These have varied in level of discount, frequency and duration, and have now reached up to 45 cents per litre.

“While large shopper docket discounts provide short-term benefits to some consumers, the likely harm to other fuel retailers and therefore to competition and the competitive process for petrol retailing could well be substantial,” Mr Sims said.

“Even at the level of 8 cents, it would be difficult to see how an unsubsidised fuel retailer could compete on a sustainable basis. Now, the discounts are substantially higher.”

He said the ACCC’s investigation into the schemes was continuing and broadening in its direction.

"The ACCC is also investigating whether the duration, frequency and extent of these fuel offers may have an adverse impact on the underlying level of fuel prices, particularly in circumstances where fuel retailers who would otherwise compete for price conscious customers are unable to do so.

“The ACCC has no power to ban shopper dockets offers. As an enforcement body, however, the ACCC can investigate market activity and, where appropriate, take court action seeking injunctions to stop the conduct and seeking penalties in appropriate cases.

“The ACCC has been investigating shopper docket offers by the major supermarkets since mid-2012. Our investigation is nearing completion and will be finalised in the next few months," Mr Sims said.

“Even at the level of 8 cents, it would be difficult to see how an unsubsidised fuel retailer could compete on a sustainable basis. Now, the discounts are substantially higher.”

He said the ACCC’s investigation into the schemes was continuing and broadening in its direction.

"The ACCC is also investigating whether the duration, frequency and extent of these fuel offers may have an adverse impact on the underlying level of fuel prices, particularly in circumstances where fuel retailers who would otherwise compete for price conscious customers are unable to do so.

“The ACCC has no power to ban shopper dockets offers. As an enforcement body, however, the ACCC can investigate market activity and, where appropriate, take court action seeking injunctions to stop the conduct and seeking penalties in appropriate cases.

“The ACCC has been investigating shopper docket offers by the major supermarkets since mid-2012. Our investigation is nearing completion and will be finalised in the next few months," Mr Sims said.

“Even at the level of 8 cents, it would be difficult to see how an unsubsidised fuel retailer could compete on a sustainable basis. Now, the discounts are substantially higher.”

He said the ACCC’s investigation into the schemes was continuing and broadening in its direction.

"The ACCC is also investigating whether the duration, frequency and extent of these fuel offers may have an adverse impact on the underlying level of fuel prices, particularly in circumstances where fuel retailers who would otherwise compete for price conscious customers are unable to do so.

“The ACCC has no power to ban shopper dockets offers. As an enforcement body, however, the ACCC can investigate market activity and, where appropriate, take court action seeking injunctions to stop the conduct and seeking penalties in appropriate cases.

“The ACCC has been investigating shopper docket offers by the major supermarkets since mid-2012. Our investigation is nearing completion and will be finalised in the next few months," Mr Sims said.

[Polyal]

That will be an interesting report, man up ACCC! Im fine with them being abolished.

[KIWI-1]

Originally Posted by Polyal

That will be an interesting report, man up ACCC! Im fine with them being abolished.

How many ways can Sims think of to say:
"The ACCC can find no evidence... and has no power to act..."

[red_hotxr6]

Well its a $1.52 a litre here in the northern suburbs of brissy at the mo....

[flooded one]

Originally Posted by KIWI-1

Look at the Falcon & Territory pages on AFF and you will see the same!

not as much as Navara. most of the people on falcons page are whinging about the falcon coming too and end if anything

[mik]

I heard on the radio about half an hour ago petrol "should" be going down within the next fortnight by about 20 cpl.