CLAIMS that motorists in Malvern are being unfairly stung at the pumps have been rejected by the Office of Fair Trading.

Malvern MP Harriett Baldwin called for an investigation into county fuel costs after a driver claimed he was told by supermarket staff that prices are adjusted according to the wealth of the area.

Mike Kemp, of Powick, told the Malvern Gazette that he questioned the price disparity at Morrisons after filling up in Malvern and then noticing later the same day that fuel was cheaper at the supermarket’s Redditch branch.

Morrisons said it was not aware of the incident and insisted this was not its pricing policy. It said prices were based on a number of factors including competition among suppliers, transportation and logistics costs and the overheads associated with the real estate itself.

The OFT investigated Mrs Baldwin’s concerns and dismissed any suggestion of local price fixing. Although it concedes that prices are “slightly above”

the UK average – with petrol prices generally 1.8p per litre and diesel 1.5p per litre more expensive – it does not believe prices are significantly higher.

According to the website Petrolprices.com, the average prices in the UK are 133.54p per litre for unleaded and 141.9p per litre for diesel.

But pump prices in Malvern were almost 2p per litre higher on Wednesday, at an average of 135.1p for unleaded and 143.7p for diesel.

That disparity would see motorists pay more than £1 extra every time they fill up an average 60-litre tank.

Mrs Baldwin said she was disappointed with the OFT’s findings and now wants motorists to keep a keen eye on any excessive pricing.

“We have all heard anecdotal reports of higher than average fuel prices in the county and the OFT response confirms that we are suffering more than most,” she said.

“Often we see the petrol companies reacting too slowly to the reduction in crude oil prices and not passing these reductions on at the pumps.

“It is clear to me that we need to pass on more evidence to prove our case.”

Mr Kemp is also far from convinced. “Wherever you travel it is invariably cheaper, usually to the extent that the non-supermarket prices elsewhere are the same as the supermarket ones around here,” he said.