Nick Perry
AAP
March 08, 2012
DODGY petrol stations misleading drivers about fuel prices have been ordered to lift their game or face heavy fines.
Rogue operators have been accused of baiting drivers with false discount offers and advertising petrol prices that only apply when other products are purchased at the counter.
Instead of clearly advertising the price of regular unleaded as required by law, many service stations were only highlighting the price of E10, a much cheaper fuel.
In a statewide sting last month, Fair Trading investigators found a quarter of service stations in New South Wales employed dodgy practices in a bid to lure motorists.
Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts said consumers misled about the fuel prices had no choice but to pay once they had filled up.
“Motorists in NSW have been treated like mugs for too long,” he told reporters today.
“They deserve certainty when they go to fill up at a petrol station.”
In one case, a BP service station was offering a 7.5 cent discount per litre if a CitiBank card was used.
Mr Roberts said the advertised discount was both incorrect and misleading.
“Consumers at the end of the month, when they receive their bill, will not get their 7.5 cents off,” he said.
Another issue was that fewer than one in 10 service stations advertised the price of premium fuel despite it being the norm for many modern vehicles.
“Most motor vehicles in the marketplace now, it’s suggested they run on a premium product,” he said.
Fair Trading inspected more than 300 service stations across the state, from independent operators to major fuel companies.
Five compliance notices have been issued to service stations in NSW but more will follow, Mr Roberts said.
Service stations found to be in breach of the Australian Consumer Law could face a whopping $1.1 million fine.
A hotline number has been established for consumers to ring in their complaints about dodgy operators.
“There are rogues out there preying on consumers,” Mr Roberts said.
“I have instructed my department to apply the full force of the law and we will go after these people.”
Subscribe to our free mailing list and always be the first to receive the latest news and updates.