Why does unleaded petrol cost up to 6p cheaper at Tesco, Morrisons and Asda in the Tees Valley compared to Hartlepool?

Jonathan Brash wrote to the managers of Morrisons, Tesco and Asda in Hartlepool after discovering that unleaded petrol is up to 6p a litre cheaper at their stores in Middlesbrough, Stockton and Redcar.

Prices provided by website petrolprices.com this week showed the price on Hartlepool’s supermarket forecourts is between 141.7 and 142.9 pence a litre.

But for the same supermarket chains in Stockton, Middlesbrough and Redcar it varies between 136.7 and 139.9 pence.

Mr Brash said: “In the interests of fairness to Hartlepool people it is a practice that must end.”

A Competition and Markets Authority Road Fuel Review published last July stated that retailers typically set prices based on what others in their local area are charging.

Mr Brash said: “What the Competition and Markets Authority is saying is that these decisions are taken in a local context and, in essence, collectively.

"It is, therefore, only logical to say that they are choosing collectively to charge Hartlepool residents more and that is just not acceptable.

"I am calling on them today to make a different choice, to reduce their forecourt prices, bring them in line with our Tees Valley neighbours and give Hartlepool motorists a break.”

Mr Brash says has focused on the supermarkets as they are where most people fill up.

He received an email from Morrisons in which the supermarket stated: “Morrisons operates a local pricing policy on fuel, which means price differences will arise between towns.

"The number and breadth of operators in the market (supermarkets, oil-company owned retailers, independents and smaller independents), all with different buying models and overheads, creates variations in price between operators and local markets.”

Morrisons added: “We will continue to closely monitor price differentials between towns and bear down on them as hard as we viably can.”

An Asda spokesperson told the Mail: “Asda is the price leader in the supermarket fuel sector and we remain focused on providing our customers with the best value at the pumps.”

Tesco says it regularly monitor fuel prices throughout a local area to ensure it provides competitive prices for customers.