A petrol retailer trade group has pulled out of a crunch meeting with Rachel Reeves, accusing ministers of using “incorrect and inflammatory language” that has led to abuse against forecourt workers.
The Petrol Retailers Association, which represents large and small independent petrol retailers across the UK, hit out at ministers’ suggestions that there had been “rip offs” and “profiteering” from fuel providers, saying there is “clearly still a lot of work to do to help politicians and commentators to understand how the fuel market works”.
Gordon Balmer, the organisation’s executive director, said he had written to the chancellor on Friday morning asking for the meeting to be held in private with no media present “to allow a conversation to explain how the fuel markets work”.
It came after Ms Reeves asked the competition watchdog to “crack down” on “rip-off” fuel prices ahead of the planned meeting with energy bosses, which the government said had been scheduled to warn against profiteering amid the Iran war.
Ahead of the talks, the chancellor wrote to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) requesting it to stay on “high alert” for “unjustifiable” price hikes and insisted she would “not tolerate” firms exploiting uncertainty in the Middle East for excess financial gain as concerns grew over its impact on the cost of living.
“I will not tolerate any company exploiting the current situation to make excess profits at consumers’ expense. I’m backing drivers and families – and I expect a fair deal at the pump,” Ms Reeves said.
But Mr Balmer said he has “heard of incidents from some of our members of retail staff being abused by members of the public, who may have been provoked by the incorrect and inflammatory language emanating from some commentators for example use of the terms ‘rip offs’ and ‘profiteering’.”
He added: “Our members are working hard in difficult circumstances making sure that motorists and businesses are getting the fuel they need, at prices that are very competitive, on razor thin or in some cases negative margins which means they are losing money. Our job is to serve the public keeping motorists and businesses on the road”.
“Petrol retailers have been working closely and productively with the CMA and DESNZ to put in place the ‘Fuel Finder scheme’ which will help motorists find the best value petrol and diesel.
“There is clearly still a lot of work to do to help politicians and commentators to understand how the fuel market works and our door is always open for constructive dialogue.”
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