During February the Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC) survey of petrol stations showed that of the 197 service stations visited, 35 displayed prices only on the pumps while 17 had no display boards at all.

The remaining 18 had display boards, the CAC said, but failed to display price information on them.

In one instance the pump price and the price on the display board differed, the CAC report added.

However, while the use of display boards might be good consumer relations the stations have no legal obligation to use the boards, which have become synonymous with service stations.

“The Consumer Protection Act prescribes that the consumer must be provided with the price of a good or service before it is contracted,” CAC acting senior economist, Raquel Chambers, told Auto.

“The price is provided at the pump so they have satisfied the law, the display board is a customer service action,” she added.

Chambers cautioned however that discrepancy in pricing between pump and display board was not widespread and the instance in February was not done to deceive consumers.

CAC, starting in March 2009, publishes the price of petrol at selected service stations island-wide in an effort to provide consumers with comparisons.

Display boards, however, give consumer easy price reference and has become the medium through which motorists measure prices without having to enter a service station.

According to Jamaica Gasoline Retailers Association (JGRA) president, Trevor Barnes, through a code of conduct sometime ago it was agreed that service stations would display petrol prices using the boards.

Barnes emphasised that as far as he knew all JGRA member-stations have complied with that requirement.

“It is something that we insist on,” Barnes told Auto.

“Every now and again you might have one that is down but not for any protracted period”.

While CAC confirms that there are 300 service stations across the island, Barnes reminded that only 190 are members of the JGRA.