Supermarkets have refuted claims that consumers could soon find themselves having to enter a payment card at their garages’ fuel pumps before they fill up.

Newspaper reports last week stated that industry bosses believe that every pump in Britain would be pre-pay by 2011 because of rising fuel thefts.

Supermarkets already operate some pre-pay pumps but were quick to dismiss the idea that their use would become compulsory.

Asda does have some pre-pay pumps in operation but they are in use at the supermarket’s unmanned petrol stations. An Asda spokeswoman said the grocer was not experiencing a substantial increase in fuel shrinkage. “Asda has not seen any marked increases in drive-off petrol thefts. A very small number of people attempt such thefts at our stores and, in these cases, we work very closely with the police and use security methods to identify the criminals,” she said.

Morrisons last week launched its pay at pump Chip and PIN service (RW, August 22), but said that it was not a security measure.

A spokeswoman said: “This technology does not make it compulsory to pay at the pump; customers have the option of paying by cash in the shop. The pumps have been installed to offer customers a speedy payment method and to save customers from having to queue at the petrol station shop. It also means that customers with babies and children do not have to leave their car unattended.”

She added: “Morrisons takes the issue of drive-offs very seriously and has introduced a range of preventative measures across its forecourts, including increased security systems, surveillance and colleague training. All incidents are reported to the police and evidence supplied in order that offenders can be prosecuted.”

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