Still waiting on a

Shell

refund?

Your statutory rights under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) always apply on top of any Shell or Reddy Express policy. Refunds for faulty goods can't be denied just because a sign says "no refunds".

You're likely eligible for a Shell (Reddy Express / Viva Energy) refund when:

• You were overcharged or double-charged. A payment system error charged you more than once for the same transaction — this happened at scale in the May 2025 EFTPOS incident. You're entitled to a full reversal of the duplicate amounts.
• You were charged the wrong price versus the displayed or advertised fuel/item price.
• A faulty or defective product was sold to you (a defective consumable, car care product, or accessory) — covered by ACL consumer guarantees.
• A pre-authorisation hold wasn't released correctly after a "pay at pump" or app transaction.
• You were charged for fuel or goods you didn't receive (pump fault, or dispensed less than charged).
• Shell Card transaction errors — incorrect charges, duplicate billing, or charges at non-participating sites can be disputed on your statement.

Where refunds are usually NOT given:

• Change of mind on fuel already dispensed into your tank — including finding it cheaper elsewhere.
• Change of mind on food, drinks, tobacco, or opened consumables for hygiene and safety reasons, unless faulty.
• Choosing the wrong fuel grade yourself at the pump — mis-fuelling is generally the customer's responsibility, though raise it with staff immediately.
• Fuel quality or "blended fuel" claims without independent evidence — these are investigated, not auto-refunded.
• Flybuys points not earned because a card wasn't scanned at sale — rarely added retrospectively without proof.
• Third-party pre-authorisation holds placed by your own bank — these usually clear automatically and aren't a Shell refund matter.

Step 1 — Act at the point of sale

If you spot an overcharge or wrong price immediately, ask the store attendant or manager to reverse or correct the transaction on the spot. Keep your receipt and EFTPOS slip. During large system-error events, staff may be instructed not to refund at the register and to redirect you to the contact line below — this is normal during incident handling.

Step 2 — Gather your evidence

• Your receipt or EFTPOS slip
• Bank or credit card statement showing the incorrect or duplicate charge
• Date, time, and store location
• Card last 4 digits and the transaction amount(s)

Step 3 — Contact Reddy Express / Viva Energy customer care

• Phone: 1800 656 055
• Email: contactus-retail@vivaenergy.com.au
• Online: Reddy Express contact form and virtual assistant
• Hours: Monday–Friday, 8am–8pm AEST

Provide your evidence and ask them to verify your details so the team can investigate and process the refund.

Step 4 — For Shell Card disputes

Review your Shell Card statement, flag the disputed line item, and contact Viva Energy Shell Card support. See the Shell Card FAQs for fleet and fuel card dispute guidance.

Step 5 — Escalate if unresolved

• For unresolved goods or service issues, escalate through your state Fair Trading / Consumer Affairs office under the ACL.
• For card payment disputes Shell or Reddy Express won't resolve, lodge a chargeback with your bank or card issuer — typically within 45–120 days of the transaction.
• For unresolved financial or card complaints, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) can review your case.

• At point of sale: an immediate reversal or correction is usually instant, but may take 1–3 business days to appear in your bank account depending on your bank.
• System-error / duplicate-charge refunds (e.g. the May 2025 EFTPOS incident): Reddy Express stated most refunds were processed automatically to original cards — generally by the next statement cycle, with most cases resolved within roughly a few weeks. Only "isolated cases" remained under investigation as of the 30 June 2025 update.
• Manual / disputed cases: real customer reports vary widely — some refunds took 48 hours, while at least one ProductReview customer reported a refund taking 52 days after an overcharge dispute. Treat several weeks as a realistic worst case for manual escalations.

Speeds your refund up:

• Reporting immediately with your receipt and EFTPOS slip
• Calling 1800 656 055 early with full card and transaction details
• Sending a bank statement screenshot showing the duplicate or incorrect charge

Slows your refund down:

• No receipt or proof of the incorrect charge
• Disputes raised weeks after the transaction
• High-volume incident periods, where mass refunds are queued
• Cases needing manual investigation, such as failed auto-refunds

• Reversal to the original payment card (debit or credit) — the default and most common method, especially for overcharges and duplicate transactions.
• Cash refund at the register — possible for small in-store overcharges resolved on the spot, at manager discretion for minor amounts.
• Statement credit / adjustment — applies to Shell Card disputes, where the corrected amount appears on your next card statement rather than as cash.

Conditions to know:

• Refunds go back to the original payment method — you generally can't request a refund to a different card, or as cash if you paid by card.
• Shell Card refunds appear as billing adjustments, not cash payouts.
• Flybuys point corrections are handled as point adjustments, not monetary refunds.

• Double or multiple charging via EFTPOS errors. The standout issue — a May 2025 technical fault charged some customers multiple times, including one Sydney customer charged 134 times (around $14,000) for a $106 fuel purchase. Always check your bank app the same day and screenshot duplicates immediately.
• Displayed price vs pump/register price mismatch. Reviewers report the street sign or advertised price differing from the bowser price. Photograph the sign and check the pump screen before fully fuelling; raise discrepancies before paying.
• "No refund at register" during incidents. During system errors, staff may decline a point-of-sale refund and redirect you to the phone line. Get the incident reference, call 1800 656 055, and keep your slip.
• Slow manual refunds and poor service. Reviewers report long waits (up to 52 days) and unsympathetic staff on overcharge disputes. Escalate in writing by email, keep a paper trail, and reference the ACL if delayed unreasonably.
• Pre-authorisation holds at pay-at-pump. Temporary holds can look like overcharges. Confirm whether it's a "pending" hold that clears automatically before lodging a refund claim.
• Loyalty/Flybuys points not credited. Caused by a card not being scanned at sale. Scan Flybuys before paying — retrospective point claims are rarely granted.