Perth, Feb 17: The Federal Court has ordered Mobil Oil Australia to pay $16 million in penalties after it admitted to making false or misleading representations about fuel sold at nine petrol stations in north and central Queensland, breaching the Australian Consumer Law.
Mobil admitted that, for varying periods between August 2020 and July 2024, branding and signage at the sites indicated consumers were buying “Mobil Synergy Fuel” containing specific additives. In fact, Mobil Synergy Fuel was not sold at the nine locations, and the fuel supplied was the same or substantially the same as unadditised fuel sold at other non-Mobil retail sites.
The misleading representations were made through signage and branding promoting the benefits of Mobil Synergy Fuel, including statements such as: “Protect your engine from the first fill”; “[Mobil Synergy Fuels] contain additives designed to improve engine performance by helping vehicle engines run more smoothly”; “[The additives] help to remove harmful deposits from vital engine parts”, as well as comparisons with non additized fuel.
“Petrol is an essential good for most households, and there is no way of knowing what you’re putting in your tank other than relying on the signage provided by the retailer,” ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said.
“We considered it very likely that some people chose to fill up at these petrol stations because they thought they were getting a different quality of petrol with particular benefits for their car engine.”
“The Mobil Synergy Fuel and Synergy technology signage at the affected sites was a total falsehood, as this petrol wasn’t supplied to these sites,” Keogh said.
The conduct occurred at nine Mobil petrol stations in Aitkenvale, Barcaldine, Berserker, Biloela, Guthalungra, Proserpine, Rasmussen, Rural View and Yeppoon. Mobil co-operated with the ACCC, admitted liability and agreed to joint submissions on proposed orders, including penalties.
The Court also ordered Mobil to publish corrective notices, implement a consumer law compliance program, and contribute to the ACCC’s legal costs.
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