Petrol price board showing the discounted unleaded petrol price in November last year. Photo: Ian Bushnell.
Petrol stations across the ACT have been banned from advertising discounted prices on their price boards under new laws to protect motorists from being misled at the pump.
Starting from Monday (26 August), petrol stations are no longer allowed to advertise discounted prices on their price boards, including prices that require a discount voucher or an in-store purchase. Schemes, such as save four cents off per litre, can still be advertised but the price displayed must be the full price available to all motorists.
The recent amendments to the Fair Trading (Fuel Prices) Act 1993, which were introduced to the Legislative Assembly last November, means stations could face penalties of up to $16,200 if they do not comply with the new laws.
ACT Minister for Consumer Affairs Shane Rattenbury said the laws will ensure motorists will pay the fuel price they see when filling up.
“These changes will ensure Canberrans aren’t lured into service stations by discounted prices that require a shopper docket, in-store purchase or membership of a loyalty rewards program,” Mr Rattenbury said.
Save four cents off per litre schemes can still be advertised, but the price displayed must be the full price available to all motorists. Photo: Lachlan Roberts.
“Service station retailers will need to ensure that from today their fuel price boards are kept up-to-date so that they never display a price less than the price at the pump.”
To ensure stations adhere to the new fuel price board requirements and increase consumer confidence, Access Canberra will undertake proactive checks at service stations across the ACT.
If Canberrans notice any discrepancies between an advertised price on a fuel board and the price at the pump, they can report it to Access Canberra on 13 22 81.
Mr Rattenbury also encouraged Canberrans to research petrol prices with online tools such as Motor Mouth and Petrol Spy before filling up.
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Get over it is the states
And if you don’t realise Costco is cheaper and need a reminder seriously
What a ridiculous load of nonsense.
Barr, once again, dumbing down our society.
Why not just make it law that the advertised price is the most anyone has to pay?
About time!
Yeah that’s going to stop us getting screwed at the bowser. Maybe if you dropped the prices to a fair price you’ll actually be helping. Why does the ACT government like to tax the hell out of everything? This place is a joke now and becoming unaffordable to live in.
Useless, wont change a thing
Mark Calvert how so lol
WOW who would have thought servos and fuel companies are RIPPING us off 🙄
If you are too stupid to read a sign, then you are really to stupid to have a driver's licence.
MEMBERSHIP! It's all in the wording... and now Costco (the cheapest fuel in Canberra) will also be prevented from being included in cost comparison websites, because they require membership to get those fuel prices. This is a dodgy win for the most expensive petrol retailers, because now Costco will be excluded. This is redculous... a huge backwards step in highlighting the cartel like pricing here in Canberra.
Are you sure Chris? Where did you get this info from?
Chris Cross everyone in Canberra knows Costco is cheapest though 🤷♀️
I’ve noticed recently Costco is no longer better priced for diesel - only 1 cent cheaper per litre than the nearby Woolies.
Didn’t compare the ULP price, but could be that now Costco has us members trained they no longer need to provide an incentive
Marcus McCarthy isn’t it that the nearby woolies drops their prices to (nearly) match Costco during their business hours? Watch their price jump after hours....
Shane that is 100% what happens... during business hours the Woolies competitively matches but it isn't after hours. Although I have noticed Erindale 7Eleven is almost as cheap as Costco
Great but when are they going to actually do something to lower prices in the ACT?
Disgusting that diesel is so expensive.
Kerry Dent diesel for passenger cars is dead, it just doesn’t realize it yet!
Warwick Penn Bradly Add LPG to that extinct list.
James Forge Very true.
Australia has lost most of its refining capacity and relies heavily on Asia for refined products such as diesel and petrol. Diesel is in high demand in Asia so we pay full price for it whereas petrol is a surplus product and we can buy it at a discount. That is the realty of the market and it is probably going to get worse as some Australian refiners are talking about closing down their refineries. More worrying is that Australia only carries reserve stocks for slightly over a month whereas the recommended levels are 3 months. In the event of a conflict which cuts off our fuel imports we could be in real trouble. This problem has all the hallmarks of the current lack of power generating capacity with summer blackouts. Ditto gas supplies on the east coast. I cannot believe the stupidity of governments of all persuasions to let this happen.
Sure not allowed to advertise but perfectly fine price gouging every person in ACT. 👌
Now it's we wont give you a preconceived notion you're not getting ripped off.
Now they just need to stop charging 10 cents per litre more than across the border.
Good. About time.