RETAILERS have been accused of “daylight robbery” after Gazette research revealed the chasm in fuel prices at petrol stations across Essex.
Statistics show Colchester petrol stations are more expensive on average than those in Southend and Chelmsford, with fuel cheaper still in Harlow, Braintree, and Clacton.
Data shared by PetrolPrices.co.uk shows the cheapest fuel motorists can buy in Colchester is currently 135.7p per litre for petrol and 139.7p per litre for diesel – prices offered by Tesco and Asda.
Only Saffron Walden has a higher base rate in fuel prices than Colchester, with the cheapest petrol available costing 136.9p per litre.
The comparison with the cheapest fuel available in Braintree, where petrol can be bought for as low a price as 127.9p per litre, has left motorists disillusioned with the seemingly unjustifiable difference in prices.
Motorist Sebastien Thornton, 55, told the Gazette he believes retailers and oil companies are using petrol prices as a form of profiteering, and added suppliers would soon take notice if drivers boycotted more expensive petrol stations.
He said: “The prices don’t baffle me – it makes me think that it’s profiteering.
“It’s daylight robbery without anyone saying anything.
“Some petrol stations are starting to drop their petrol prices but they are still above what they should be.”
British automotives services company, the RAC, has been the highest-profile organisation to call on retailers to cut fuel prices after they found the average wholesale price of petrol sat at 103p per litre last month.
Its calculation of retail margins found prices of 136p would be a fair amount for motorists whilst delivering a profit for retailers, but despite this, petrol was still being sold at an average of 142p per litre in Britain.
When it came to diesel, the RAC’s analysis found the UK had the most expensive diesel in Europe for 16 out of the 17 weeks between April and August.
Mr Thornton, of Shrub End, continued: “What they do in America is boycott petrol stations and it causes a price war.
“It’s hard to see that happening in this country because people don’t stick together enough when it comes to things like this.”
A Sainsbury’s spokesman told the Gazette said the retailer prices fuel locally, whilst a Tesco spokesman said: “We regularly monitor fuel prices throughout a local area to ensure we’re providing competitive prices for our customers.”
Morrisons, Shell, and ExxonMobil did not respond to requests for comment.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel