Tesco Fuel Again?

[geraldrobins]

I've been looking at PetrolPrices.com and several contamination incidents have been reported and mainly water in the fuel. Without doing an analysis of the incidents they seem to be reported at all outlets not just supermarkets.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

So out of the millions and millions of litres Tesco sell each year, there are but a handful of incidences.

Even if it is of worse quality, its still far greater quality than most of eastern Europes.

I still am not convinced it's not a ploy from the main brands.

Currently on my 3rd full tank fill up of Esso full fat and can't notice anything difference from my normal Tescos...

Are people who go from supermarket to main brand claiming it runs better not experiencing the 'clean car syndrome'? - your car runs/feels better when it's been cleaned or just been serviced.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

But Mine Works...

But Mine Won't...

 

[brucemillar]

So here is the thing.

Incidents like this will happen and happen to any retailer at some point. What makes them hit the press is the reaction of the retailers when they do happen. The onus is always on the customer to prove that the retailer is at fault. That is what upsets me most about all of this.

Regards the quality of the fuel. Each to their own that is not what this post is about. It is all about the shocking level of support that you can expect if it goes wrong. In the face of blindingly obvious facts ASDA still argued black was white with me. They did so safe in the knowledge that that I was unlikely to have the cash or the stamina to battle their legal might, and they were correct. What a horrible way to run a business. SO when they do admit guilt it is not an admission or a good deed. It is dragged out of them grudgingly.

In the case I posted. TESCO have admitted that they have identified a contamination issue but are stating that is not what caused the contamination in the cars that broke down. They state this without having inspected the cars that broke down. They just know this to be true.....Really?

Humility would buy them more profits and bring them more friends.

In my case this was my wife's car with our kids in it that conked out in lane 3 of the M2 at 07:50 in the morning. The potential ramifications of that were lost on ASDA who were simply interested in shouting that it was not their fault. Interestingly they never requested the fuel sample report or the filter & pump or Wrigh-Tech's report. No they didn't need any of that as they "knew"it was not down to them.

 

[Alf Barnet]

You pays your money you takes your choice.

However old man Barnet until retirement used to (mainly) flatten old BP's and build shiny new BP's on top. The first job was to pump the tanks dry, which then got supposedly filtered and sold on to the secondary market. Which would never be a rival brand or BP themselves. That just leaves those places you can buy your weekly shop. So for an extra penny a litre I buy the branded stuff.

 

[John]

AFAIK all branded forecourts can choose what price they sell at, depending on local competition. So obviously it will vary from area to area, but Shell is consistently pretty good here.

I will have a look at my local Shell next time to compare again but it was well out last time - I have a £5 voucher for them from the pitiful point system they run.

If their price is not comparable, then they can sod off as it is clearly that garage choosing to take the michael.

So here is the thing.

Incidents like this will happen and happen to any retailer at some point. What makes them hit the press is the reaction of the retailers when they do happen. The onus is always on the customer to prove that the retailer is at fault. That is what upsets me most about all of this.

Regards the quality of the fuel. Each to their own that is not what this post is about. It is all about the shocking level of support that you can expect if it goes wrong. In the face of blindingly obvious facts ASDA still argued black was white with me. They did so safe in the knowledge that that I was unlikely to have the cash or the stamina to battle their legal might, and they were correct. What a horrible way to run a business. SO when they do admit guilt it is not an admission or a good deed. It is dragged out of them grudgingly.

In the case I posted. TESCO have admitted that they have identified a contamination issue but are stating that is not what caused the contamination in the cars that broke down. They state this without having inspected the cars that broke down. They just know this to be true.....Really?

Humility would buy them more profits and bring them more friends.

In my case this was my wife's car with our kids in it that conked out in lane 3 of the M2 at 07:50 in the morning. The potential ramifications of that were lost on ASDA who were simply interested in shouting that it was not their fault. Interestingly they never requested the fuel sample report or the filter & pump or Wrigh-Tech's report. No they didn't need any of that as they "knew"it was not down to them.

That is irritating. I don't use Asda fuel anyway but I would happily boycott on the strength of this. I've always had a good perception of Asda but this has dented the brand for me.

 

[BTB 500]

Do you have the figures for contamination incidents against retailer, to justify that statement please?

I don't. But having searched for confirmed contamination incidents today (i.e. reported in the news with the retailer admitting liability, as opposed to an individual alleging it on a forum) some of the 'top 5' I listed came up with none, and others came up with multiple occurrences. So it didn't appear to correlate with volume sold.

Happy to be corrected if you have contradictory evidence.

 

[John Jones Jr]

You pays your money you takes your choice.

However old man Barnet until retirement used to (mainly) flatten old BP's and build shiny new BP's on top. The first job was to pump the tanks dry, which then got supposedly filtered and sold on to the secondary market. Which would never be a rival brand or BP themselves. That just leaves those places you can buy your weekly shop. So for an extra penny a litre I buy the branded stuff.

So the supermarket chains buy up the last remaining drops in old tanks and flog it on to their customers? Come on, if that's the case BP etc would need to be knocking down and building new stations at astronomical rate per day to meet the demand from supermarkets which have 44% of the retail market, not to mention that petrol stations numbers are in decline.

 

[geraldrobins]

I don't. But having searched for confirmed contamination incidents today (i.e. reported in the news with the retailer admitting liability, as opposed to an individual alleging it on a forum) some of the 'top 5' I listed came up with none, and others came up with multiple occurrences. So it didn't appear to correlate with volume sold.

Happy to be corrected if you have contradictory evidence.

Thanks.
I have no evidence at all. I was just curious to whether there were any actual figures.
I can accept that certain fuels may have different additives that may enhance performance or long term reliability, but can see no logic as to why supermarket fuels should have higher percentage of contamination incidents.

 

[John Jones Jr]

I really think the bottom line here is, that one has as much chance of getting poor quality fuel from Shell as Tesco. For me it's been a case of no brand loyalty, no problems.

 

[BTB 500]

I can accept that certain fuels may have different additives that may enhance performance or long term reliability, but can see no logic as to why supermarket fuels should have higher percentage of contamination incidents.

My guess (and it is only a guess) is that the large oil majors may have tighter internal processes & procedures, making contamination incidents less likely (but obviously not impossible).

The big silicon contamination incident was traced back to storage tanks shared by the two independent fuel blending companies supplying petrol to the affected supermarkets (Morrisons, Tesco and Asda). Silicon is used as an additive in diesel.

 

[kjb1]

You pays your money you takes your choice.



However old man Barnet until retirement used to (mainly) flatten old BP's and build shiny new BP's on top. The first job was to pump the tanks dry, which then got supposedly filtered and sold on to the secondary market. Which would never be a rival brand or BP themselves. That just leaves those places you can buy your weekly shop. So for an extra penny a litre I buy the branded stuff.

That is hilarious. Honestly? the slops being passed on to Supermarkets?

I have worked in Oil and Gas for 10 years, previous local refinery, as per any other Refinery within the UK, had multiple contracts with multiple Fuel Brands.

So when you go to a Chevron / BP / Shell station to fill up with fuel, which you think has come from a Chevron etc Refinery, think again, this is not the case.

Our Road loading bays were filled with Esso, Murco, Shell, Morrisons, Texaco, BP .......Tesco.........I could go on!! tankers all filling up at same points.

Its coming from exact same place branded fuel does. Simple. Additives are added at source, other than that, its all the same.


Sent from my iPhone

 

[merc85]

^ And its the additives that promote a cleaner burn.

 

[flango]

That is hilarious. Honestly? the slops being passed on to Supermarkets?

I have worked in Oil and Gas for 10 years, previous local refinery, as per any other Refinery within the UK, had multiple contracts with multiple Fuel Brands.

So when you go to a Chevron / BP / Shell station to fill up with fuel, which you think has come from a Chevron etc Refinery, think again, this is not the case.

Our Road loading bays were filled with Esso, Murco, Shell, Morrisons, Texaco, BP .......Tesco.........I could go on!! tankers all filling up at same points.

Its coming from exact same place branded fuel does. Simple. Additives are added at source, other than that, its all the same.

Sent from my iPhone

I've been in oil and gas 35 years and this is spot on. The only differences are the additives packages and tank management at the fuel station. Supermarkets are notoriously carp at tank management which is why I won't use them

 

[brucemillar]

Flango

Agree with all of your post - Thank you. I would add to this that Supermarkets are also not so good at Customer Management when their Tank Management fails.

 

[flango]

Flango

Agree with all of your post - Thank you. I would add to this that Supermarkets are also not so good at Customer Management when their Tank Management fails.

Don't get me started on that one I'm in a battle at the moment. I've had a misfire on the CLK that I have been trying to chase down with the help and advice of some of the Indies on here. As part of that process and part of the elimination procedure I drained and flushed the fuel tank. Being the inquisitive person I am and because I can get it done at work I sent a sample of the fuel in for analysis. Tank had been filled about 3 days prior to this and I took around 25 litres out. My CLK has never been run on anything else than super unleaded so it's supposed to be 99 RON so as super unleaded goes off quicker than regular fuel anything above 97 would have been accepable. The results came back at 91.7 RON !!!! Went back to the station in question and asked when they last had a delivery of super unleaded the answer "we don't sell much of that stuff let me check" when he did the fuel was over 3 months old. This stuff is what most people use in their race cars and it was convenient but just shows what poor tank management can do.

I'll post the full story when SWMBO has cast her legal eyes over it as if they don't come to the party we'Il have to decide which way to go.

 

[cb1965]

That is hilarious. Honestly? the slops being passed on to Supermarkets?

I have worked in Oil and Gas for 10 years, previous local refinery, as per any other Refinery within the UK, had multiple contracts with multiple Fuel Brands.

So when you go to a Chevron / BP / Shell station to fill up with fuel, which you think has come from a Chevron etc Refinery, think again, this is not the case.

Our Road loading bays were filled with Esso, Murco, Shell, Morrisons, Texaco, BP .......Tesco.........I could go on!! tankers all filling up at same points.

Its coming from exact same place branded fuel does. Simple. Additives are added at source, other than that, its all the same.

Exactly and no matter how many times this is explained on the various motoring forums around the web we still end up with the same old nonsense threads over and over again!

 

[markjay]

Exactly and no matter how many times this is explained on the various motoring forums around the web we still end up with the same old nonsense threads over and over again!

So the fuels are different - due to the adittive packs. Which means that it does make a difference which brand of fuel you choose.

The issue is that unless you have access to independant testing data, it is anyone's guess which fuel is actually better.

And customers end-up going by the marketing hype.

(PS - My understanding is that the above does not apply to Shell V-Power, which is the only car fuel in the UK that is made separately from other fuels).

The other issue is the petrol station itself... where contamination can occur regardless of fuel brand.

I would have thought that large/busy petrol stations, e.g. at motorway services, are less likely to suffer from local contamination, due to high turnover and presumably better and more robust maintenance procedures?

 

[BTB 500]

Our Road loading bays were filled with Esso, Murco, Shell, Morrisons, Texaco, BP .......Tesco.........I could go on!! tankers all filling up at same points.

Its coming from exact same place branded fuel does. Simple. Additives are added at source, other than that, its all the same.

But ... the contaminated Tesco / Asda / Morrisons unleaded was supplied from an independent storage facility, which is where the problem occurred. So I think we're back to handling/management processes again ... and anecdotally it does seem that the oil majors perform better in that respect.

 

[cb1965]

So the fuels are different - due to the adittive packs. Which means that it does make a difference which brand of fuel you choose.

The issue is that unless you have access to independant testing data, it is anyone's guess which fuel is actually better.

And customers end-up going by the marketing hype.

(PS - My understanding is that the above does not apply to Shell V-Power, which is the only car fuel in the UK that is made separately from other fuels).

The other issue is the petrol station itself... where contamination can occur regardless of fuel brand.

I would have thought that large/busy petrol stations, e.g. at motorway services, are less likely to suffer from local contamination, due to high turnover and presumably better and more robust maintenance procedures?

What you say is right, I just mean that simply saying supermarket fuel is crap is a nonsense hypothesis. The reasons you state in your post are far more likely as to why some people experience issues and generally the issues relate to a particular fuel batch from a particular fuel station rather than a generic brand.