Little extra at the pumps in EU muddle

Published on 09/08/2012 00:34

SOME drivers have been getting a “lucky dip” when filling up with petrol, with some pumps supplying more fuel than the counter indicates, the AA has said.

Some fortunate motorists have been getting as much as 4.4 per cent more than shown on the pump, equivalent to a 6p a litre gift. The AA said the discrepancies had come to light after its members feared they were not getting enough petrol for their money.

A spokesman said an EU ruling that will eventually force retailers to upgrade forecourt equipment to meet the new Measuring Instruments Directive, coming into force by the end of October 2016, had created an incompatibility problem for forecourts with a mix of ageing and newer pumps.