The ACCC began legal proceedings against seven companies and individuals involved in the distribution and retailing of petrol in and around Ballarat.

The regulator claims the Ballarat companies coordinated their pricing by telephoning one another and providing details about the size and timing of their planned price increases, which were then passed on to retail outlets.

Recalcitrant outlets that failed to raise prices were pressured to make the adjustments after further telephone calls, the ACCC alleged.

The ACCC is seeking penalties, injunctions, declarations, finding of fact and costs against the seven alleged participants, which were trading under well-known brands such as Swift, Apco, Mobil, BP, Shell and Caltex.