The Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) has opened an investigation into a trader suspected of hoarding fuel after an intensive, nationwide surveillance operation that surveyed 478 service stations and retail outlets, Chief Executive Officer Senikavika Jiuta confirmed on Thursday. The probe is the latest development in the commission’s heightened monitoring of fuel and LPG markets amid sporadic local shortages and public concern over supply reliability.
Jiuta said FCCC teams have been “on the ground assessing market conditions and supply availability across all major divisions,” compiling stock-level data from retailers, distributors and service stations. The 478 surveys formed part of a wider push to detect irregular market behaviour, ensure regulatory compliance and track supply chain movements such as delivery frequency and replenishment patterns. It was during that surveillance that the suspected hoarding case was flagged and referred for formal investigation.
While the commission identified one trader for further scrutiny, its wider findings pointed to a mix of operational problems rather than systemic stockpiling. FCCC observers recorded localized supply constraints, logistical challenges, delivery delays and distribution limitations in some areas. Enforcement teams investigating delivery timelines found instances where service stations had placed orders on time but deliveries were delayed at the supplier level, indicating bottlenecks further up the supply chain rather than deliberate retention of fuel at retail sites.
The commission also noted a recent surge in consumer panic buying and household stockpiling following supply anxieties, which contributed to short-lived shortages of unleaded petrol in parts of the country. Jiuta said those gaps were temporary and that suppliers replenished stocks once deliveries resumed. “Our fuel and LPG monitoring has confirmed that overall, there is a stable supply of fuel, with adequate stock available,” she said, adding that most shortages were “primarily due to technical issues, supplier delays and artificial shortages resulting from panic buying.”
This focused investigation follows a period of intensified enforcement activity by the FCCC. During last year’s Christmas trading period the commission carried out hundreds of inspections and placed dozens of traders under probe as part of targeted operations to deter unfair trading practices. The current probe should be seen in that context: routine, intelligence-led surveillance escalating to formal action when indicators of anti-competitive behaviour surface.
Broader geopolitical risks have also been a background factor in recent months. The FCCC previously warned that international developments affecting major shipping routes could push up costs and fuel-price volatility, a concern that may have amplified consumer anxiety and contributed to precautionary buying. Locally, however, Jiuta stressed the commission’s conclusion that domestic stocks of both fuel and LPG remain adequate and that the commission will continue to monitor supply and pricing closely.
The FCCC said enforcement teams will continue their inspections and supply-chain reviews while the trader under investigation is assessed. Any further enforcement action will follow the commission’s findings and legal processes under the FCCC Act.
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