A petrol retailers’ trade group has accused ministers of provoking abuse against forecourt workers with their use of “incorrect and inflammatory language”, just hours before a crunch meeting with Rachel Reeves.
The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), which represents large and small independent petrol retailers across the UK, hit out at ministers’ suggestions that there had been “rip-off” pricing and “profiteering” by 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”.
The PRA had initially threatened to pull out of the meeting, which was also attended by energy secretary Ed Miliband, after the Treasury failed to provide assurances that it would be held in private without media attendance, The Independent understands.
But it later confirmed that its representatives would attend the talks – which the government said had been scheduled to warn against profiteering during the Iran war – after officials said the media would only be present for the first few minutes.
The trade body’s explosive intervention came after Ms Reeves asked the competition watchdog to “crack down” on “rip-off” fuel prices.
The meeting in Downing Street saw Ms Reeves and Mr Miliband tell industry representatives, including executives from Shell, that the government would not tolerate “unfair practices”.
Opening the talks, the chancellor thanked them for attending and said she was there to have an “open and frank conversation”, adding that ministers “have concerns around the high prices and we do have a shared obligation”.
Meanwhile, Mr Miliband said: “We have said so clearly that we won’t tolerate unfair practices either here or anywhere else in the industry. It is our obligation as the government to ensure the consumers are treated fairly in this crisis.”
Ahead of the talks, the chancellor wrote to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), asking it to stay on “high alert” for “unjustifiable” price hikes, and insisted she would “not tolerate” firms exploiting uncertainty in the Middle East for financial gain, as concerns grow over the impact of the war 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.
In a statement released on Friday, PRA executive director Gordon Balmer said he had “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 [the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero] 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.”
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Balmer said it had been “constructive” but added that no apology was made for the “inflammatory language”.
The talks came amid growing pressure on the chancellor to delay a planned increase in fuel duty, after the AA warned that consumers “will be stung” by the inevitable rise in prices due to the global market.
The chancellor has faced calls from the opposition to abandon her decision to gradually phase out the 5p cut to the levy implemented in 2022, starting with a 1p increase from September this year.
The prime minister has since said that the government will keep the situation “under review” in light of the Middle East conflict.
The RAC said earlier this week that diesel prices had risen by nearly 9 per cent since 28 February, while petrol prices were on average 6 per cent higher.
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