Did you know fuel is the same, wherever you buy it? Find out what makes motorists choose a servo and how easy it is to compare fuel prices.
How do motorists choose a servo?
There are lots of reasons to choose a servo – prices are number one. Here are the top 5 reasons in a recent survey:
- 35% chose lower prices 35%
- 25% want it to be close to work or home
- 20% use its loyalty program
- 8% look for type or quality of fuel
- 4% want a certain brand of fuel
Fuel brand was nearly 9 times less important than lower prices. Other factors attract drivers to a servo, but less so:
- Customer service – often minimal, for speed
- Appearance of station – a nearby competitor may look more attractive
- Convenience – average spend on food and beverages is $17 a week ($884 a year).
- Facilities – clean toilets are important.
Is there a good choice of servos and fuel in NSW?
In NSW, we have plenty of choice:
- 58 brands of fuel
- 16 types of fuel
- 1,119 suburbs/towns
- 2,399 servos (more than 2 a suburb).
Two thirds of drivers buy regularly from a handful of service stations. Only a fifth visit the same one every time they fill up.
What are the fuel brands?
There are two main groups of fuel brands:
Large brands – For example, Ampol, BP, Caltex, United Petroleum, 7-Eleven, EG Group, and Reddy Express.
- Sell three quarters of all fuel.
Smaller independents – For example, Speedway, Metro Petroleum, Budget, Pearl Energy, Liberty and United.
- Sell a quarter of all fuel.
Usually, fuel sold by an independent comes from the same refinery or import terminal as fuel from a large brand.
Which are our favourite fuel brands?
The Canstar survey asked respondents about all the factors above, plus their overall satisfaction, to select their favourite fuel brands:
- APCO – independent
- Costco large retailer (you must be a member)
- Liberty – independent
- Mobil – large retailer
- United – independent
- Metro – independent
It’s interesting that most of our favourites are independents, even though large retailers are more prominent. Costco is a huge global company but you have to be a member.
Which fuel brand has the most servos?
Using our fuel price calculator, we found these brands have the most service stations:
- Ampol 497 (Ampol Foodary + EG Ampol + Ampol)
- BP 319
- Independent 283
- 7-Eleven 216
- Metro Fuel 209
- Reddy Express 185
Ampol is an Australian company and has the biggest presence.
The fuel brands with the most service stations often have more than one in a suburb.
What makes fuel prices go up and down?
Fuel prices go up and down primarily because of global oil prices. We’re in the middle of a fuel crisis because of prolonged conflict in the Middle East.
There are other reasons why prices fluctuate:
- Exchange rates – affected by global conditions
- Taxes, government excise and levies – fuel excise halved to 32 cents a litre until 30 June 2026, then 16 cents a litre saved in July 2026.
- Competition from other servos – most suburbs have more than 2
- Local petrol cycles and retailer profit margins – independents tend to be cheaper
- Transportation, operational and logistics costs – also affected by fuel prices.
Local servos have much less control of prices than you think. Profit margin per litre of fuel is modest, at 2-5 cents per litre.
Why do fuel brands charge different prices for the same thing?
The reason brands charge different prices is primarily marketing.
- Premium brand – An attractive retail site, a good location, superior convenience store are reflected in high prices.
- Competitive – Attract customers with lower prices, particularly into their convenience store where margins are often higher.
- Discounts – For example, supermarket shopper dockets, arrangements with motoring organisations, and fuel cards for business.
Marketing doesn’t change the fact that fuel is essentially the same.
How can I save money on fuel?
Use the greenslips.com.au fuel price calculator to find the cheapest prices for your favourite fuel types near you. Prices are updated every 20 minutes.
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