Close eye kept on petrol prices
A boycott group started in retaliation to local petrol prices says it has resulted in the Rototuna community coming together.
Spokesperson Jennifer Babich told Number 8 Network there had been a good sense of community and coming together since the Facebook page was started.
The boycott page was started by Leanne Appleton, and Ms Babich suggested creating the petition to show them the severity of the situation. The petition has gained 615 signatures so far.
“Our goal is to reach 1000. At that point we’ll deliver it to BP.”“We are fed up with being charged extra for fuel at our local service station. Our goal is to raise awareness that BP Rototuna often charges much more than surrounding stations. We want them to reduce their prices in-line with everyone else’s.”
She said the group felt BP Rototuna was taking advantage of the area. “And we won’t stand for that.”
She says monitoring the prices of Hamilton fuel stations will allow customers to make well-educated decisions on where to purchase petrol from.
“We found BP’s initial response to be completely void of customer compassion when they said customers can choose where they go. Of course they can. But one would think a business might be somewhat concerned if hundreds of local customers are telling them they’re going to shop somewhere else.
“We’re not asking them to offer a forecourt service and shine our shoes – we’re asking them to offer the same rates that other stations do.”
BP New Zealand Communications and External Affairs Manager Jonty Mills said in a statement:
“BP will always compete strongly on price where and when we can but can’t always match or sustain heavy discounting across the whole market.”
He told the Waikato Times in a statement that they respected the views of customers but didn’t believe boycotting was a solution.
Mills said BP are competitive with their prices where the competition is “fierce”.
“We won’t always be the cheapest but believe we have the best offer and products. We are giving customers choice and our customers come to BP for a number of other reasons, not only price. Customers can choose where they shop.”
