Suppliers across all market sectors respond to higher fuel prices.

 

It’s not something that companies are keen to promote, but fuel surcharges are starting to creep into the SME sector at a growing rate as big question marks remain over the country’s middle to long-term fuel supplies.

 

Some suppliers to the office supplies sector have implemented a temporary fuel surcharge against freight of three per cent across all orders. 

 

Restaurants, pubs and cafes are being slapped with fuel levy surcharges from their suppliers.

 

Kelsie Gaffey, owner of Melbourne wine bar Gracie’s Wine Room told Yahoo Finance that five of her food suppliers have introduced emergency fuel surcharges, ranging from $2.29 to $5.50 plus GST per delivery, applied to multiple deliveries each week. 

 

Australia Post has announced that surcharges for StarTrack Express and Premium services are rising from 15.5 per cent to 22.7 per cent while some local logistics and courier services are adding fuel surcharges of roughly seven per cent or higher.

 

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said that as the fuel crisis evolves, consumers may notice a fuel levy surcharge popping up at some businesses to offset costs associated with surging petrol prices but added they should fully pass on all fuel excise cuts by the Federal Government as quickly as possible.

 

Meantime, the consumer watchdog has served notices on several businesses operating across SA, WA, QLD and the Northern Territory requiring them to justify sizable ‘fuel surcharges’ imposed on deliveries to remote areas.