Australia: Petrol promotion under fire

Australian motorists scrambling for the latest petrol discounts of up to A40 cents a litre will ultimately lose out to a Coles and Woolworths duopoly, independent retailers warn.

The Service Station Association has launched a blistering attack on the supermarket giants over their latest petrol promotion offering 40 cent savings for transactions over A$300 ($377).

"There is an element of a con here," the association's Ron Bowden said. "Do the maths - this is just an extension of the previous deal and the value saving is just the same."