Wagga Coles Express petrol price drop at Sturt Highway service station was ‘within rules’, NRMA says

That’s according to drivers’ group NRMA, whose spokesman Peter Khoury said Coles “hadn’t broken any laws”.

“They are allowed to put whatever price they want as long as it’s real-time, so people can see what they are charging,” he said.

“It’s likely that they were trying to flood some people through the shop when they dropped to 130.9.

“That price is below cost. The idea would have been to get the word out there.”

Selling petrol might not have been the true point as, according to the Australian Retailers Association, purchases like drinks, snacks and tobacco make up 70 per cent of service station profits.

The steep discount at a prominent Sturt Highway outlet was popular with drivers but did prompt questions as to whether prices were artificially high in Wagga.

Coles has not offered any explanation for its price drop except to state that it was committed to keeping costs down for drivers.

An ACCC spokesperson said Wagga’s fuel market was too small to be affected by the monthly price cycles seen in Sydney and Melbourne.

“The ACCC monitors fuel prices in more than 190 regional locations across Australia, which enables us to provide people with information about fuel prices so they can source the best prices for petrol,” the spokesperson said. 

“The ACCC has no role in setting fuel prices.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has hinted at further fuel industry regulation as it was “very frustrating when Australians see the petrol prices move as they do”.

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