Drivers clamour over ‘incredible’ petrol deal, but was it the cheapest?

Gull petrol dropped prices to $2.14 a litre at its Wigram branch on Friday. Photo / NZME

A local petrol station in Christchurch has been swamped with petrol-thirsty drivers, desperate to cash in on a considerably low price at its pump.

Gull petrol, commonly known as a cheaper petrol alternative, advertised 91 petrol for $2.14 a litre at its Wigram branch on Friday.

It’s a price that saw more than 50 cars at a time swarm the station over the morning, queuing up on the grass bank behind the station to save money.

Tank fillers at the pumps told the Herald it’s the lowest many had seen petrol cost in their city since a global price hike due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

“It’s incredible, it’s the lowest I’ve seen in a while - definitely more than a year,” one filler said.

Tank fillers at the pumps told the Herald it’s the lowest many had seen petrol cost in their city since global price hikes. Photo / NZME

“I’d just partially filled up my tank yesterday, but I drove past and saw the price this morning and just had to get more.”

Despite the clamouring of cars, waiting times didn’t last for longer than 10 minutes for most.

One local brought a portable petrol drum, spending a few hundred dollars as he filled it to the brim after giving his car a full tank of gas.

“It’s usually quite busy at this station, but it’s just crazy here at the moment,” he said.

“The price is probably the lowest I’ve seen in the last year at least.”

The low price was a result of Gull running a 10c discount across their network.

According to Wigram residents, the queues were even worse at their local Gull station the previous night - when the promotion kicked off.

According to Gaspy, better prices could be seen in the Waikato. Photo / NZME

However, data from Gaspy New Zealand - a petrol app comparing prices across the country - shows while the pricing was comparatively good, other Kiwis still had it better off.

The app’s director, Mike Newton, said the Wigram station pricing “wasn’t exceptional in a nationwide context”.

According to the app’s data, better prices could be seen in the Waikato.

Atiamuri, Hamilton, Te Awamutu and Cambridge all hit petrol prices of below $2.10 on Friday, while prices at Hawke’s Bay stations also fell below the mark.

“Nationally, prices were actually lower in mid-December and again around Christmas day,” said Newton.

“Gull ran an even bigger 20c discount day on December 14 that saw prices for 91 drop just below $2 in some areas.

“Obviously this was short-lived, however.”

In March, the Government cut 25 cents a litre from fuel taxes and halved the cost of public transport tickets in response to a spike in the cost of fuel.

This subsidy was extended in the Government Budget for May, and extended again after that - it was due to expire at the end of this month.

Transport Minister, Michael Wood said in December the extension was in the “Cabinet process” and had been put to Cabinet yesterday, but decisions were “still being made which will be confirmed shortly”.