[longjohn]

I was under the assumption that petrol stations were required by law to display their prices on yon big boards on the side of the road outside their premises.

I pulled into that one near Stirling on the M80 last week and noticed there were no prices displayed on any of the large boards. On reaching the pump I think I found out the reason why... £1.15 per litre for unleaded!!! Headed off again and stopped at the one at the Broxden roundabout beside Perth and got fuel for 10p a litre cheaper.

Stracathro services on the A90 just north of Brechin is another one that lights up a blank board on the roadside and hits you with a similar rip-off price at the pumps.

Can anyone advise if failing to display prices is a crime and if so to whom should this be reported?

This post has been edited by longjohn: 02 April 2008 - 17:38

[the snudge]

I know in a pub you must display your prices of at least 25 of the drinks you sell or all the drinks if the pub has less than 25.

[Fife Saint]

Many of the older stations will show 04.9 instead of 104.9 because they don't have room for the full price. Can you insist on paying what they are advertising at?

[lichtgilphead]

longjohn, on Apr 2 2008, 17:37, said:

I was under the assumption that petrol stations were required by law to display their prices on yon big boards on the side of the road outside their premises.

I pulled into that one near Stirling on the M80 last week and noticed there were no prices displayed on any of the large boards. On reaching the pump I think I found out the reason why... £1.15 per litre for unleaded!!! Headed off again and stopped at the one at the Broxden roundabout beside Perth and got fuel for 10p a litre cheaper.

Stracathro services on the A90 just north of Brechin is another one that lights up a blank board on the roadside and hits you with a similar rip-off price at the pumps.

Can anyone advise if failing to display prices is a crime and if so to whom should this be reported?

There's no need to put the price up on a big roadside display, but the price per litre must be displayed somewhere (permanently shown on the pump is good enough). From what you describe, the display sounds like it's legal.

If no price is shown at all (or if the price display only comes up when you lift the nozzle), then it's illegal. Report it to your local Trading Standards Dept.

[longjohn]

lichtgilphead, on Apr 2 2008, 19:36, said:

There's no need to put the price up on a big roadside display, but the price per litre must be displayed somewhere (permanently shown on the pump is good enough). From what you describe, the display sounds like it's legal.

If no price is shown at all (or if the price display only comes up when you lift the nozzle), then it's illegal. Report it to your local Trading Standards Dept.

It was displayed on the digital display on the pump but that is only readable at a range of 3 feet!!!

[lichtgilphead]

the snudge, on Apr 2 2008, 17:45, said:

I know in a pub you must display your prices of at least 25 of the drinks you sell or all the drinks if the pub has less than 25.

It's actually a minimum of 30. And there are additional requirements for wines/soft drinks.

[lichtgilphead]

Fife Saint, on Apr 2 2008, 17:59, said:

Many of the older stations will show 04.9 instead of 104.9 because they don't have room for the full price. Can you insist on paying what they are advertising at?

No. But complain to Trading Standards that they are displaying a misleading price. (I'd want them to display "105" if they were selling at 104.9 and only had 3 figures on the roadside display)

[lichtgilphead]

longjohn, on Apr 2 2008, 18:39, said:

It was displayed on the digital display on the pump but that is only readable at a range of 3 feet!!!

I know, mate, but there's no actual requirement to display at the roadside. You only have to be able to see the price when you stop at the pump (but before you make the decision to purchase)

[rajpelt]

Fake plates head down with hat on, possibly scarf covering face, fill that pup up and drive off.

do it once and it makes you feel a lot better about the prices. B)

[longjohn]

lichtgilphead, on Apr 2 2008, 19:47, said:

I know, mate, but there's no actual requirement to display at the roadside. You only have to be able to see the price when you stop at the pump (but before you make the decision to purchase)

Sheeeyit!!

Oh well, I suppose I did the right thing and drove on without filling up. Thanks for the help (unless you are a partner/owner of one or both of the concerned filling stations?)

[kiwififer]

You want an example of rip off petrol prices? I don't exactly know the price of unleaded back home, but we will call it a pound a litre. It will be that price in Perth and Dunfermline, but not in Kinross, where it will be one pound five.

The reason? It's because it is a motorway petrol station, so they charge more, never mind it being closer to Grangemouth than Perth.

Rip off UK indeed.

[Rugster]

Fife Saint, on Apr 2 2008, 18:59, said:

Many of the older stations will show 04.9 instead of 104.9 because they don't have room for the full price. Can you insist on paying what they are advertising at?

Of course you can. That's why we all pay £1.10 odd a litre

[Captain Kerthorse]

the one at stracathro has always been bad