The ACCC has accepted a variation to an undertaking provided by Coles in 2013 relating to its shopper docket fuel discount offers.
The variation to the undertaking will allow Coles to fund shopper docket discounts from outside of Coles Express, as Coles Express will no longer operate as a fuel retailer.
The variation follows Viva Energy’ and Coles’ recently restructured commercial arrangements in relation to Coles Express service stations.
Consumers can continue to redeem Coles’ shopper docket discounts at Coles Express service stations, and petrol discount offers linked to supermarket purchases will remain limited to 4 cents per litre.
In 2013, after an investigation into the escalating shopper docket fuel discount offers, the ACCC accepted undertakings from both Coles and Woolworths to limit the size and scope of fuel discounts linked to supermarket purchases. The Coles undertaking required these discounts to be funded only through Coles Express, which operated as a fuel retailer until the recent restructured arrangements with Viva Energy.
The ACCC recently following the sale of Woolworths’ service stations to EG Group.
The Coles variation is available on the ACCC’s public register at .
Background
In 2012-2013, when supermarket shopper docket fuel discounts of up to 40 cents per litre were on offer, the ACCC investigated whether such large discounts were anti-competitive.
On 6 December 2013, to limit fuel discounts provided through shopper docket offers.
