BP facing court action
The Commerce Commission says it will be filing charges against BP Oil New Zealand Ltd under the Fair Trading Act for allegations it failed to give customers discounts they were entitled to and charged incorrect prices at BP Connect service stations.
Deputy chair Anne Callinan says the regulator is committed to holding large companies to account on behalf of Kiwis.
“We expect big businesses to take the time and effort to get pricing and promotions right,” she adds. “Consumers should be able to trust the information they receive when buying goods and services.
“I have limited patience when it comes to large, well-resourced businesses which aren’t investing in their systems to get the basics right. When a business advertises a deal or discount to certain customers, those customers must receive that benefit when they pay.”
The commission opened its investigation into BP in April 2025 after receiving complaints from consumers saying they bought fuel at several BP Connects and scanned their Everyday Rewards card, but didn’t receive the discounts as advertised.
In response to the investigation, the company made changes and investments intended to reduce the likelihood of ongoing issues.
“However, since our initial investigation we have uncovered a further instance where customers allegedly didn’t receive the price as advertised,” says Callinan.
“This is concerning, not only because it raises questions about the effectiveness of the company’s changes, but also as it was within the current period of higher fuel prices.”
Most of the alleged conduct occurred before the present period of higher prices. The commission has increased its monitoring of costs and prices in response to war in the Middle East and will continue to scrutinise and hold fuel companies to account.
Charges against BP will soon be filed in Auckland District Court. The alleged conduct relates only to BP Connect service stations, which are owned and operated by BP, and not BP 2Go sites that are independent,
The commission doesn’t set fuel prices and has no powers to control them. Its role is to monitor, report and hold companies to account through transparency and scrutiny. It is also the regulator’s job to ensure the sector remains competitive and representations around pricing – including reasons behind any changes – are fair and accurate.
It has increased its monitoring of fuel costs and prices in response to the Middle East conflict. Click here for the latest weekly report.
