Cheapest supermarket fuel revealed as prices see largest spike in months despite tax freeze & they’re set to rise again

THE cheapest supermarkets to get your petrol from have been revealed as prices saw the biggest spike in months.

Data from RAC Fuel Watch found that the average price of petrol rose by almost 3% in February alone, while diesel saw a 3.3% hike.

PA:Press AssociationFuel prices saw their largest hike in months in February[/caption]

APThe increase came despite fuel duty being frozen – a policy extended in the Spring Budget[/caption]

The average price has risen to 144.01p per litre for petrol and 152.57p per litre for diesel, the organisation added.

This represents a hike of around 15% and 23% respectively since this time three years ago, despite a freeze in fuel duty.

The Chancellor extended that free in his Spring Budget, crediting the efforts of The Sun’s Keep It Down campaign.

But he didn’t go so far as cutting the levy, which is applied makes up roughly a third of the per litre price of petrol and diesel, while also being subject to 20% VAT as part of the overall cost of a tank.

The RAC keeps a running average of supermarket fuel prices, showing which franchise is offering customers the best rates.

This compares four major fuel providers: Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons.

According to the latest analysis, the average petrol price across all four was 143.0p

Asda topped the list as the most expensive at an average of 143.7p, followed by Morrisons at 143.5p.

On the lower end, Sainsbury’s came in under the general average at 142.7p.

But it was Tesco that was crowned the cheapest, with a 142.2p average price.

Across an average 50l tank, that could see shoppers saving up to 85p each time they fill up.

And it was the same story when it came to diesel prices, with Asda on top at an average of 152.9p followed by Morrisons and Sainsbury’s, with Tesco cheapest at 151.2p.

However, drivers can be stung by regional inequalities in fuel prices, with a “postcode lottery” seeing some pay well over the odds.

For example, petrol prices in London are 1p per litre above the UK-wide average and more than 6p over rates in Northern Ireland.

Likewise, for diesel, Londoners are shelling out almost 2p over the national average and over 5p more than the people of Northern Ireland.

This regional gap also extends to the supermarkets, with large disparities between the cheapest and most expensive forecourts operating under the same brand, according to the RAC’s figures.

For example, drivers visiting Asda stations in different parts of the country could see prices vary by up to 18p per litre on average – working out to around £9 per tank.

Here again, Tesco came out on top, with an average difference of just 7p, compared to 11p at Sainsbury’s and 13.2p at Morrisons.

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “Our data shows that in February, drivers endured the highest monthly average fuel price increases since September 2023.

“Frighteningly, at the end of February, there was an 18p difference between the country’s cheapest supermarket unleaded and the dearest, and for diesel it was 21p.

“To put this into context, it means the cost of filling a family-sized car can be up to £10 more expensive in one part of the country than another

“We hope that the eventual introduction of the monitoring body recommended by the Competition and Markets Authority will help to bring an end to this postcode lottery that treats drivers so unfairly.”

What’s especially galling is the continuing difference in price between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

“On average fuel is 5p cheaper there, with big retailers appearing happy to operate on thinner margins per litre.

GettyTesco forecourts were found to be the cheapest for both petrol and diesel[/caption]