What the ACCC does

  • We track fuel prices in capital cities and more than 190 regional locations.
  • We provide buying tips for Australia’s 5 largest cities based on petrol price cycles.
  • We monitor fuel prices to prevent anti-competitive conduct, such as price fixing and collusion between sellers.

What the ACCC can't do

  • We don’t set fuel prices – the market does.
  • We don’t predict or forecast petrol prices.

Petrol and fuel prices

What affects fuel prices

Changes in international benchmark prices and the value of the Australian dollar influence fuel prices. Other factors are pricing decisions by wholesalers and retailers, and levels of competition in different locations.

Petrol price cycles in major cities

Petrol prices move up and down in regular patterns in Australia’s major cities. These petrol price cycles are the result of pricing policies of petrol retailers.

Fuel prices in regional locations

Petrol prices in regional locations are generally higher than in capital cities. Prices are also more stable, as most regional locations don’t have petrol price cycles.

Industry reporting and monitoring

Fuel and petrol monitoring

While the ACCC does not set fuel prices, we monitor retail fuel prices on a daily basis. Where we see issues of concern we will investigate.

Ethanol and other biofuels

Biofuels, such as ethanol blended fuels and biodiesel, are made from vegetable and animal products. We monitor changes in the biofuels market.

Code of conduct

Oil Code of Conduct

Wholesale suppliers and fuel resellers have rights and responsibilities under the code. It covers supply, sale and purchase of declared petroleum products, like unleaded petrol and diesel.

ACCC action on petrol and fuel

There are tools available to save money on fuel

Motorists can save money on fuel by using one of the many free fuel price apps and websites to shop around for lower fuel prices. The ACCC’s latest petrol industry report on fuel price apps and websites and petrol price cycles illustrates the benefits that fuel prices apps and websites can bring.
See media releases on petrol and fuel