In recent months petrol prices have risen drastically, April saw the second steepest rise since 2000 (the first was May 2018). People are starting to feel the pinch and as we draw close to payday no doubt many people will be struggling right now.
New RAC data shows that supermarkets raised the price of fuel virtually every day for three months now, more than smaller independents and local sites. These price rises have culminated in a 9.69ppl rise since the 21st February, from 115.75ppl to 125.44ppl average.
Why the rises?
As always the price of oil dictates the peaks and troughs in the price we pay at the pump. Market instability down to Brexit, Trump and increased demand globally have all driven the price up this year with the end of April peaking at a $73 a barrel. For the remainder of April and most of May a barrel of oil has been keeping at the $70 a barrel mark.
Despite the current situation in the market, where the average barrel is not rising or falling much, industry experts predict that by the end of the year we could be seeing a $90 barrel. Such prices have not been seen since 2014, where in June 2014 a barrel of oil was at over $100. Trump’s sanctions on Iran are bearable at the minute as output globally is maintaining the levels but by the end of the year experts predict that the sanctions on Iran will be felt through Iraq as military presence increases on the Arab/Persian border. Washington recently announced a Naval increase in the region as warning signs show increased hostility towards US troops. However, Iran understands that a full-blown conflict would not end well but a proxy-war has been expected for a long time with Tehran.
At the minute Brexit and the uncertainty around it has had an increase in oil prices with unknown tariffs and trade deals. Trump, as always, has had an impact with his announcements over trade deals, waivers on certain countries and restrictions on others.
Supermarket increases
Normally it is smaller retailers who have to charge more due to higher overheads but it seems the supermarkets have increased prices even when smaller independents have managed to drop or maintain prices.
During the three-month period retailers managed to drop prices five times while supermarkets continued to increase every day.
RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said:
“Our data very clearly shows the wholesale price of unleaded has increased dramatically over the last three months which has inevitably led to forecourt prices rising. But it is concerning to see the supermarkets, who many drivers trust to provide them with good value, putting up their prices when other smaller retailers have actually being fairer with their customers by more closely mirroring movements in the wholesale price.
“While three months of almost daily price rises isn’t an accurate reflection of wholesale price movements, the supermarkets appear to be protecting profits by being overly cautious about not getting caught out by the odd day of lower wholesale prices in what they believe is a consistently rising wholesale market.
Sainsbury’s savings
However, one supermarket is doing their best to pass on some savings to drivers as when you spend over £60 in Sainsbury’s on groceries you get 10ppl off fuel. Some Nectar card owners have also had a spend £15 on TU and get 8ppl off a litre on fuel. The 10ppl off is valid for everyone however the 8ppl offer will only be for certain Nectar card users. See more on the 10ppl offer here: https://help.sainsburys.co.uk/help/website/fuel-tcs
Have you noticed the increases? What will a further increase mean for you? Let us know below
If I use supermarket fuel in my motorcycle, eventually when it filters through, it develops a misfire. If I use BP fuel, no problem. Shell is ok too but I have decided not to use any other fuel stations as they are either European or foreign.
It has been said many times on this forum and by people who know that there are very few sources for the black stuff. You are probably getting the same fuel at a supermarket as at a Shell station..
The good old myth of supermarket fuel being substandard eh? I take it you work for rip-off BP? Either that or your bike is rubbish. Stop being a Billy bullsh*tter
My brand new Land Rover went into limp mode as I pulled into the outside lane on the motorway. The cause? Supermarket fuel and the filter in the land rover. I had no idea until the mechanic tried troubleshooting. He then asked if I’d filled up early in the morning. Yes. Supermarket fuel he said with a knowing nod. He was right. The car was fixed with a filter. I use supermarket fuel because of cost. I’ve never had a problem apart from when I had a brand new car. Some vehicles just don’t run well on it.
Total rubbish. Every tank on every car has bits in it and over time the fuel filter gets blocked up. THATS WHAT ITS THERE FOR. It has nothing to do with supermarket fuel. It might help to know that the fuel at a supermarket is the same as a BP or SHELL ect. The only difference is the additives that get added AFTER the tanker has filled. Stop with the bullsxxt scaremongering with your false information
Hi
Where i live the price are cheapest 125.9 most is 133.9 this is highway robbery we pay enough in tax and all the other c**p we have to pay and the state of the roads in the uk are shocking are we living in roman times. no it’s just the oil people and petrol stations be greedy knowing that we have to pay. I work on public transport people should rally and put the gov under pressure to do something and as for the roads who knows
Remeber we all have to pay Road Fund Licence on our cars every year, which amounts to several 100 million pounds. No way does any of thei Road Fund get put into the roads. The Chancellor denies it is road fund, which makes him a prima facie liar. My Father remembers, when road fund started and he had to start paying it. It was started to maintain and build roads, not as a back door or stealth tax..
BP British you are mistaken only 40% of it is, the rest USA, J P Morgan Chase and Blackrock own the rest.
Shell is in no way a UK company either
Its 16.10 on Tuesday 28th May. Just received this email which also states you may be able to save this Bank Holiday…that was one day ago, thought email was supposed to be faster than ‘snail mail’???? Its hardly quick is it. Again the motorist in thd UK gets stuffed over fuel prices. Dystopia will come.
This article is dated 23 May 2019 and I have just received it at 2130hrs on the 31 May. Seems email is the new snail mail!
I received the same email today (31st May) at 12.48pm. Typical. Only a week late
In Ireland the disabled get tax relief on petrol why can’t England do the same. I depend on my car to get to me around it’s a tool not a luxury. But they’re making increase difficult for me to use my car. Without my car I cant shop I can’t go to hospital appointments I can’t go to doctors appointments and even when I go to hospital appointments I get charged parking even with a blue badge. This country is making it increasingly difficult for disabled people to live a normal life. If Ireland can give tax back on petrol and diesel why can’t England be the same
That will be cheap fuel for a hell of a lot of England, so many people on disability who shouldn’t be. I’m sick of paying for them, I certainly don’t want to give them cheap fuel also. If you are genuine fair enough, but too many scrounges in this country.
Too many are classed as disabled. I’m a carer for a woman who can’t walk, & has other serious health problems. When we park at supermarkets, we see many with Blue Badges who have no trouble walking & pushing a trolley around. Only the seriously impaired should have badges.
Not all illnesses are so easily visible!
Some disabilities are not visible. It’s not all about being able to walk.
It was when I tried to get a blue badge.
Wrong wrong wrong
there are many illnesss which are not visible. Do you have a heart. I know people look at me and I have even been approached even though I display a badge. Sadly I am young but don’t get benefits but I pay for my badge as I can’t walk far.
I did not know you could do that, where do I go for that then ?
I am fed up with people like you with this attitude. Not all disabilities are visual. Because you can’t see it, doesn’t meant I’m not suffering and hurting inside. So please spare a thought for those of us with non visual illnesses.
I totally agree I am disabled and have to use a mobility scooter to get around with out such device I would not be mobile. I agree I see people displaying blue badges and wonder why as they are sometimes more nimble on thier feet than most fit people. I struggle some times t find abdisabled bay which is necessary as I have to open my doors to the full width or I could not get out plus I need space at the rear to enable my scooter to be off loaded on a hoist.
How many times do you see cars parked in disabled bays without displaying a badge. How many times do you see people being checked to see if thier badge is valid and what’s more for them. I will answer that for you NEVER
Not all disabilities can be seen. Just because someone can walk doesn’t mean their not disabled. You don’t just get given a blue badge it is a long process which then verification processes are very hard. Get your facts right before you accuse people or you could find yourself in sticky water very quickly
Carers are normally perceptive but there’s always an exception. I have a blue badge and I look able bodied until I try to carry anything heavy. In seconds I’m reduced to a wreck collapsed over the trolley you appear to think I don’t need.. shame on you.
Or Wales or Scotland?
What lovely people you are. I have MS. Something I never asked for and something I hate. It has destroyed my life. I can no longer walk or see out of one eye. I use a wheelchair and have to pay for carers to come in to help me with everything. No one wants to employ me.
I have a Blue Badge and despite my bad eyesight can see the scornful looks from people, then shame as they scurry away when they see me being helped from my car and into my wheelchair.
It is increasingly hard to afford to keep my house heated and my fuel tank filled. I have cut back so much I rarely go out unless necessary so no longer socialise.
Yes, I believe there are “scroungers” out there. Mainly the big bosses that get obscene payments for very little and when these people get to the level they do, the perks get even better. Life on benefits, at least for me, is not pleasant and certainly not something I want. I am, however, relieved that at least I am able to have the small lifeline that is my “scrounger payout” even though the hoops I have to jump through to get it is depressing and demeaning. The real “scroungers” must be made of tougher stuff than me.
I know there are Blue Badge cheaters out there, too. Those that leap out of their cars and trot off into the shops – I had to fight to prove I can’t walk 20m to get mine. I’d love to be able to see who the badges belong to of these people who are perfectly able to walk without help.
Save your scorn for the scroungers you KNOW and don’t hit the people like me who’ve worked all their lives and paid their taxes.
Illness and accidents can happen to absolutely anyone at any time. Just be thankful it’s us “scroungers” and not you.
Well said
You have real courage and strength of personality. I have shed loads of respect for you. May you continue to let your light shine brightly. Martin
Keep up your spirit not all people are thoughtless.
Why should you??? Why I don’t understand why you should? As tax payers we will have to pay more for there discount!!! Why does the government just cut there tax on petrol because its the government who are making money now not the poor retailers…
I was a tax payer. I had enough empathy for disabled people that I wouldn’t have denied what is a drop in the ocean when you consider how much of “your” taxes go to overseas governments supposedly to help unfortunate people in poor countries. Or What MPs claim for moat maintenance etc. I could go on forever about how a large proportion of taxes paid (or charity donations given – though you don’t seem very charitable so that wouldn’t apply to you) are frittered away on projects that benefit no one but the people at the top.
Let’s all keep our fingers crossed that such big-hearted and generous people like you never find themselves too ill to work due to accident or illness. Are you telling me that you wouldn’t claim benefits if you were permanently disabled? Yeah, right!
Oh, and poor retailers? I take it you either retail fuel or have no idea how much they can make. Even my local independent makes 9p per litre.
And yes, I’m aware there are overheads, but most retailers are multi-million pound businesess. I don’t see the guys at the top of these businesses looking poor!
The local independents are being cut out of the business completely by the big guys, but the right small business in the right place can still make a good living.
Join the discussion…
Join the discussion…yes, The UK just tax everyone into poverty and give me nothing back in return, Iam89 and severely disabled with cerebral paulsea, When I need Medical Attention, I have to go to Thailand for it or wait for the NHS to send me an Appoint , 3 Months after Ive Passed Away,
Regards Arthur
This sounds like an entirely unjustified whinge. If you qualify disabled enough to get a Blue Badge, you are probably receiving DLA or AA at higher rate, in which case you qualify for Motability. You pay nothing for your vehicle, VED or insurance, it being paid from your higher rate; and the vehicle is changed every three years. It may well make your life easier, but you do not earn your living on the road, nor do you do a high mileage. It is entitely fair that you receive support for your health problems, but you just come across as plain greedy.
It’s PIP these days and to get a badge or benefits I needed to prove I could walk no further than 20m, but am able to walk a little (as wheelchair-bound people can be excluded). Rarely some people can get a badge but don’t have disability benefits or free VED. These people don’t qualify for a Motobility car either so pay their own insurance, too.
I actually do high mileage as I live in a rural area and each hospital trip is over 100 mile round trip. I am under a multi-disciplinary team but can’t always get seen on the same day so sometimes do several trips a week. My “local” supermarket is a 40 mile round trip. I try to combine hospital and food trips but sometimes I just want to go home. If I’ve soiled myself on the journey I need to get home and cleaned ASAP as I get bladder infections, some of which have led to kidney infections that have needed hospitalisation for drip antibiotics.
I don’t consider myself greedy. I worked for as long as I could and volunteered, too. I still give to charity when I can. Being disabled is expensive. I am incontinent so my water and heat usage is a lot more than the average person due to the showers I need after “accidents” and the washing I do. I get no help paying for carers to help me with the showers and other day-to-day help.. My PIP pays for that, but isn’t enough most of the time.
This is the tip of the iceberg for some disabled people – I hope that putting some of this unpleasant truth out there helps you (and the other miserable anti-disabled people here) see that your post is more of an unjustified whinge than any disabled person’s posts are.
Walk a mile in another’s shoes – or roll/struggle on crutches with an electronic implant to help in my case. And remember that one day, you or a member of your family could be in my position. Illness and accidents can strike ANYONE, ANYTIME.
Trump Trump Trump Brexi Brexit Brexit. Are you sponsored by the BBC?
truth painful is it? Time to wake up and smell the coffee chum!
Reality often hurts my friend – one day some Brexiteers will come to understand why 400 + Million fellow Europeans are not leaving the single market. From Finland down to Greece including Austria, Holland, France, Germany, Denmark, Belgium, Sweden, Spain, Ireland, Portugal or Italy. To leave a tariff-free, seamless border the most prosperous bloc on earth, with global companies here because we are a EU gateway to that market. The economic fall out will hit our futures young, middle-aged and old.
Leave Brexit (again) out of this…stick to the subject
So was fuel unaffordable before we joined the EU ?? why does or should fuel be more expensive if we leave ? is France ,Germany and Europe oil producing countries ??
Each country sets their own duty and taxes, it’s just that the UK are one of the highest.
Nothing to do with the EU
‘Supermarkets raised the price of fuel virtually every day for three months now, more than smaller independents and local sites. These price rises have culminated in a 9.69ppl rise since the 21st February, from 115.75ppl to 125.44ppl average.’ Thats an average of 9.69/90 – .107p. Can’t say I noticed, unless each supermarket had their own day every week to raise prices!
What a scaremongering headline ! Supermarkets raise the price almost every day in the last 3 months – the average month being 30 days times 3 = 90 days – fuel changes price by 1ppl – Even if by “almost every day” you meant 60 days, that should mean 60p per litre.
Whilst I agree fuel has risen quite dramatically in the last few months, it has certainly not risen by 60p per litre !!
Yes a ridiculous headline! Just annoying
Yes, a ridiculous headline, just to tempt you to click on one of those ridiculous adverts. Petrolprices.com should put more effort into finding someone who can fix their catastrophic website upgrade.
The uncertainty of Brexit does impact people’s lives. It’s not some pretend game. The pound is slumping as global traders sell off sterling each time the UK economy looks threatened. Brexit is going to shrink our economy for quite a while. As the pound slumps imports go up in price and petrol is getting more expensive as they pay for oil in dollars. Anyone sending money abroad or buying abroad knows its hurting.
Yes I have definitely noticed that the petrol prices have been rising week on week
Asda used to be cheapest in this area, now they are the dearest, over 2p dearer than Tesco for diesel. Southend on sea
What is annoying to me is my local Morrisons charges 4.2ppl more than Morrisons 10 miles up the road, when I asked why the price difference the reply was “because we can”. In fact all the supermarkets cost more in my town than their counterparts 10 miles down the road. So I think the price has nothing to do with the price of a barrel of oil it’s what the supermarkets can rip us off for.
Wholeheartedly agree Bob.
I live in Corby, consistently the price of petrol at my Morrisons, 1/4 mile away is different to the price at Morrisons in Kettering, 5 miles from my local one.
The two stations are delivered to by the same tanker, I have followed it !
More often than not, it is cheaper in Ket’ than Corby, but in these recent hikes, it has switched round.
It has as you say, nothing to do with oil barrel price and all to do with how affluent the area, or whether they think people will pay more or not !
Sainsbury’s charge £1.29 Market Harborough 8 miles to oadby SAINSBURY £1.23 Leicester Sainsbury £!.20
why the difference
Because they can.
They look at Harborough (I’m in Corby) and think, “people there are more affluent, (which they generally are, but it shouldn’t give companies the excuse to rip people off) we will charge more”. In Leicester they have to rein it in as they know many poorer drivers live in cities too, they want to make sure they get everyone on their forecourt by not pricing the lower income people out.
Cynical marketing, absolutely !
If they priced in Leicester the same way they do in Harborough, they know they would lose the less well off drivers to cheaper supermarket petrol elsewhere and other supermarkets would jump to undercut them, they do it to each other every day. But in Harborough they all price high, so they don’t lose out to each other.
Oil is priced in US Dollars. The pound buys less Dollars these days. Once we exit the evil empire it should stabilise.
Absolutely the opposite, if we ever actually leave, which thankfully looks less and less likely as every day passes, prices will go north and stay there.
In what parallel universe do you live if the £ cannot keep up with the € or the $ now what chance has it if and when we leave the EU
Sainsbury offer finishes today.
Shocking increase. In Luxembourg last week filled up my car with diesel at €1.14 per litre !!
In the UK 1.46 euro a litre at most stations today.
It all comes down to government greed the more the price goes up the more tax they make! They could make it cheaper over night if the cut there tax greed.
Agreed, be under no illusion there is only 1 winner here overall; That’s the pathetic government who haven’t the ability to make use of the 3 years they have had to sort the mess out we are in. Dress it up however you will, the only winners are the class elite who clearly claim fakes allowances and continue to tax us to the hilt for everything they can get their greedy paws on. The majority on here have and probably (health permitting) work or have all their lives, and when we go, whatever we leave as inheritance also gets taxed. Why oh why do we bother to line the wealthiest people’s pockets.
Can’t somebody get rid of Trump we might get cheaper petrol.
It’s been a “National Pastime” for years “Screw the motorist”. The government are not going to reduce the tax on fuel, the fuel companies are going to make as much as they can, the simple reason being that the fuel industry is “self regulating”, so anyone in the fuel trade has carte blanch to keep screwing us. Avarice, the spur of industry.
10p Off when you spend £60.00 is no good for most Pensioners they do not spend that much per week , So that is why they put prices up to recoup on grocery sales.
Another reason to go electric, just don’t allow the arabs to go into car battery production.
Not where I live.
We all pay far too little for our fuel, given the damage it does to the climate, environment generally and peoples’ health. Petrol need to be twice the price it is to get even close to compensating for the damage it does. No doubt some of you have read that the likely cost of dealing with the damage caused by sea level rise (one of the consequences of climate change) will be 3 Billion pounds in England alone. We are you all going to wake up and realise that in a few years you will all be wishing you had been a bit smarter and changed your ways as all our children and grandchildren are facing things that will be far, far worse than fuel at £1.40 per litre. We have all been warned for years that this financial & environmental nightmare was coming and we buried our heads in the sand. The only people to blame are ourselves and particularly our selfishness, greed and stupidity.
Are you by any chance related to “just call me Dave”? Isn’t he the one to blame for this whole Brexit mess? Brexit will accelerate global warming due to most of us having a poorer future.
What was the price of petrol when the Oil price per barrel was $120+ ? I seem to recall it was only around £1.30 then. Yes, the price is going up from $40 to $75, but the price seems to be in excess of what it was when the price of oil was double. There hasn’t been the excise duty increases, so how does that work?
Rip off UK. …. I have just returned from a Month in Toronto, Canada. Unleaded petrol is $1.23 [ About £0.72p per Litre ]
Diesel is about 2pence per Litre less. The price fell there by about 2 pence per Litre during the last week, because of the fall in Oil price. Need I say more ??
I believe the supermarkets are doing a crafty one here feeling the pinch on profits so up the fuel prices skim off the top and blame brexit trump and the price of oil someone is trying to pull a fast one here just like our MP’s always on the fiddle.
Remember supermarkets are there to make money and there is no such thing as cheap fuel, also notice how the fuel suppliers never put up there trading figures anymore if they did I think there would be an outcry.
£1.34 a litre at my Sainsburys in Bedfordshire, it has been creeping up over the last few weeks
Yes our local Supermarkets Morrisons and Tescos are first to put up fuel prices..Diesel £1.35/£1.36…Smaller petrol station’s £1.34….Might even be more now Bank holiday…No help to customers at all?…Port Talbot area
What on earth as brexit to do with oil prices ? love an answer if anyone knows, to meself any excuse, always appears to be summer as well, mmmm millions people going on holiday, how much extra’s that in their coffers ? millions financially !!!! corrupt lot across the board ! . guess i’m angry eh, lol
So the tanker arrives at the supermarket and unloads, filling its tanks. The supermarket have paid for that fuel at a price, let’s say £1 per litre.
They sell the fuel for, once again let’s say £1.30
The next day the price is up to £1.32, but it is still using the fuel previously delivered at £1/L.
The price has not gone up, they are still pay the same but selling it more expensively to its customers
Prices should only rise when the company purchasing the fuel actually pay more themselves. Its blatant profiteering.
Time for more fracking.
What a stupid and misleading headline, a 10p increase over three months does not equate to raising prices every day. Prices go up 1p at a time and so that’s a maximum of 10 days worth of increase..
Higher fuel prices less driving.
i have always used supermarket fuel stns because its been cheaper as I am on benifits, but have noticed there prices going up beyond stupidity, but I did use a shell station in Brighouse which at mo there diesel is £1.30.7, where as tescos which is about half a mile away and there diesel is £133.7 from the shell garage. surely its time the government put a cap on it??? otherwise people will not be going out, and shops & supermarkets will loose trade.
How do I find out if my nectar card is valid buying Tu clothes to get the 8ppl off ?
It’s not just supermarkets that raise their prices ad hoc. My local Shell garage which is run by Asian personnel raises the fuel prices between 10ppl & 15ppl every Friday night and then reduces it back again late Monday morning. The nearest supermarket fuel station or any fuel station is approx 7 miles away.
Thought provoking as to why?
What is the use of this info when I get it on 31st may. Already out of date
I agree with the comment made on supermarkets raising prices, a little at a time gets no notice. My area shows a local garage now the cheapest on fuel price.
With increased diesel costs rising every day this will seriously impact on haulage and the leisure markets for this country. Motorhome usage will be cut and every day goods will be more expensive.It is all very well that the U S A places sanctions for political gain on some countries whilst the U S A enjoys very cheap fuel costs.Someone has to sort Trump out with his arrogant stance without a care for the rest of the worlds economies. If fuel prices continue to rise the countries of the world will become less productive and perhaps sanctions or trade tariffs should be placed on American imported goods to cut the U S down to size.From a personal point of view the running of our car and motor home will be much reduced. We will therefor undertake less journeys and only take short trips out.
Also ripping off thecustomer. On a recent visit to cheshire I was charged £1.34.9ppl for diesel at a tesco in Bedfordshire and 2 days later £1.30.9ppl at Tesco in Northwich. (Bedfordshire Tesco still showing same price on return).
Sainsburys’ 10ppl offer expired 3 days before petrolprices.com sent out their email telling us about the Sainsbury offer!
Just got back from a holiday in Myanmar , I noticed at the pumps there in Mandalay the price of fuel for 95ron was. The equivalent of 50p a litre !!!! Makes u wonder where all the extra money goes ? 🤔
This is a very Interesting article. I moved from the UK 2 years ago and now live in Adelaide Australia, were the price of fuel fluctuates almost daily and seems to change mostly up at the whim of retailers, also there is no correlation between petrol and diesel, what is also interesting is the discount from the supermarkets that is an on going thing here but rarely more than 5 cents or less than 3p not much really.