Petrol pumps giving short measure
Case reference FOI2026/02340
Received 29 September 2026
Published 16 October 2026
Request
For each financial year 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26, and separately for 2026/27 to the date of this request, please provide:
1. The number of petrol/diesel retail fuel dispensers tested by Trading Standards which were found to be outside the permitted error limits in the consumer's disfavour, i.e. dispensing less fuel than the quantity indicated to the customer.
2. Of those dispensers, the number that were disqualified/taken out of use, issued with a notice requiring correction, or otherwise required to be adjusted or repaired.
For 2025/26 and 2026/27 to date only:
3. Please provide details of the ten dispensers with the greatest recorded shortfalls in each period, or all such dispensers if fewer than ten were identified. For each, please provide, where electronically recorded: - the trading name and address of the petrol station; - the date of the test; - the size of the shortfall, in whatever form it is recorded, for example percentage error or volume discrepancy; and - the action taken.
I am not asking the authority to perform new calculations. If the trading name or precise address is considered exempt from disclosure, please provide the remaining information requested for that case, including the town or other less specific location where this can be disclosed.
Response
For each financial year 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26, and separately for 2026/27 to the date of this request, please provide:
1. The number of petrol/diesel retail fuel dispensers tested by Trading Standards which were found to be outside the permitted error limits in the consumer's disfavour, i.e. dispensing less fuel than the quantity indicated to the customer.
Answer:
2023/24 0
2024/25 1
2025/26 0
2026 to now 0
2. Of those dispensers, the number that were disqualified/taken out of use, issued with a notice requiring correction, or otherwise required to be adjusted or repaired.
Answer: The service area has advised that one of the dispensers was taken out of use until repaired and then reverified.
For 2025/26 and 2026/27 to date only:
3. Please provide details of the ten dispensers with the greatest recorded shortfalls in each period, or all such dispensers if fewer than ten were identified. For each, please provide, where electronically recorded:
- the trading name and address of the petrol station;
- the date of the test;
- the size of the shortfall, in whatever form it is recorded, for example percentage error or volume discrepancy; and
- the action taken.
I am not asking the authority to perform new calculations.
If the trading name or precise address is considered exempt from disclosure, please provide the remaining information requested for that case, including the town or other less specific location where this can be disclosed.
Answer: For the periods stated there were no dispensers found in use for trade which were outside the permitted limit of error of -0.5%.
Documents
This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
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