KEY POINTS:
At least two oil companies have lifted petrol prices by 5 cents today, sending the cost of 91 unleaded up to 152.9 cents per litre.
One of the company's, BP, said the increases were due to the increase in the cost of petrol and diesel on the international market.
The company said the cost in New Zealand dollars had increased nearly 10 per cent since the end of last month.
Automobile Association director of motoring affairs Mike Noon said the price hikes were disappointing and appeared to be a trend at this time of the year and influenced by the United States, which was heading into the driving months of summer.
The New Zealand dollar having weakened 3 cents in the past week was also a factor.
Mr Noon said $1.50 tended to be a benchmark by which New Zealand motorists judged petrol prices on, with anything higher than that considered expensive.
"It means we are really moving into what the public perceives as high petrol costs," he said.
Diesel has gone up 4 cents per litre to 99.9 cents.
- NZPA
