The Consumers’ Association has filed a complaint with the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority requesting it to investigate cartel practices in the sale of fuel.

In a statement this morning, the association referred to an initiative taken by a fuel pump owner to reduce the price of diesel by 2c to the benefit of consumers.

The owner had to again increase the price because of pressure from third parties following protests by other pump owners.

These, the association said, were practices which were strangling market competition and which were possibly against competition law,.

The association also requested the authority to protect the initiative taken by this operator so that he would once again be in a position to reduce the price of diesel.

The government yesterday said the fuels market in Malta was liberalised and all those in the market were free to compete on prices.