Gasoline retailers are being warned by the State Attorney General not to gouge customers at the gas pump over the Labor Day weekend. He’s also encouraging customers to shop for the best prices due to the potential for fluctuating prices over the holiday.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette issued an alert this morning both cautioning Michigan drivers to be savvy consumers and warning retailers against any attempt at taking advantage of Michigan consumers by gas gouging.
Schuette, who is also the Republican candidate for Governor this fall, says, “Michigan consumers should not be taken advantage of during any time of year, but especially not during their last unofficial weekend of summer.” He strongly warned service station owners, “I will not tolerate price gouging at the pump, we are watching and will not hesitate to take the appropriate steps of action if retailers break the law.” Prices at the pump are around 45-cents a gallon higher today than they were at the same time a year ago, but industry analysts don’t anticipate a spike going into the weekend. They do, however, caution that one could take place immediately following the Labor Day holiday.
Schuette says his Corporate Oversight Division works year-round to monitor the balance of wholesale and retail prices in Michigan. His office also receives and monitors complaints of that nature through Consumer Complaints filed with the office.
Schuette reminds everyone that under Michigan’s Consumer Protection Act, a retailer may not charge a price that is “grossly in excess of the price at which similar property or services are sold.” Anti-trust laws also prohibit gas stations from entering into agreements to arbitrarily fix prices in unison.
If consumers become aware of direct evidence of a conspiracy between companies, or have verifiable evidence of a retailer charging a price “grossly in excess of the price at which similar property of services are sold,” they are encouraged to contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-877-765-8388 or file a complaint online at www.michigan.gov/ag.
For more information on gas gouging in Michigan, you can see Attorney General Bill Schuette’s Consumer Alert: Increased Gas Prices? Again? by clicking the link below:
https://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,4534,7-359-81903_20942-141800–,00.html
