KEY POINTS:
Shop around" is the message from the Automobile Association as petrol prices creep nearer to the $2 mark.
Some Caltex-owned stations raised their petrol by a further 5 cents today, following BP's move on Monday.
Prices at those stations affected have risen to 193.9 cents for 91-octane while 96-octane is 198.9. Some locally owned stations may not have increased their prices yet.
BP raised its prices by 5 cents yesterday, bringing 91-octane to $1.94 a litre.
Spokespeople for Shell and Gull said they were constantly monitoring prices but it was unlikely motorists would see any shift today.
AA spokesman Mike Noon said the price rise was justified due to the falling dollar and rising cost of crude.
"What is interesting is that there is competition out there today.
"That is why we very strongly say if you are going to fill your tank this morning, shop around because there are different prices on the market."
Gull general manager Dave Bodger agreed motorists should think about where they filled up and recommended people also use supermarket petrol vouchers.
"There's at least 4c (a litre) savings for everybody with those," he said.
He said Gull had not increased their prices and would not be following BP and Caltex today.
Mr Noon said the AA strongly encouraged competition and it was a good situation for motorists.
"Perhaps you might want to reward those places who haven't put their price up."
While the international market had put pressure on retailers recently with high demand placing a strain on supplies, Robin Clements, the New Zealand economist for investment bank UBS, said that could ease off soon.
"The big picture is that the US economy is in recession. Demand there is falling, global growth is slowing, and that ought to curb the growth in demand for oil and allow the supply side to catch up a little. That should take the edge off prices. That's the theory," he told Radio New Zealand.
- NZPA with NZHERALD STAFF
