Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development
Petrol prices are generally cheaper in cities that have more small-to-medium-sized independent petrol retailers competing with larger chains, the ACCC’s latest petrol industry report has found.
The report looks at the market composition of Australia’s evolving petroleum industry. It found that among Australia’s capital cities, average retail prices for regular unleaded petrol were highest in Brisbane and Canberra from July 2022 to June 2024, where there are fewer independent petrol retailers in operation.
In contrast, average retail petrol prices were generally lower in cities that had more smaller independent petrol retailers.
“More competition leads to better outcomes for consumers including lower prices,” ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey said.
“Our report found that consumers can often find more competitive petrol prices in cities where there are a greater number of smaller independent petrol retailers.”
“We encourage consumers to shop around and take advantage of near real-time petrol price apps and websites to find lower prices in their local area,” Ms Brakey said.
The market share of smaller independent retailers is growing
Smaller independent petrol retailers accounted for around 26 per cent of national retail petrol sales in 2023-24, increasing from 18 per cent in 2017-18.
‘Smaller independents’ represent a group of brands including Speedway, Metro Petroleum, Freedom Fuels, Budget, Vibe, Pearl Energy and others. In 2023-24, this collective group was made up of at least 30 different retail brands operating across Australia.
In 2023-24, the larger retail brands accounted for around 74 per cent of national retail petrol sales. This included Ampol, bp, Chevron/Caltex, United Petroleum, 7-Eleven, EG Group, Coles/Reddy Express and On The Run.
Some capital cities have more competing brands than others. Based on petrol sales in 2023-24, the ACCC estimates that as a group, smaller independents had the strongest presence in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, and a smaller presence in Brisbane and Canberra
Estimated market shares of retail petrol sales for each capital city in 2023-24
Sources: ACCC calculations based on data obtained from companies included in the ACCC’s petrol monitoring program, and ACCC estimates based on Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australian Petroleum Statistics 2025, and Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics, Road Vehicles, Australia, January 2024, Table 5, both accessed on 17 October 2025.
Notes: In this chart, Shell branded sites supplied by Viva Energy are grouped with ‘smaller independents’. The ACCC understands that most Shell branded sites are independently operated.
The market share for ‘smaller independents’ is estimated using the difference between the total of ACCC collected retail petrol sales volumes and the total volume of petrol sales reported in the Australian Petroleum Statistics. This difference broadly represents retail sales volumes by small to medium-sized retailers, and smaller independent retailers that the ACCC does not collect retail volume sales data from.
Some percentages do not add up to 100% due to rounding.
Four major companies refine, import and wholesale petrol in Australia
Ampol, bp, ExxonMobil and Viva Energy supply (either through domestic refining or imports) and wholesale the majority of petrol around Australia. In 2023-24, these companies reported supplying in aggregate around 88 per cent of petrol, and accounted for around 85 per cent of total wholesale petrol sales in Australia.
Australia’s domestic refining capacity has reduced significantly over a long period. Currently, Ampol and Viva Energy operate the two remaining refineries in Australia.
“The industry has experienced some major changes over the last eight years. We have seen the decommissioning of significant refining infrastructure, a range of acquisitions, the renaming and rebranding of major companies, and changes to goods and services offered to consumers at retail fuel sites.”
“Despite local refinery closures, the composition of major suppliers in the supply sector has remained relatively steady,” Ms Brakey said.
National market shares of petrol volumes in the supply, wholesale and retail sectors in 2023-24 in percentage terms
Source: The aggregated market shares in this figure are based on ACCC calculations using data obtained from companies included in the ACCC’s petrol monitoring program, and certain retail data from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australian Petroleum Statistics 2025, accessed on 17 October 2025.
Notes: The shares are based on petrol volumes refined or imported (for the supply sector) and volumes sold (wholesale and retail sectors).
Supply and wholesale shares are based on total volumes for those companies from which the ACCC collects data. There are a small number of relatively smaller importers and wholesalers in the Australian petroleum industry that are not included in the ACCC’s data collection.
Note to editors
This report shows aggregate market shares based on total volumes across all grades of petrol. This includes: regular unleaded petrol 91, premium unleaded petrol 95 and 98, and E10 (regular unleaded petrol blended with up to 10% ethanol).
The majority of registered vehicles in Australia are petrol-powered (around two-thirds), with most other registered vehicles powered by diesel.
Background
On 14 December 2022, the Treasurer issued a Direction to the ACCC to continue to monitor the prices, costs and profits relating to the supply of petroleum products in the petroleum industry in Australia and produce a report every quarter for a further three years.
In addition to quarterly petrol monitoring reports, the ACCC also prepares petrol industry reports on particular aspects of consumer interest in the fuel market in relation to prices, costs and profits.
As part of its monitoring activities, the ACCC currently collects volume and other data from the following companies: Ampol, bp, ExxonMobil, Viva Energy, Chevron, United Petroleum, 7-Eleven and EG Group, as well as data for the Coles Express/Reddy Express and On The Run retail networks (provided by Viva Energy).