A small neighborhood dispute in a neighborhood of Mataró (Maresme) has led the multinational Repsol to open an internal investigation to resolve whether, as hundreds of readers of La Vanguardia corroborate, some butane cylinder distributors apply an illegal extra cost to the regulated price. . In this case it is evident that drip scam is a widespread practice in Catalonia, but also in the rest of the State.
Official Repsol sources declare that "the first thing is to apologize again to the clients who have been affected by this type of practices that are not permitted" and assure that "we are the first interested in ensuring that this does not happen and we are doing everything possible." that it is in our hands to solve it.”
Given the certainty that this fraudulent practice is common in the distribution of butane, Repsol acknowledges that “we have opened an internal investigation” and that they hold meetings with the distribution agencies to avoid these practices among the distributors “by applying sanctions and changing the employees on the routes where these practices are detected.”
The truth is that this scam, which especially affects elderly butane consumers, as noted by readers who have contacted this newspaper since the publication last Tuesday of the case of the neighborhood reaction to the scam in Mataró, where it is demonstrated that it is a fact that has been reported for many years, and contrary to what those responsible declare, nothing has changed.
The Repsol Butano customers who have reacted to the La Vanguardia article, the majority reside in Barcelona. They report charges of more than four euros for each cylinder in Nou Barris or on Passeig Fabra i Puig, where it is common to pay 22 euros. In Roquetes (Nou Barris) other neighbors report that they have stayed with the delivery man but that he "threatens to not serve them the bottle." In the Gòtic they also pay an extra cost of three euros. They complain the same way from Gràcia, in the Mercat de la Llibertat, where “we paid 20 euros plus the tip.” The price increases in the Hospital Clínic area, where it is common that it does not go below 23 euros, the same as in Poble Sec, which is 22 euros. Even the extra cost at some Repsol gas stations stands out, such as the one next to Mercabarna "where I reported the supplement and they called me to refund the money."
In the Plaza de Sant Felip Neri, a parishioner says that he ordered 10 cylinders for the church and was charged 20 euros: “I told them that it seemed excessive, but they didn't care,” he laments. In Sant Antoni, a user says that the delivery people try to charge 25 euros and that “when you want to pay them 20, they get angry.”
In the rest of Catalonia, this practice has also been consolidated, as explained by a Repsol client from Baix Llobregat, where he states that "they refuse to charge by card so that there is no record of the price they impose." Also in this area, distributors have a channel on social networks to place orders "at a price higher than the regulated one" and, if that were not enough, "the delivery person himself then adds two or three more euros."
The same thing happens in other parts of the Catalan geography, such as Cerdanyola del Vallès, Sant Cugat - in a cooperative in Les Planes - or Sitges, where the price charged by butaneros never goes below 20 euros and in some cases reaches 25 euros, almost ten euros more than the legally established price.
This fraudulent practice is also denounced by clients from Igualada, Castellbell and El Vilar, Arenys de Mar, Esplugues de Llobregat, a city where they state that "if you buy it at a hardware store, you get up to 25 euros". Scams are also reported in the rest of the Catalan provinces, such as in Torroella de Montgrí (Girona) or Juneda (Leida). They even provide evidence from the rest of Spain, such as a client from Puertollano (Ciudad Real) who claims to have paid for the bottle in an escalation between 18.90 and 20.70 euros.
From Repsol, given the certainty of fraud committed by those who represent them, they recommend making sure that the delivery person is from the official agency, inquiring beforehand about the price of the cylinder or purchasing it at “our extensive network of service stations” and, if in case of any doubt Call the customer service number (900321900) where they encourage you to report any irregularity.
