Gas Price Gouging Or Not?

Driver after driver we all have to have to do it. Fill up at the pump.

Most of the signs read 3 dollars and 76 cents a gallon.

According to AAA that is the state average.

Some drivers say they've learned to cope with the weekly rising prices.

However, what some of them can't understand, thesame gas station , only miles apart, advertising different prices.

"Less than 5 miles away at another Valero station it's eleven cents less, I mean this is easier access to the freeway and everybody knows that."

Steve Fraim, of Benton, is talking about the Valero in benton off 114 and the Haskell exit.

the price is 3 dollars and 74 cents.

But at a Valero in Benton on North Main and Carpenter Street the price is $3.63.

"So consumers have their opinion as to why prices are high here and lower a mile up the street. But we went to the Valero's Manager and they say it's all about location."

"Are you guys price gouging? No mam it's just location, people get right off the interstate here. Keeps them from going back into town."

"So we arrived here to north main and carpenter as you can see you have to come off the freeway around the corner, up the hill, same Valero, lower price, again."

"It's just location"

Fraim said he was told the same thing at the other Valero on Carpenter and North Main.

"I asked the manager if this was run by the same company. The same people run it. He said yes it does. And I asked him why the 11 cents price difference and he said simple as this, location, location, location."

So the next thing on consumers minds, is that price gouging?

According to the Arkansas Attorney General there is an Arkansas price gouging law.

Part of it says, the law prohibits sellers of certain consumer goods and services from taking advantage of a disaster resulting in a declaration of emergency by price gouging.

Even if an emergency is declared, retailers are allowed to raise prices when their own cost increase, but by no more than 10 percent.

We did try and contact the owners of both Valero's and they were unable to be contacted.

If you think a gas station is price gouging you can call the Arkansas Attorney General at 501-682-2341.