The group gathered to mark the start of a 28-day embargo against perceived fuel price gouging by Coles Express outlets in the Hastings.

But about 10.15am senior officers including Inspector Shane Cribb arrived to end things near the Gordon Street station.

This was despite organiser John Starr saying he was given permission by the authorities on Wednesday.

"I thought I had done it through the proper channels. I notified the council and I notified police (on Wednesday about 10.30am) about this peaceful protest," Mr Starr said.

"Basically they've turned up this morning, looked at the situation and said we need an A1 approval for us to conduct it.

"We're not trying to break the law - I know we're not allowed on Coles' property and we're not allowed to block the driveway.

"But we're not doing any of that."

The Small Business Minister Bruce Billson visited on Thursday to speak at a community forum.

When asked, he backed the protestors, but reminded them such action had to be done "in a thoughtful way". "But what we've seen time and time again [is] when a spotlight is put on these sorts of issues, miraculously the differential shrinks," the minister said.

"So the suppliers are aware that greater focus and public and motorists' interest can bring about change.

"We've given the ACCC some tools to dig deeper and put a bright spotlight on what's going on and a new tasking [towards] where there seems to be irregular or curious pricing that could be detrimental."

Inspector Cribb said yesterday "there's no issue" with the protestors, but the proper protocols hadn't been followed.

"They agreed they would rather do it with a form one and use the correct procedure," he said.

Protestor Robert Brown suggested there was something unusual about the police presence.

"As soon as Coles got wind of it, they'd have rung the police."

Coles did not respond for comment yesterday, but Inspector Cribb denied the company contacted police.

Mr Brown, who retired to the area in 1987, said he attended yesterday's protest because he believes the argument about freight costs contributing to higher costs is a nonsense.

"The entire time I've been here there's been fixed prices on petrol with no competition," he said.

Mr Starr intended to make the application using the right form on Thursday afternoon, and said the group would meet at the same spot next Saturday, February 7.

"At the end of the day we're being ripped off here. It's people power having enough of what we're paying here in Port Macquarie."

Once the embargo against Coles ends, the group will turn their attention towards Woolworths fuel outlets for another 28 days.