Andrash Pty Ltd, former operators of X Convenience, fined more than $10,000 for real-time fuel price app breaches

The former operators of X Convenience are leaving the industry with a hefty fine and convictions for breaches of petrol price app laws.

The soon-to-be-former owners of the X Convenience petrol chain have been fined more than $10,000 for failing to abide by real-time fuel price app laws.

On Thursday, the Adelaide Magistrates Court penalised Andrash Pty Ltd for its “inadvertent” pricing errors between April 9 and July 14 last year.

The soon-to-be-former owners of the X Convenience petrol chain have been fined more than $10,000 for failing to abide by real-time fuel price app laws.

Magistrate Patrick Hill said the company’s conduct had “undermined the efficacy” of the scheme, on which consumers rely to find the cheapest petrol.

However, he noted the price at the pump was, in all but one case, cheaper than that on the app - meaning Andrash likely “turned away customers” by its actions.

“These offences were not committed deliberately and there was no benefit to Andrash,” he said.

In December, The Advertiser revealed Andrash had been charged with 42 counts of failing to comply with fuel pricing scheme requirements.

It was alleged Andrash outlets had failed to fulfil their requirements under the legislative scheme that governs updates to real-time petrol price apps, such as Petrol Spy.

That scheme requires retailers to report changes to their prices at the pump no later than 30 minutes after they have been altered.

The Andrash outlets allegedly did not do so for between two and five days, with price discrepancies as high as 40c per litre.

The X Convenience network has since been sold to BP, which is not charged with any offences nor accused of any wrongdoing.

Originally published as Andrash Pty Ltd, former operators of X Convenience, fined more than $10,000 for real-time fuel price app breaches