Corrective Notice

Following legal action by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the Federal Court of Australia has declared by consent that Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd (Mobil) contravened ss 18, 29(1)(a), 29(1)(g) and 33 of the Australian Consumer Law, being Sch 2 to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) through its advertising at nine fuel retail sites in north and central Queensland.

Between August 2020 and July 2024 (with the duration of the period over which the relevant representations were made varying between each site), Mobil represented to consumers, through branding and signage at the nine sites, that the fuel being sold:

• was Mobil “Synergy Fuel”;
• was substantially different in composition or quality to the unadditised fuel sold at sites that were not Mobil Synergy Fuel retail sites; and
• contained additives which provided benefits such as protecting vehicle engines against corrosion, reducing and/or removing harmful engine deposits, improving and/or enhancing economy, reducing emissions, protecting and cleaning the vehicle engine, and improving, and/or ensuring peak, engine performance,

in circumstances where the fuel dispensed at the sites was not Mobil Synergy Fuel, did not contain additives which provided the advertised benefits, and was substantially the same as unadditised fuel sold at sites that were not Mobil Synergy Fuel retail sites.

The nine north and central Queensland sites at which Mobil made these misleading representations were located in Rasmussen, Yeppoon, Barcaldine, Biloela, Guthalungra, Aitkenvale, Berserker, Proserpine and Rural View. Although these sites represented a small proportion of the Mobil retail network throughout Australia, Mobil recognises that they were a large proportion of its sites in north and central Queensland.

Mobil has cooperated with the ACCC during its investigations and the proceedings, and has taken, and is taking, steps with a view to ensuring that there is no recurrence of similar conduct in the future.

Mobil regrets that this conduct occurred and apologises to any consumers who were misled by the representations made at the nine sites.

This corrective [notice/advertisement] has been paid for and published by Mobil as a result of an order of the Federal Court of Australia in an action commenced by the ACCC.