One supermarkets chain in my area is purposely increasing the price of fuel against those of the like of Asda, Tesco, Shell, Jet, BP etc.
It is not the likes of the latter I see increasing their pump prices.
It is just one supermarket chain in my area:
MORRISON'S.
This one supermarket has had and caused all the other providers in my area to have three price increases on all types of fuel in the last month.
Morrison's always seem to be the one that has pump price increases first.
The largest increase has been on LPG. It has gone from 44.9 to an average of 53.9 in a matter of weeks - all because Morrisons first increased their pump price giving the competition an open door to match their corporate greed.
I wrote to Morrison's asking them to justify why they are managing their fuel prices above those of other vendors.
No. I did not get a reply.
So I have sent a copy of that letter with a covering letter to my local Trading Standards office.
Yep, I have a big bee in my bonnet over this one.
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They can charge what they like. You can shop where you like. You know what to do.
They're not just teeing up one of those 5p a litre off campaigns are they?
Edited by Manatee on 12/01/2008 at 09:38
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Manatee - there is a marked difference in the level of trade in Morrison's as opposed to Asda's a few miles down the road.
If you look at the pump prices of Morrison's they are always the same, if not more than other providers
Yes they do have a loyalty card.
To get back your £5.00 voucher you have to purchase over 500 litres of fuel though.
I would rather have the few pence off at the pump then purcahse their produce...
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All they are doing is passing on the price increase quicker than others. As you have use of the net then things like Petrolprices.com website can be very useful. More than likely they will help you avoid this.
Secondly do a slightly wider search does a town nearby have cheaper fuel ? I fill up mid point on my way to work as the Shell station is consistanly 3p per litre cheaper than the morrisions where I live - and I think it's better fuel.
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Good suggestion Paul - the difference between towns is sometimes marked.
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Don't forget the Morrisons is the smallest of the big 4 supermarkets and can't afford to lose money/margin by keeping their fuel prices too low unlike the likes of Tesco/Asda who have considerably larger funds to play with.
Morrisons is primarily a food retailer and it needs to be competitive in this area if it is to survive. This is the area that they will take a hit on their margins to compete with their peers, not petrol.
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Petrolprices.com is a most invaluable site when it comes to locatiing cheap fuel
I have even used it when planning longer journeys.
I asked Petrolprices.com why the search area is no more than 20 miles on a given postcode or area.
The reason given back was the loss on the saving made at the pump against the distance traversed to get to and from your start point as most vehicles loose out on the savings made versus vehicles MPG.
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Round our way Morrisons are always the first to put their prices up but it's no issue for trading standards - we don't have price control in the UK, other than taking your business somewhere else.
For a few weeks "everywhere" seems to have been 99.9 for UL but they all went up to 100.9 after the New Year, but Morrisons have gone up to 101.9.
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Nicely timed post. My local Morrisons put their prices up by 2p/litre the other night. It's now 105.9. That's now on a par with the local BP.
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"More-reasons" to go elsewhere perhaps ?
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My local Morrisons is charging 102.9p per litre of unleaded at present.
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Just arrived back home after a morning shopping and noticed that Morrison's have done it again - 2nd price increase in a week.
100.9 up to 101.9 for UL 105.9 up to 106.9 Diesel and LPG has jumped to 50.9 from 47.9 overnight.
All the local stations will now follow - damn you Morrison's....
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Lets look at this logically.
Supermarkets can sell fuel as a loss leader if they want, its one of the weapons in their marketing arsenal they use when they need to get their sales figures up. Results are always announced inc and exc fuel to show where actual rises have occurred.
The other retailers, BP, Shell etc are predominantly franchises. They are in a catch 22 if they are not making any money on fuel but cannot put their price up because then people would go to Morrisons and they would have no customers.
So if Morrisons then put the price up to what the fuel should be to maintain their level of profit, then the other stations can do this and "breath easy" for a while.
If Morrisons keep their prices low, the other stations will be squeezed out of business and then Morrisons will have a total monopoly.
While prices are same, make sure you fill up at the other stations, I have started using Shell instead of Morrisons as their fuel points and credit card deal gave me more back than Morrisons miles. Also it is another way of supporting a local business albeit under a National name.
Edited by Webmaster on 12/01/2008 at 13:58
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Round here morrisons are consistently more expensive than Shell, Esso, etc.
The local papers have regular letters about it. (Sir Ken started round here, lives nearby and has been regularly spotted in the local)
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I'm like most folks in feeling that we are being ripped off by oil companies and government over fuel prices. Unfortunately there is no way that anything we do will bring the price down.
The so and sos have us by the short and curlies and no matter how much we scream no notice will be taken. The last lot of fuel protests kept the price in check for little while but now the £1 barrier is broken we can expect a sprint to £1.50p and on to £2......where can I get a horse cheap?
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Remember just before Christmas it was announced that all the supermarkets had been caught screwing farmers and the like over milk and dairy prices, and would be fined x million quid?
Guess who's paying the fine; work it out for yourselves.
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Guess who's paying the fine; work it out for yourselves.
That's no different to NHS Trusts paying compensation for medical mistakes - it all comes out of our pockets.
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Petrol prices are ridiculous. I wouldn't waste your time moaning about it on this forum though. I get the impression that everyone on this site is being paid off by the government!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I dared mention that I support any action the 'protesters' take and it was like I suggested we go and shoot the PM.
Also I get the impression that certain people on here will say black if someone says white, but would say white if someone said black. What I mean is they are just argumentative for no actual reason.
This is supposed to be a forum, not a general have a go whenever you can site.
Just my opinion but you watch all the grief I'll get now.
xx
Edited by enough is enough on 12/01/2008 at 15:10
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you are not the only 1 that has noticed such things e is e
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Hell will freeze over before I suspend my belief that the LPG market in this country is operating a cartel.
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you are not the only 1 that has noticed such things e is e
I know.
:-) Some people get the persecution complex so badly that they think enough is enough and write a long goodbye only to come back for more persecution later! This forum is full of sadomasochists ;-)
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My local Morrisons is more often than not, cheaper than every where else. It is currently level with Sainsburys and 1p a litre cheaper than BP, 2p a litre cheaper than Shell.
But then if I buy my fuel near where my son lives, the local garage ( Total ) is 4p a litre cheaper than anything where I live. Its very much a regional thing - blame the individual who sticks up the local prices rather than the company as a whole, besides, Morissons food is overall good value compared to other main chains, so u loose in one way, gain in another.
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