Dreamy

We're currently pushing our cars around the mountains because I refuse to pay $1.60 a litre.

The upside is that my thighs and calves are magnificent.

nevster

Is there actually a set pattern to pricing? for example are Fridays and Mondays generally more expensive than mid-week. Prices just seem to be all over the place and I haven't actually expended the effort to work it out yet

moneypenny20

Used to be Thusday round here. Now it's any day with a 'y' in it.

irishbloo

Photos please.

GarryP

http://accc.gov.au/consumers/petrol-...-petrol-prices

Rhubarb65

Thanks Garry. The pattern in Perth seems so predictable that you would be unwise to fill-up on a Thursday if you could do so on a Wednesday; I suppose most locals would know that though.

Interesting that ACCC have put out a statement today on the Supermarket fuel dockets...let's see if they are able to take any action

sonlymewalter

Thanks mate from the link it states ACCC have been investigating since 2012. Theyre a toothless lion with no balls - I bet theyre sending out a message hoping Coles & Woolies will pull back rather than ACCC take action. ACCC are worse than hopeless

Mike at Taree

I remember when professor Alan Fels (professor of what, basket weaving?) was in charge. He came across as the most mealy mouthed mumbling apologetic stooge, I would flick channels whenever he came on as I couldn't stand the blast of hypocrisy emanating from the TV.

chris955

Can anyone explain this 'normal weekly cycle' that Australia has? Why do other countries manage without this?

GarryP

Forecourt retailers generally get a low profit margin on fuel (that's why they sell Mars bars).

If you had stable price price then real competition would drive down that profit margin to razor thing levels.

However, if you inject a spurious 'cycle' into it:

1. Quite a few people will end up having to buy at the top of the cycle, with greater profit margins for all.
2. It's harder for real competition to take place (who know's what the lowest price is at any one time)
3. You end up thinking 140c is cheap, because its the bottom of the cycle - rather than actually comparing it to the wholescale price.

In short, its a con, with the dockets a con on top of the con. And nobody stops them because ....

chris955

Yes, as you say just a huge con and often people have no choice but to pay the inflated price. Lets just call it the normal weekly cycle, noone will know the rest of the world doesnt have this normal cycle.

old.sparkles

It's not just the petrol though - a lot of things seem to have a price cycle too

chris955

Yes we did notice it with various groceries as well, bananas are a great example, one day $3 then the next $10. Its bizarre.

old.sparkles

And then someone runs an offer and you can pick them up for under $2, but apples have doubled

Mike at Taree

Price cycles seem to be a city thing. In country areas the price stays stable for weeks on end. For example the 155c sign at our local servo here has started to corrode and you can't make out one of the numbers due to the pigeon droppings