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Last updated: 05 December, 2007
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Retailers are calling on the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to investigate Shell's "unfair" pricing policy which they say is "murdering" the industry. Independents want OFT officers to tackle what they see as aggressive pricing because they feel simply unable to compete in the current climate. With oil prices rising to sky high levels, retailers are having to respond by upping their own prices - meanwhile many Shell sites keep their fuel price increases at rock bottom. They fear the strategy will force more independents out of business. Graham Greaves, who runs the Northumberland-based Henry Cooper site, said: "I would like Shell investigated by the OFT - it's undercutting even the supermarkets and murdering the industry. The industry has been at meltdown for long enough." Park Road Group director and former PRA president Phil Richardson agreed. He added: "I feel strongly about the plight of the singleton. Is Shell trying to put dealers out of business? Dealers are poor members of the relationship all the time. For major oil companies it could be agreed they're in the volume business - they have a market share and refineries to consider. But I still don't understand why Shell is being quite so brutal."
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