Geopolitical instability is pushing up gas prices all around the world, but in New Zealand, motorists in our biggest city are being charged a lot less than many other parts of the country – even though they now pay an extra 11.5 cents per litre in fuel tax.
Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
The reason is that more densely populated areas such has Auckland have more price competition and more no-frills fuel brands such as Gull (where you pay at the pump), the AA's Mark Stockdale says.
"[These fuel outlets] don't have a shop, they don't have to pay staff, they don't have all of these extra overheads that come with running a large full-service station… those overheads are spread into the price of fuel that you pay."
Mark's tips for saving money at the pump:
- Take advantage of loyalty discounts from big fuel brands and supermarket chains.
- Use New Zealand's free fuel-pricing app Gaspy to find the cheapest deal in your area.
"New Zealand motorists have gone [to a fuel pump], they've filled up, and they're recording the prices they see for petrol and diesel – and that's what's going into the [Gaspy] app.
"If you're planning a trip and you're thinking about where you might need to fill up on fuel, have a look at Gaspy and see what the prices are. Plan to fill up in those locations where you see lower prices advertised.
"It's certainly worth taking a look [at Gaspy] and using it to help decide where you're going to fill up on fuel."
