Customers who buy petrol at Asda, Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsbury’s have been warned of high fuel prices as charges at the petrol pumps across forecourts at the Big 4 grocers show no signs of dropping.
According to new research by the RAC, independent fuel retailers are leading the way on charging “a fair price” for petrol and diesel.
Commenting on the findings, RAC’s fuel spokesman Simon Williams said shoppers buying fuel at supermarket forecourts could be getting their fuel cheaper elsewhere and “have every right” to feel as though they have been overcharged.
The RAC found that only about 4% of forecourts are charging below 180p per litre for petrol.
Four out of every five of those offering lower prices are independent sites, with the others being owned by either supermarkets or oil companies.
While supermarkets have traditionally been the first to slash fuel prices, the RAC revealed that the average price that retailers pay to buy petrol has fallen by 17p per litre from the start of June. Despite this, pump prices have dropped by “a paltry 4p”.
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“In this most expensive of summers, drivers need all the help they can get to keep their spending down. We applaud those retailers who are doing the right thing for their customers and charging a fair price for petrol and diesel, more in line with the lower wholesale costs,” said Williams.
“It appears to be the case that it’s no longer the big four supermarkets that lead on price, but instead smaller independent sites that are prepared to buck the national forecourt trend.
“Drivers who fill up at supermarket forecourts have every right to feel that they are being charged well over the odds for petrol and diesel right now.”
AA fuel price spokesman Luke Bosdet said the ability of “maverick fuel stations with awesome prices” to influence other retailers in their area is limited.
He said: “The locals will know about them, passing drivers will discover them and the fuel price search apps will find them if the search is in the right place.
“However, it will take the level of fuel price transparency that is available to drivers in Northern Ireland, courtesy of the Consumer Council’s Fuel Price Checker, to resurrect the degree of competition enjoyed before the pandemic.”
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