Employee blasts Tesco for petrol pump mugging
Richard Garvie, aged 28, has sent a stinging letter to his chief executive Phil Clarke claiming that he “hates to see motorists mugged”.
Mr Garvie, a senior trading manager who recently supervised the opening of Tesco’s new mammoth store in Corby, said from his home in Thatcham: “Supermarkets, like Tesco and Sainsbury’s, are shamefully ripping off customers, and I’ve let my chief executive know exactly how badly I feel about it.
“The AA has reported that Tesco and Sainsbury’s have been charging up to 8p a litre more for petrol in towns where there is no fuel discounter, like Morrisons or Asda.
“This reflects badly on Tesco as a brand overall, and I’ve told our chief executive that it’s a scandal, and that we should not be part of it.
“I’ve asked Mr Clarke to lead the way and ensure that Tesco offers the best fuel prices everywhere, and to boast about it.”
Mr Garvie gave a current comparison between petrol prices in his hometown Newbury, and Corby and Kettering, where his Tesco job has taken him.
He said: “A litre of unleaded is 135.9p in Newbury, yet is only 129.9p in Kettering. What’s more, the fuel depot that supplies Newbury is closer to the store than the one that supplies the Kettering store”.
“Several towns around Newbury have a Morrison or Asda store that sell petrol, and in all those stores fuel is up to 8p cheaper than it is in Newbury.
A spokesperson for Tesco said: “Our clear goal for customers is to be competitive on petrol and diesel in local catchment areas for each store, so Tesco does not operate with one national price.
“This is the case with all other petrol retailers in the UK.”
Mr Garvie feels so strongly about the issue that he’s launched an Internet petition to press Tesco and Sainsbury’s to bring down their pump prices in line with other retailers.
He said: “Buying the fuel costs exactly the same no matter where retailers are situated, so Tesco and Sainsbury’s could, and should, be charging the same as Asda and Morrison.
“Of course, voluntary cuts would be needed, and they don’t seem to have the stomach to do that.”
Mr Garvie confirmed that he hopes to fight Newbury for the Labour Party in the 2015 election, and called on Richard Benyon, the town’s current Conservative MP, to raise the petrol issue in Westminster.
He added: “Newbury is suffering badly from inflated pump prices and Mr Benyon should be doing his best to protect his constituents from this outrageous mugging.”
Mr Benyon said: “Some months ago I raised the disparity of petrol prices with the main suppliers and got a rather unsatisfactory response.
“But I’m not deterred. I shall continue to fight for fair play at the pumps, especially for the people of Newbury and other parts of West Berkshire.
“I shall do everything I can to stop exploitation on the forecourts.”