PETROL prices in some country towns, including Naracoorte, rose dramatically overnight this
week.
RAA senior analyst Chris West said the organisation received a number of complaints from country motorists who were shocked by an unexpected hike of up to 13 cents per litre when they woke up on Thursday morning.
He said analysis of the data showed the largest price hikes were in towns such as Naracoorte, Mount Gambier, Port Augusta, Port Lincoln, Whyalla, Port Pirie, Victor Harbor, Kadina and Renmark with supermarket chain owned fuel outlets.
"Many of these towns had maximum prices in the low to mid $1.40cents/litre range but these prices all moved up to 13 cents/litre at the same time over the last 24 hours," he said.
"This is a blatant rip off. The industry can legitimately increase prices by three cents/litre due to recent wholesale price increases, but certainly not up to 13 cents/litre.
"Motorists in these affected towns are being held to ransom.
"The only way they can access a fair price is by using the full double discount offered by the supermarkets.
"This issue must be looked into by the ACCC in its investigation of shopper dockets to determine whether the supermarkets are trying to recoup their lost profits in metropolitan areas from country motorists."
The prices in Naracoorte last Thursday ranged from 151.9 cents/litre for unleaded at Maggie's food and Fuel to 155.9 cents/litre at the Woolworths and Shell petrol Stations.
The BP was in the middle at 152.9 cents/litre.
In comparison, Adelaide prices last Thursday, as of 12.30pm, were at a low of 129.7 cents/litre and averaged 134.5 cents/litre according to the RAA fuel watch website.
