But then again, when you hear the exuse for record profits "because oil has gone up, our profits have gone up" and ALL OF THEM are doing it, how come that isn't a cartel? When they ALL go up by 2p a litre, how come that isn't a cartel? Now, if going up 2p a litre left them at the same profit level, then I could understand that the cost of their materials went up by 2p. But when some of that 2p is going to increasing profit, how come they ALL went up by 2p? If there was no cartel and the cost of materials went up by 1p, then someone upping their petrol by 1.3p a litre is undercutting their competition and STILL seeing more profit. So another would undercut them by .2p and still see more profit. And so on until someone had gone 1p up to cover the increased expenses and uncercut the lot of them.

But no, all went up by 2p.

And that ISN'T a cartel?

So why should I have to post £x,000 to sue them for it?

Seeing the same effect eveywhere doesn't require any form of communications other than all reading the same newspapers, which doesn't necessarily make a cartel.

If they all plan on making x% profit and apply standard economics calculations to their business, then if their raw material goes up by 1p/litre, they'll all end up at the same retail price increase. Don't be misled by the huge numbers involved, even 0.1% difference can look huge in £/$ terms, but it isn't really.

If one decides to add 2p, and another only adds 1.5p, the only result is that the 2p one will have to drop their price by 0.5p, so they all make less profit. Once one sets a price and hangs it out on their forecourt, there's little incentive for the others to do anything but copy it, and that doesn't require any illegal joint cartel-like planning.

As to posting a deposit, if you're so sure it's a cartel you've got nothing to lose, so borrow the money or find a no-win/no-fee solictor to post it for you. If you're not sure, then don't waste the court's time and the taxpayers money.

The real problem with fuel isn't with the oil companies, it's with the government which happily collects the increased VAT and duty that comes from the increased raw material price. They could instead fix duty and tax at a set amount per litre instead of a %age, that would limit the forecourt increase.