Tesco has clarified why certain customers might spot a £120 charge showing up on their bank statements. Many Tesco stores throughout the UK feature petrol stations, enabling shoppers to fuel up conveniently either before or after completing their weekly shop.
When utilising the Pay at Pump service, Tesco implements a temporary £120 pre-authorisation to verify adequate funds are present, although this represents a holding charge rather than the final amount. Drivers can buy up to £120 worth of petrol through Pay at Pump, with payment required via card as contactless options aren't available.
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Tesco confirms that all UK-registered chip and pin cards work at Pay at Pump terminals, excluding Visa Electron cards, reports the Daily Record. The supermarket's website states: "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."
While customers should only face charges for their genuine fuel purchase, Tesco acknowledges that sometimes a £120 fee may show on banking statements.
The retail chain further explained: "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."