Petrol price tops $2 a litre

Petrol prices have topped $2 for a litre of 91. Photo / Dean Purcell

The national price of 91 petrol has topped $2 per litre, but with some stations still charging lower prices it pays to shop around.

The price of 91 octane has continued to climb since the end of November after oil-producing nations decided to slash production for the start of 2017.

The announcement caused the price to rise 3c to $1.92 a litre on November 22, another 2c on December 1, another 3c on December 2 and a further 2c on December 8 to $1.99. The national price first topped $2 on December 14 when 91 cost $2.02 per litre.

According to the Automobile Association, the national price today has just jumped another 2c a litre to $2.04.

However, the Herald phone a number of petrol stations around the country and prices varied significantly.

The busy BP in Bombay south of Auckland was charging the national price, as was the Challenge service station in Bluff. However, Caltex in Opotiki was charging $1.91 per litre, as was the Mobil in Kaitaia.

AA petrol prices spokesman Mark Stockdale previously said New Zealand petrol stations operated in a highly competitive market and some were holding out from upping their prices in the hope of securing more customers.

"Price will vary between brands and between locations - that's what competition looks like. Not so long ago the number one complaint the AA got from our members was that there was no price competition between brands. Now the opposite is true - they complain that prices vary too much.

"So what we do say is motorists should definitely keep an eye on those price differences when they're driving around. When they see a low price, go in there and fill up."

This time last year the national price of 91 was $1.88 per litre.