Fuel economy: Study finds Kiwis willing to drive for a petrol bargain

More than half of Kiwis monitor the price of petrol, study finds. Photo / File

A study reveals more than 50 per cent of Kiwis keep an active eye on the price of petrol.

During May New Zealanders spent $614 million on fuel.

"Even with the recent drop in prices, fuel costs can vary hugely within a relatively small geographical area, so it's easy to see why people think it's worth keeping an eye on prices," Canstar Blue spokeswoman Emma Quantrill said.

Canstar's study of 2253 people found that 51 per cent were actively monitoring fuel prices and 75 per cent were prepared to travel further - up to 5km - to take advantage of cheaper fuel costs.

"We found that nationally, there was a huge 65 cents per litre difference in the highest and lowest prices on 91 Octane and while most of us understand shipping costs will be higher to more remote areas, the variation in local prices is more difficult to understand," Quantrill said.

Findings show 48 per cent of Kiwis prefer to stick to a 5km radius to find cheaper fuel prices, and for a good reason.

Travelling up to 5km from Auckland CBD meant a 16 cents per litre price difference on 91 Octane, the study found.

In Wellington driving up to 5km out of the CBD resulted in a price difference of six cents.

"Fuel costs are a real concern for drivers," Quantill said.

"According to our survey, the majority of people are spending up to $249 per month on fuel so savings of a few cents a litre can make a real difference to people's pockets."

Supermarket discount tickets and loyalty cards heavily influenced where petrol was bought, the survey also found.

Service station brand Challenge was rated as the top petrol brand by Kiwis for customer satisfaction. This was then followed by BP, Caltex, Gull, Z Energy, Mobil and Pak' N Save.