Today I filled up my car at the local Shell garage and got extremely disgruntled.  I felt the need to email them, so sent them the below email.  I do not believe for one minute that they will actually read it but it made me feel better!

It is about the price difference between petrol and diesel.

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Hi,
I am extremely displeased with yourselves.  Being a motorist, and more to the point, a motorist with a diesel car, I am extremely displeased, nee shocked, to find that diesel is now between 8-10p a litre dearer than petrol!
Now I am no expert like yourselves but how can you justify the price of diesel being so much more expensive than petrol?  This is even more disgraceful when it is apparently easier and cheaper to refine diesel than petrol?
Do not get me wrong, this is not a general bleating about the price of fuel, I know the government takes a sizeable chunk in tax, it is a complaint about the sizeable price difference between the two fuels something you yourselves seemingly dictate.
My, personal, immediate thought is that you think because diesel cars are more economical to drive, and hence requiring less fill ups, you feel the need to increase the price.  This is wrong beyond belief!  You should be encouraging the use of more economical cars (being that you are supposedly bothered about the environment) as opposed to not.  This should be reflected by at least keeping the prices at the same level.
Thanks
Anthony
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Guys, I got a reply from Shell, which I must admit I am pleased and surprised about.  The actual response was a bit, hmmmm… and sounds like a brush off…
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Dear Anthony,

Thank you for your email.

We know it is confusing and frustrating for some customers to see varying prices.

Demand for diesel is growing in the UK and Europe, as well as globally. This demand has had a major impact upon the wholesale price, with diesel being higher than petrol, particularly during winter months.

The EU as a whole has a diesel deficit of close to 35 million tonnes per year that is met largely by imports from Russia. In the last year, the differential in wholesale prices of diesel and petrol has widened to over $100 per tonne or more at times, equivalent to over 10p per litre. This differential between diesel and unleaded petrol is reflected in pump prices at filling stations.

For more information about the facts behind fuel prices, please visit our Shell Fuel Pricing website: www.shell.co.uk/pumppricing

Thank you for taking the time to write to Shell. I appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns. If you require any further information or assistance, please do not hesitate to email us.

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