Tesco has clarified why some customers may notice a £120 charge on their bank statements when using its Pay at Pump service at petrol stations across the UK.
Many Tesco stores feature petrol stations, allowing shoppers to refuel before or after their grocery shopping. When using Pay at Pump, Tesco places a temporary £120 pre-authorisation hold on the customer's card to verify sufficient funds are available, though this does not represent the final amount charged.
How Pay at Pump works
Drivers can buy up to £120 of fuel via Pay at Pump, and payment must be completed using a card, as contactless options are not available. Tesco confirms that all UK-registered chip and pin cards work at Pay at Pump terminals, apart from Visa Electron.
On its website, Tesco explains: "If your account balance is under £120, your card issuer should respond with the lower amount they'll allow, and the fuel pump screen will show the value you can fill up to."
"Some card issuers might not allow partial authorisations below £120. If this happens, please try another payment card."
What to do if the charge appears
While customers should only be charged for their genuine fuel expenditure, Tesco acknowledges that from time to time a £120 charge might show up on bank statements. The supermarket giant continued: "There may be a small number of occasions where your card issuer doesn't update your balance in real time. We'll only ever charge you for the value of the fuel you've purchased, but if you do have concerns, please talk to your bank for further details."
Tesco advises customers who see the charge to contact their bank for further details, as the company only charges for the actual fuel purchased.
