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Soaring petrol prices will be the final straw for some struggling families this Christmas, the Salvation Army says.
Petrol prices leaped 5c a litre at most service stations on Wednesday, while diesel jumped 8c, rises sparked by soaring crude oil prices.
Motorists were paying 173.9c a litre for 91-octane petrol, and 126.9c for diesel from Wednesday.
Salvation Army public relations secretary Major Robert Ross said the increase could have far-reaching consequences for some people.
"For families already struggling financially, the petrol price hike comes on top of the extra budget pressures associated with Christmas and may be enough to tip the balance for some."
Meanwhile, Road Transport Forum chief executive Tony Friedlander said trucking companies would have to weed out clients who were resisting paying more as a result of the higher fuel prices.
Companies being squeezed should tell clients "who are trying to play hardball" to find another transport carrier.
- NZPA
