The country's fuel companies are deceiving the public with signs placed prominently at the entrances to their gas stations, according to figures issued by the National Infrastructure Ministry's Gas Authority.

According to the Gas Authority, many stations post only their discount off the official price on the signs, while putting the actual price on the pumps only. This practice conceals the actual price from the public and makes comparison shopping impossible, it said.

The ministry recently complained about the practice to the Industry and Trade Ministry official responsible for consumer protection, Yitzchak Kimchi.

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In some cases, it said, side-by-side stations post different discounts on the price of diesel fuel while charging the same price. Many stations also include a discount for self-service gas, worth 11 agorot per liter, in their posted discount, despite the fact that the self-service rate is the official price and cannot be considered a reduced rate.

In a meeting with Infrastructure Ministry officials, Kimchi agreed to make the gasoline companies post the actual price of fuel on their signs.

"The gas market must be run with complete transparency," National Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer said. "The customer has a right to complete information about gas prices."