Stuart McMillan MSP met with representatives from BP to discuss the higher-than-average fuel pump prices facing people in Inverclyde – and reiterated the consistent price differentiation locally compared to nearby areas.
This meeting was the result of letters from the local SNP MSP to fuel retailers asking them to meet with him to explain the rationale behind the unfair prices facing drivers, businesses and public services in his Greenock and Inverclyde constituency.
During the meeting, BP outlined their pricing strategy in relation to the Branchton site, as this is BP-owned while the other local garage on Regent Street is a franchise, and emphasised that they only make up 4% of the forecourt market in the UK.
Commenting after the meeting, Stuart said:
“I’m grateful to BP for finally agreeing to meet with me. It’s been a long time coming but they at least were prepared to discuss this matter with me while Tesco and Morrisons have continued to refuse to meet.
“That’s why I again wrote to Tesco and Morrisons yesterday to ask for a meeting with senior management – especially given the latest update from the Competition and Markets Authority which the RAC believes has embarrassed retailers into lowering diesel prices.
“As expected however, BP referred to local competition as being a major factor in how they determine what price to charge at their pumps. I refuted this and stressed that my constituents are fed up of hearing this as a reason for them being sold fuel at an extortionate price compared to people living in the likes of Renfrew and Paisley only a few miles up the A8.
“I urged BP to be market leading because if its accurate that local competition is such a big driver of prices, then surely if they lower theirs other retailers in Inverclyde will follow suit.
“I’ll be honest though and say I don’t hold out much hope on this happening. However, to be fair to the BP representatives on the call, they did appear to take what I had to say on board – particularly when I outlined the deprivation levels in Inverclyde as background to why local people are shocked by the fact we continue to be one of the highest areas for fuel prices.
“I truly hope that Tesco and Morrisons will agree to meet with me to discuss these issues in more detail and failing that, that the upcoming CMA Road Fuel Market Study will lead to changes to stop local forecourts from ripping off my constituents.”
