QUEUES GARAGE AS DECIMAL POINT BLUNDER SEES Asda SELL PETROL

[Daanyeer]

Huge queues outside garage as decimal point blunder sees Asda sell petrol for 12.9p a litre
By Daily Mail Reporter
1st April 2011


News spread quickly after pricing error was spotted

A full tank of petrol cost motorists only £4
Drivers turned up with jerry cans to cash in on the cut-price bonanza



Motorists were treated to fuel at the unbelievable price of 12.9 pence a litre thanks to an amazing blunder at a supermarket petrol station.
Dozens of drivers queued outside the Asda store in Rooley Lane, Bradford, desperate to make the most of the error, caused by the misplacement of a decimal point.

Some motorists made off with a full tank of fuel for only £4 before staff at the store realised what was happening and stepped in to end the bargain buying.


The accidental cut in prices happened from 10.30pm until 12.20am early on Wednesday this week.

So many motorists were tipped off about the incredible bonanza that police noticed huge queues snaking away from the supermarket.

Several even brought jerry cans and other containers with them which they filled to the brim with the cut-price fuel.

Others stared in wonder at the cheap prices as they paid using the automated card payment 'fast lane' pumps. And because the kiosk was closed, it took nearly two hours for bosses to realise the error.


Jonathan Dixon, 25, a self-employed network technician, was just one of the dozens of drivers who took advantage.

He said: 'We got a tip-off from a friend saying Asda had made a mistake.

'Unfortunately my car is diesel but a friend went down and phoned up saying it was actually that price. So they filled up their car - they got nearly 33 litres for £4.

'There were cars round the block, completely out of the Asda car park and actually starting to jam the road up outside, and this was at about 11.30pm.

'My friends just couldn't believe that the mistake had happened. We were wondering how long it was going to last - we saw the police drive by once or twice, and they were just looking at what the jam was.

'In the end, about an hour-and-a-half later, some people came across from the site, I guess they were the managers, and they said, "Look, there's something wrong, stop what you are doing," and they just pulled the emergency stop.'


An Asda spokesman admitted that human error was to blame with a decimal point being put in the wrong place as staff programmed the four automatic pumps to allow the filling station to operate after the cashiers' kiosk was closed.

It meant unleaded was sold at 12.9p per litre, rather than 129.9p for nearly two hours until the pumps were eventually shut down.

The spokesman said: 'We're well known for having the lowest prices in town, but clearly this was a mistake.'



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