Supermarkets Pay Out Millions Over Rogue Fuel Problems

Wed, 09 May 2007
 
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British motorists who received damages to their cars after filling up with contaminated fuel have been awarded over £9 million in compensation from the supermarket groups involved.

Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket retailer, announced payments had been made to around 17,000 drivers who filed for compensation after fuel from the retailer’s petrol forecourts, and others, caused engine failures and other damages to customers’ vehicles back in February.

Around 150 Tesco fuel forecourts had their unleaded tanks emptied out and refilled after fuel from suppliers was found to be contaminated with silicon .

Rival chains Morrisons and Asda, the other supermarket groups involved, had around 40 and 30 forecourts affected respectively.

Asda said it will this week send final cheques to a total of 3,000 customers who claimed £1.4 million in compensation, while Morrisons refused to comment on how much they had paid out or how many motorists were involved, but said that 94 per cent of their claims had been dealt with.

A Tesco spokesman said there were still more claims to be processed.

"We are 90 per cent of the way through. The outstanding ones are where we are waiting for paperwork from the claimants," he said.

A spokesman for Hertfordshire Council, the authority which covers the area where Tesco headquarters are based, said no complaints had been received from customers regarding the supermarket’s compensation payouts .

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