Cheapest and most expensive petrol stations in each city revealed
The consumer watchdog has revealed Australian drivers can save hundreds of dollars each year if they take some simple steps when buying fuel.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) latest petrol report shows large discrepancies in price between big name service stations and independent retailers.
"The data reveals that independent chains were the lowest priced retailers in all eight cities, while Coles Express was the highest priced retailer in almost all cities," said ACCC chair Rod Sims.
Choosing independent retailers could have saved a Sydney driver $343 last year. Melbournians would have pocketed $148, Brisbanites $229, $211 for Perth motorists and $159 for commuters in Adelaide.
With minimum standards in place, there is no difference in regular unleaded fuel quality purchased at an independent service station, according to the ACCC. The petrol often came from the same sources.
The independent petrol station brands with the best average prices in 2018 were:
Speedway in Sydney
United in Melbourne
United in Brisbane
Liberty in Adelaide
Vibe in Perth
United in Canberra
United in Hobart
FuelXpress in Darwin
The price differences between petrol stations in each city are shown in the graphs at the bottom of this article.
How to find the cheapest petrol prices
Sims urged drivers to use price-tracking websites and apps to get the best deal.
"Consumers do not only benefit from the lower prices they find using these apps, but they also help reward retailers who actively compete on price."
In Sydney, there was a 13.2 cents per litre difference between filling up at the highest and lowest-priced stations. Darwin also saw a big difference, at 10.4 cents per litre.
The ACCC report in August revealed Brisbane drivers consistently pay more for petrol than other mainland capitals. Meanwhile, Canberra had some of the highest prices until the government took some action.
Prices of petrol retailers in each mainland capital city
The graphs below show the price difference between the major retailers in each city:
Sydney
Melbourne
Brisbane
Adelaide
Perth
Canberra
Hobart
Darwin
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