Opinion: Fuel giant rips off Gympie customers

'Where there is no competition Woolies feel free to rip you off to the max.'

BowsersPhoto: Trevor Veale / The Coffs Coast Advocate. Picture: Trevor Veale

A letter to the editor:

MY WIFE and I have recently returned to Gympie after eight weeks of caravanning around NSW.

Because our car runs only on LPG (autogas) we used fuel apps to find service stations where we could fill up at reasonable prices.

Most times we were able to refuel at Independent and Woolies service stations for 84.9 to 89.9 per litre.

We were therefore totally shocked when we drove past the Woolies in Gympie and saw their signing advertising LPG for 97.9.

Angrily, I rang Woolies Customer Service and got an email response.

Here is an extract from that email from Adam Teo, Fuel Analysis, Woolworths Group:

"Woolworths Petrol's fuel pricing policy is to be competitive within the local market for each of our service stations.

"The local market is usually around 3km radius from our service station. The price of LPG at Gympie is competitive in its local market.”

I read that as, where there is no competition Woolies feel free to rip you off to the max.

It has no thought for the community of Gympie; no thought for the ability of the citizens to pay; and no concern about how expensive fuel prices drive away tourists.

With that kind of attitude it's no wonder that I no longer shop at Woolies.

I hope others will also join me in snubbing Woolies.

Wayne Cole,

Tamaree