Fuel retailers are no strangers to pressure.
Prices move. Margins shift. Customers expect accuracy. Teams are busy managing pumps, stock, staff, payments, reporting and the daily reality of running a fast-moving fuel site. But in Australia, fuel price changes now come with another important responsibility: timely reporting to government fuel price systems. For many retailers, that means another portal, another manual update and another compliance risk.
That is where EM Forecourt™ from GaP Solutions can help.
EM Forecourt™ is designed to support modern fuel retailers by streamlining fuel operations, point-of-sale activity and forecourt management. Now available for eligible sites in South Australia and Victoria, it can also support automatic communication with state fuel pricing systems, helping reduce manual handling and the risk of missed updates.
South Australia: fuel prices must be reported within 30 minutes
In South Australia, fuel retailers are required to report fuel prices to the SA Fuel Pricing Information Scheme. Retailers must report a change to their fuel prices within 30 minutes of the price changing at the bowser. They must also report within 30 minutes if a fuel type becomes unavailable, either temporarily or permanently.
Fuel retailers can report this information in several ways, including direct entry into the aggregation system, API or flat file upload, or by arranging for a third-party agent to upload data on their behalf. For busy South Australian fuel retailers, this creates a clear operational challenge. If the price changes at the bowser, the reporting process must keep up.
When that process relies on manual entry, the business is relying on someone remembering to update the system correctly and within the required timeframe. That may sound simple, but in a live retail environment, it creates unnecessary pressure.
Victoria: fuel price reporting is now even more complex
Victoria has introduced mandatory fuel price reporting through Servo Saver, the fuel price feature inside the Service Victoria app.
Victorian fuel retailers must update fuel prices as soon as practicable, and no more than 30 minutes after a price change, so prices can be published in Servo Saver. This applies to each service station and fuel type.
Victoria also has an additional layer: the maximum daily fuel price cap.
Each day, Victorian fuel retailers must submit the next day’s maximum fuel price cap for each fuel type between 8:30 am and 2 pm. This must be done the day before the cap applies. Prices submitted by 2 pm are then published on Servo Saver by 4 pm, giving motorists advance notice of the next day’s maximum fuel price.
From 6 am the following day, the published cap becomes the maximum price that can be charged for that fuel type for the next 24 hours. Retailers can reduce fuel prices during that period, but they cannot increase them again until the next day’s cap comes into effect.
This means Victorian fuel price reporting is not just a single price update. It is a daily compliance workflow.
Retailers need to manage:
- The next day’s maximum fuel price cap, submitted between 8:30 am and 2 pm
- The price published on Servo Saver by 4 pm
- The price that applies from 6 am the following day
- Any same-day price reductions
- Reporting price changes within 30 minutes
- Alignment between the pump, price board and Servo Saver
For multi-site operators, this can quickly become a significant administrative task.
Compliance is under greater scrutiny
Fuel price reporting is no longer a background admin process.
In South Australia, Consumer and Business Services recently confirmed that an April fuel monitoring blitz resulted in nine petrol stations being fined nearly $8,000, with another 11 under investigation. More than 500 inspections were conducted to check whether petrol stations were complying with real-time fuel data requirements.
Victoria is also actively enforcing the rules. The Victorian Government has reported that more than $80,000 in fines have been issued to more than 25 retailers since 10 March for not reporting fuel prices on Servo Saver.
For fuel retailers, the message is clear: fuel price reporting needs to be accurate, timely and easy for teams to manage.
Manual reporting creates avoidable risk
Manual reporting creates three common issues for fuel retailers.
First, it adds more administration. Every price change requires the team to update another system.
Second, it increases the risk of missed or delayed updates. If the price changes on-site but the government reporting system is not updated in time, the business may be subject to compliance action.
Third, it can create customer frustration. Motorists now use real-time fuel price tools to compare prices before they arrive. If the reported price does not match the pump price, it can damage trust.
Fuel price reporting is not only about compliance. It is also about customer confidence.
EM Forecourt™ helps reduce the double handling
With EM Forecourt™, GaP Solutions helps eligible fuel retailers reduce the pressure of manual reporting by enabling automatic communication with the relevant state fuel pricing systems.
For South Australian retailers, this can support communication with the SA Fuel Pricing Information Scheme.
For Victorian retailers, this can support communication with Service Victoria / Servo Saver.
Instead of relying on manual updates after every price change, EM Forecourt™ streamlines the process and reduces the gap between site and reported pricing.
The benefit is simple:
One price change. Less double handling. More control.
Why this matters for fuel retailers
- Save time – Fuel retail teams already have enough to manage. Reducing manual reporting steps gives time back to the business and helps remove unnecessary administration.
- Reduce risk – In both South Australia and Victoria, fuel price changes must be reported within 30 minutes. Automation helps reduce the risk of missed manual updates and supports a more consistent reporting process.
- Improve reporting accuracy: when reporting relies on manual entry, there is always room for error. EM Forecourt™ helps keep the reporting process connected to your fuel pricing workflow.
- Support multi-site operations: For businesses managing multiple fuel sites, state-based reporting requirements can be complex. A connected system helps create a more consistent process across locations.
- Build customer trust: Motorists use real-time fuel price tools to decide where to fill up. Accurate reporting helps create a better customer experience and reduces confusion between the price shown online and the price charged at the site.
South Australia and Victoria have different rules, but the same operational challenge
South Australia requires fuel retailers to report price changes and fuel unavailability to the SA Fuel Pricing Information Scheme within 30 minutes.
Victoria requires fuel retailers to report price changes to Service Victoria / Servo Saver within 30 minutes. Victoria also requires retailers to submit the next day’s maximum daily fuel price cap between 8:30 am and 2 pm the day before. That cap is published on Servo Saver by 4 pm and applies for 24 hours starting at 6 am the following day.
The rules are different, but the business problem is the same.
Fuel retailers need a reliable way to keep pricing information accurate, timely, and aligned with on-site activity.
The rules are different, but the business problem is the same.
Fuel retailers need a reliable way to keep pricing information accurate, timely, and aligned with on-site activity.
A smarter way to manage fuel price reporting
Fuel retail is becoming more connected, more transparent and more compliance-driven.
Your POS system should not just process transactions. It should help your business operate smarter.
With EM Forecourt™, GaP Solutions provides fuel retailers with a practical way to reduce manual handling, support compliance workflows, and manage fuel price reporting with greater confidence.
Because when your fuel prices change, your reporting should keep up.
Ready to reduce manual fuel price reporting?
Contact GaP Solutions to find out how EM Forecourt™ can support automatic communication with the SA Fuel Pricing Information Scheme and Service Victoria.