Motoring Discussion > Local petrol cartel?	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: RattleandSmoke	Replies: 57

Sun 28 Nov 10 17:04   Local petrol cartel? - RattleandSmoke

I have been keeping on eye on the pumps. There is five petrol stations in my local suburb and every one bar the Tesco is the same price at 118.9p. This quite a bit more expensive than the Manchester average. If I go into the next down it is 116.9p. So are my locla petrol stations coluding with each other to form a cartel or is it likely that they are just responding to market conditions? Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 17:14   Local petrol cartel? - Bromptonaut

I doubt overt collusion; the consequences of being caught are too severe. It is nonetheless interesting to note local variations, Northampton is always a penny or two a litre more than Leicester. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 17:30   Local petrol cartel? - RattleandSmoke

I just do not understand how the two Shells in my suburb are usualy 2-3p more expensive than the one in the next town. I realise if you get caught running a cartel and I very much doubt the Tesco is involved in that but the smaller locally run places I am not so sure, how would anybody find out if it is only the owners running it? I suppose it is all supply and demand even on a local basis. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 17:37   Local petrol cartel? - Harleyman

Most places round here (Carmarthen) vary between £1.19 and £1.23 for unleaded. Down in Swansea it drops about 2p at supermarkets. However,in Newtown, which with respect to its inhabitants is a close to the middle of nowhere as you're likely to get, it's as cheap or even cheaper than Swansea. The usual excuses you get are distance from oil terminals, which doesn't apply here; in Haverfordwest, only 15 miles from Milford Haven, prices are the same as Carmarthen. I've long suspected it's a case of seeing what the market will stand. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 17:39   Local petrol cartel? - R.P.

Funnily enough I noticed that in Newtown when driving back from the Rugby ! Similar range here HM Shell garages are the cheapest though ! Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 17:39   Local petrol cartel? - PhilW

" Northampton is always a penny or two a litre more than Leicester" And so is Loughborough! Sainsbury's Fosse park is always a penny or two cheaper than Sains and Tesco Loughborough. I wonder if it's because Sains Fosse has an ASDA station next door which is also cheaper? Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 18:00   Local petrol cartel? - Bromptonaut

It was Fosse Park Sains I had in mind c/p with Northampton Sixfields. Mother and sister both live near FP so I'm round there fortnightly or so. Never been aware of the ASDA!!! Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 17:40   Local petrol cartel? - L'escargot

Find petrol prices here. www.petrolprices.com/ Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 17:45   Local petrol cartel? - Bigtee

Asda put diesel up a penny a litre topping £1.19... Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 17:42   Local petrol cartel? - L'escargot

Most retailers look at what competitors are charging and set their own prices accordingly. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 18:38   Local petrol cartel? - RattleandSmoke

What is interesting is all the Essos outside my suburb but in Manchester are 2p cheaper than the Esso near me. Now I only we are only talking pence so it is not going to change where I get my petrol from no point burning £1 of fuel to save 15p. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 19:05   Local petrol cartel? - smokie

Noticed how Tesco is always a little bit dearer when they are running their 5p per gallon promos? Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 19:56   Local petrol cartel? - Cockle

Strangely our local Tesco is not cheaper, and never is than the Shell station down the road; the Shell is normally 1p cheaper and more often 2p. A quick look today had Asda, Waitrose at 115.9p, Shell 117.9p, Tesco 117.9p (unusually same as Shell) and the two BP/M&S at 118.9p, it's obviously not just petrol but ......... The two BP's are 'always' dearer by at least 1p but strangely always have large queues.......... Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 19:58   Local petrol cartel? - Bromptonaut

Where is that Cockle? Round here (Northampton) its 118 or 119 for unleaded and 2/3p more for diesel. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 29 Nov 10 13:21   Local petrol cartel? - Cockle

Sunny Southend, Bromptonaut. And we have no snow........ Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 19:59   Local petrol cartel? - RattleandSmoke

Its 117.p at my Tesco (Esso Tesco Express), 118.9p at Shell and Texaco and I don't think there is a BP near me anymore. I feel hard done to by what some people are paying. I put £20 in the other day and I really felt it when I saw just how little I get out of that (165 miles if I am lucky). Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 20:02   Local petrol cartel? - Iffy

... I feel hard done to by what some people are paying... I'm surprised because the North West has always been one of the cheapest areas for petrol - and beer. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 20:04   Local petrol cartel? - RattleandSmoke

It always used to be, when going round the country petrol has always been more expensive than here in south Manchester. Maybe the influx of southerners have pushed the prices right up. But I only have to drive 2 miles out of my town to get petrol at 115.9p it just they are all in areas I never need to go to. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 20:20   Local petrol cartel? - rtj70

So assuming your Panda has a 35 litre tank and never needs more than say 28 litres putting in. The cheaper petrol saves you 2p/litre, so that's say 56 pence. The garage is two miles away and you are going there just for fuel... so that's 4 miles at lets say 10p/mile and therefore costing 40p. For the 16p saving I'd not bother. And we've not considered other costs. This assumes you brim the car up on each fill and it is close to empty. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 20:52   Local petrol cartel? - RattleandSmoke

And to be really anal about it the extra fuel will add extra weight which may also add a few pence on to the fuel bill too. The Esso in Didsbury Village is always one of the cheaper ones but it is a nightmare to get into so I tend to avoid it unless it is quiet. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 21:07   Local petrol cartel? - Old Navy

>> And to be really anal about it the extra fuel will add extra weight which >> may also add a few pence on to the fuel bill too.>> Don't worry about the odd few pence here and there, Ratts. I can remember when petrol was 30p a gallon, yes GALLON. I dread to think what it will be when you have been driving as long as me, (45ish years). I can also remember buying petrol in the USA when it was 22 cents a gallon, and the exchange rate was $2.50 to the pound. Good job, I was driving a 5 litre V8, but was on expenses. :-) Last edited by: Old Navy on Sun 28 Nov 10 at 21:08 Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 21:44   Local petrol cartel? - Alastairw

....The Esso in Didsbury Village Watch what you get from that one, Rats. My mates Maestro Turbo hasnt been right since picking up some water in a fill up there. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 22:09   Local petrol cartel? - rtj70

>> The Esso in Didsbury Village is always one of the cheaper ones You mean the Shell garage? Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 22:15   Local petrol cartel? - RattleandSmoke

Yeah sorry the Shell garage. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 20:05   Local petrol cartel? - Zero

Every station around here ( 2 x tesco, 1 x total, 1 x murco, 3 x shell) is all at 119.9 The tesco express (Esso) is 120.9 Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 20:27   Local petrol cartel ? - R.P.

I fill up at the cluster of Shell garages on the A55 - saying that the Shell garage in Betws y Coed (quite isolated) is always cheaper than most places. Last edited by: Pugugly on Sun 28 Nov 10 at 21:34 Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 20:30   Local petrol cartel ? - Iffy

...I fill up at the cluster of Shell garages on the A55... Hope you take more care over which nozzle you select than which thread you post in. :) Last edited by: Pugugly on Sun 28 Nov 10 at 21:34 Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 20:32   Local petrol cartel ? - R.P.

I have a story about that - will move this to the right one now - sorry I was multitasking ! Last edited by: Pugugly on Sun 28 Nov 10 at 21:34 Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 21:31   Local petrol cartel ? - Stuu

Its interesting to note that Kettering and Corby, two big places only a few miles apart can have a 2p a litre difference. Even though Kettering has now dropped to 1.15 a litre in the last week or so, Corby had been at 1.15 for several months. A while back, Corby dropped to 1.13, but never saw Kettering drop that far. Last edited by: Pugugly on Sun 28 Nov 10 at 21:35 Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 21:38   Local petrol cartel ? - Zero

Corby is a poor crap town. Kettering is better off, and is just off the A14 to catch passing traffic, so will probably sustain higher prices than corby, Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 22:13   Local petrol cartel ? - Iffy

...Corby is a poor crap town... Heart ripped out of the community by the closure of the steel works. Whatever the rights and wrongs of that, it did the place no good at all. People from commuter belt Surrey have no understanding of what it's like for most of the jobs in a town to be wiped out at a stroke. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 22:21   Local petrol cartel ? - Zero

As it happens I know Corby ( and the surrounds ) pretty well. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 22:38   Local petrol cartel ? - Stuu

I might shop in Corby, but I wouldnt live there for any money. Its cheap for a reason. Its truely depressing, like Milton Keynes but with all measure of success and investment removed. The people, well... lets just say you know when your in Corby. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 22:39   Local petrol cartel ? - Zero

>> The people, well... lets just say you know when your in Corby. Indeed Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 22:41   Local petrol cartel ? - R.P.

I always think of trouser presses when someone says Corby, some word association football thing. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 22:44   Local petrol cartel ? - Zero

Its made by Corby of Windsor. Who were never near Windsor, the presses being made in Alton in Hampshire, later in Huddersfield. So nothing to do with Windsor or Corby. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 22:43   Local petrol cartel ? - Stuu

One notable feature is that on a weekday in term time, there are as many school age kids in Morrisions as there are during summer holidays. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 22:46   Local petrol cartel ? - Iffy

...One notable feature is that on a weekday in term time, there are as many school age kids in Morrisions as there are during summer holidays... Stu, While I'd expect no less from Zero, I thought you as a local might have a better understanding of the socio-economic problems faced by Corby. Snobs, the pair of you. :) Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 22:50   Local petrol cartel ? - Zero

>> ...One notable feature is that on a weekday in term time, there are as many >> school age kids in Morrisions as there are during summer holidays... >> >> Stu, >> >> While I'd expect no less from Zero, I thought you as a local might have >> a better understanding of the socio-economic problems faced by Corby. Do you actually know Corby? it was rough when the steel works were in full production. The trouble is now, its turning into warehouse city, and is gobbling up the surrounding country and villages round the area, and there is some really pretty country and villages on the outskirts. Last edited by: Zero on Sun 28 Nov 10 at 22:53 Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 22:54   Local petrol cartel ? - Iffy

...Do you actually know Corby? it was rough when the steel works were in full production... I don't doubt it, but I wasn't talking about dinner party sophistication or eligibility for membership of the golf club, important as those things are. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 22:48   Local petrol cartel ? - Zero

I had to go into the town centre shopping area there once, - don't ask why - there were more tattoos on display than a naked Maori war dance convention. And that was just the women. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 22:57   Local petrol cartel ? - Stuu

It apparently has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in the East Midlands outside metropolitan areas. Ive never been to the town centre, but my wife went there last year to try xmas shopping there. She rang me after 10 minutes and said forget this, take me to Kettering! Its apparently beyond grim. Its all so notable because if you live in the area, you can find yourself visting both towns for one thing or another. Corby has some good out of town stores, Kettering, well that has everything else. Im not a snob, I just dont like feeling like the posh bloke because I say please and thankyou. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 23:07   Local petrol cartel ? - R.P.

www.knowhere.co.uk/Corby/Northamptonshire/Midlands/info/worstthings Never been there but all this talk made me want to know more. Reply to this message | Report message       1

Sun 28 Nov 10 23:11   Local petrol cartel ? - Stuu

Priceless. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 23:14   Local petrol cartel ? - Zero

Hmmm. i am not surprised. Its a pretty unique place. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 21:36   Local petrol cartel? - -

Kettering Asda is now 1p more than Morrissons for Diesel at 119.ish, Kettering was always about 2p more expensive than Corby 6/7 miles away but seems to have come into line recently, having several supermarkets selling fuel in the one area keeps prices in line. Morrissons did and might still have 5p off per litre when you spent over £40 quid which with an 80 litre tank made a worthwhile difference. I couldn't tell you what Tesco's price is as i don't support them in any way. Corby incidentally has one of the cheapest outlets for LPG in the country, not as we've got any LPG'ers here as far as i'm aware. Blimey Stu that's uncanny. Last edited by: gordonbennet on Sun 28 Nov 10 at 21:38 Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 21:46   Local petrol cartel? - Alastairw

I think garages price match within varying 'crows flight' circles round each one. For some reason the Shell station nearest me is always a couple of pence a litre cheaper, but as a consequence you always have to queue for a pump. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 21:52   Local petrol cartel? - Stuu

I just check PetrolPrices.com every week, seems accurate. I always buy my petrol in Morrisons Corby, I dont think in the last year its ever been a penny more than the cheapest in the area and its only 5 miles from home, so I tie it inw ith food shopping. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 23:16   Local petrol cartel? - Ted

Rattle....probably not a cartel as such. The two Shell garages and the one opposite the Unlucky Fried Kitten, Texaco ??...... are all owned by the same people. I'm not sure which is the 5th one yeu're talking about after the Tesco ? Mauldeth Road West, perhaps? Ted Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 28 Nov 10 23:29   Local petrol cartel? - RattleandSmoke

Yep the one near Withington Road :). I didn't realise the two Shells were owned by the same person would explain that one. I think the one near Morrisons is sometimes a penny cheaper than the one near KFC. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 29 Nov 10 02:12   Local petrol cartel? - idle_chatterer

I used to travel a lot around the UK and noticed that prices varied considerably from place to place, all local garages in a vicinity seem to charge roughly the same though. Fuel can vary by 2p a litre within a few miles e.g. Woking is typically 2p a litre more expensive than Guildford 4 miles away and Staines is a further 1p more, cheapest places I've seen are: Swindon Sheffield Edinburgh Guildford Watford I'm sure there'll be local macroeconomic factors which influence this, however I think that the fact that supermarkets (with a shared supply chain) charge different amounts in different places hints that fuel retailers are using local pricing to maximising their profits for which you can't really blame them can you ? Advice is to shop-around I guess..... Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 29 Nov 10 07:28   Local petrol cartel? - L'escargot

In general, petrol prices depend on transportation costs from the refinery. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 29 Nov 10 07:44   Local petrol cartel? - Old Navy

>> In general, petrol prices depend on transportation costs from the refinery. >> I can understand that in remote locations, the Scottish highlands and islands for example. It should be easy enough to average them elsewhere. Certainly for the big chains and supermarkets. Won't they have a "delivery" budget? Last edited by: Old Navy on Mon 29 Nov 10 at 07:46 Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 29 Nov 10 08:17   Local petrol cartel? - Zero

>> In general, petrol prices depend on transportation costs from the refinery. In general, petrol prices depend on what the local area will pay. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 29 Nov 10 08:39   Local petrol cartel? - Old Navy

>> In general, petrol prices depend on what the local area will pay. >> Oh dear, agreeing with Z again, bad habit. :-) Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 29 Nov 10 09:39   Local petrol cartel? - Iffy

The oil industry uses the same system pioneered by Roland Hill for the post. Delivery distance is neither here nor there, although it suits some retailers to use it as an excuse for higher prices. When I worked at the garage, the gaffer put in enormous filling station size tanks because taking a tanker-full was the only way to get a good price from the oil company. We didn't have a huge petrol sale, but I suppose the stuff never went off. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 29 Nov 10 10:28   Local petrol cartel? - VxFan

Is Bournemouth the dearest place for Petrol? 148.9p tinyurl.com/38jb22m (BP Ultimate Unleaded at Spur End Service Station in Castle Lane East) Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 29 Nov 10 10:40   Local petrol cartel? - Old Navy

The most expensive I have seen is in Castlebay on the island of Barra, I have not been there recently but it was 40p over central Scottish prices. Last edited by: Old Navy on Mon 29 Nov 10 at 10:42 Reply to this message | Report message