I HAVE been in the fuel distribution business as a tanker driver for 40 years, the last 35 years solely on the Island, so I think I have a reasonable understanding of how things work.

I feel it’s time to clear up a popular misconception that the independent fuel retailers are ripping the customers off.

Led by the motoring organisations, who should know better, many unfair attacks have been lodged against them for overpricing.

As usual the unknowing and unforgiving general public are only too happy to find somebody to blame for making a hole in their pockets.

The reality is that the independents that are left are all struggling to survive in a harsh and competitive market.

Their average mark up is 5p per litre, which has to pay taxes, wages, consumables, maintenance, tank testing, pump repairs and a lot of other things before any profit can be made.

In short, there is no profit in fuel and any profit comes from other means, such as workshops and in-house shop sales.

Any profit on fuel is made by the producers and the suppliers.

It is a little known fact that much of the crude oil sold today as petrol, diesel and other fuels came out of the ground months ago, when there was such a glut of oil it was virtually being given away by the oil-producing nations.

It can be seen from posted profits by the fuel giants that they are making vast amounts of money off the back of Covid and the war in Ukraine.

So, people should think before laying the blame.

It has always been a fact that the man at the top always makes the profit, while the man at the bottom does his best to scrape a living.

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