Fuel Watch is RAC's gasoline and diesel price monitoring initiative, helping to ensure that retailers charge drivers a fair price at service stations.
We monitor wholesale and retail fuel prices on a daily basis, including those of UK supermarkets (Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Morrisons), and urge retailers to pass cost savings on to drivers where they can.
What are the current fuel prices?
The prices above are the most recent average prices for petrol, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) at UK supermarkets and independent yards and are updated daily when data is available. The data is provided without warranty.
For the latest RAC fuel price analysis, pleasevisit the RAC Fuel Watch section of our media center.A guide tounderstand fuel pricesis also available.
How have prices changed over time?
- For your complete peace of mind, getDetailed coverage of RAChoy
- a guide tounderstand fuel prices
- Read our ultimate guide onhow to save fuel
What constitutes the cost of a liter of fuel?
The price of gasoline and diesel at the pump is governed by the wholesale prices of fuels, which in turn are affected by:
- the world price of crude oil
- crude supply and demand
- oil refinery production and capacity
- the pound to dollar exchange rate, as refined fuel is sold in US dollars per metric ton
- distribution costs
- margin fuel retailers decide to take
- fuel tax levied by the government, currently 52.95 pence per liter
- VAT charged at the end of each fuel transaction at the shipyard, currently at 20%
While some of them remain fairly static, such as the fuel tax rate and VAT, others, such as the price of oil and the dollar-pound exchange rate, can be highly volatile. This explains why prices go up and down. A combination of high oil prices and a weak sterling lead to higher prices at the pump.
How can I find the cheapest gasoline and diesel near me?
- Check out the latest RAC Fuel Watch Average Price. This is displayed at the top of this page. Always try not to pay more than this average price when you refuel
- drive efficiently.This is the best way to save money on fuel, and you can read ourfuel economy guidefor more tips
- Discover the cheapest gas stations where you live. And look beyond supermarkets: some independent retailers can also be cost competitive.
- Consider credit card refundsSome credit card companies offer cash back for spending money at gas stations. While it may not save you money at the pump, it will offset higher gas or diesel prices by putting something back on your bill. Remember to pay your bill within the month or your savings will be cancelled.
Questions and answers about the price of gasoline.
What are the highest petrol and diesel prices ever recorded in the UK?
Average UK petrol and diesel prices reached regular daily records in June 2022 – around 191 pence per liter for petrol and 199 pence per liter for diesel. At these prices, the UK government tax was around 43-44% of the total price drivers paid.
How far can fuel prices go down?
There is a limit to how low UK fuel prices can be, as taxes (fuel tax plus VAT charged on the total price) make up the bulk of the price of a liter. Even if the fuel was donated and the retailers made no profit (earned a margin), the price per liter would still include taxes and VAT.
This high level of taxes significantly affects the price of a liter of fuel. And when the price of oil is falling, it can also create the perception that gas station prices are not going down as much as they should be, because the lower the gas station prices, the higher the tax rate. The Government also earns more in VAT when fuel prices are higher.
How does the price of oil change?
Here is a graph showing how the price of oil has changed over the years. Generally speaking, higher oil prices lead to higher petrol and diesel prices at UK yards and, in theory at least, lower oil prices should lead to cheaper prices at the pump. But there are other variables that affect what we pay when we fill up, including the strength of the pound sterling against the US dollar (since oil is traded in dollars) and the willingness of retailers to pass on the savings they earn from wholesale to drivers. elderly. .
How is fuel taxed?
The total retail price paid at the pump includes a significant amount of tax: currently 52.95 pence per liter in fuel tax and 20% VAT.
But the total proportion of taxes that we pay to the Treasury varies with the price of the bomb. For example, with fuel at 120 pence a liter at the pumps, 65% of the cost is levied. But at £1 a pint it goes up to 75%, meaning 75p of every pint sold goes to the Treasury.
Fuel tax raises over £26bn a year which, together with the VAT collected on fuel, vehicle tax and 'showroom' tax totals, means drivers contribute more than £40 billion a year into government coffers.
How often do UK pump prices change?
Prices at the pump change when there are significant and sustained increases or decreases in the wholesale price of gasoline or diesel. Retailers can reflect these savings as often as they like.
In reality though the retail fuel market tends to be led by supermarkets as despite only having around 16% of UK stock parks they account for around 44% of total fuel sales. at the same time.
The other factor that affects when garage prices change is how often retailers buy your fuel. Retailers that use higher volumes tend to shop more frequently and therefore tend to change their prices more quickly.
What is the 'rocket and feather' effect and is it true?
This is a term that is often applied to fuel prices to describe how they always seem to rise faster than ever before, i.e. they go up like a rocket but down like a feather.
Prior to 2020, the RAC believed that retailers had a reasonable track record of passing wholesale fuel price reductions to drivers at the pump, but there have been times when we thought this could be done more quickly.
For example, retailers often seem more willing to cut their prices when oil prices are falling than when oil is going the other way.
Of course, the longer they take to bring prices down at the pump when oil is falling, the better for their margins, and the reverse is also true: when the cost of a barrel of oil goes up, the more they stand to lose if the price doesn't go up. from the yard quickly.
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Why do prices vary by region?
Petrol and diesel prices in the UK can vary drastically from region to region and even in cities just a few miles away.
Fuel can sometimes be even cheaper in a more rural location than in an urban one.
Local retail dynamics also play a role. Local prices are often driven by the presence of supermarkets keen to compete on price or by an independent retailer determined to offer the cheapest fuel. If the local supermarkets that sell fuel do not compete strongly on price, this may lead drivers to pay more.
Why are rural prices usually higher?
While delivery costs tend not to play a large role in the overall price of the pump, excessive distances from fuel terminals can have a significant effect on prices in rural areas.
That is why the Government has already taken measures to help some of the most rural communities in the country, where it is considered that the price of fuels is negatively affecting residents.
In 2012, it introduced a 5p rural fuel tax refund in the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles and the Isles of Scilly. In March 2015, it was extended to 10 rural communities on the continent.
How do UK fuel prices compare to the rest of Europe?
See our separate comprehensive guide forGasoline and diesel prices in Europe.
How many patios are there in the UK?
According to the UK Petroleum Industry Association (UKPIA), there are around 8,300 service stations. This number has dropped dramatically since the 1970s when there were over 37,000.
Supermarkets dominate fuel sales, despite operating only about a fifth of yards. Independents, on the other hand, operate around two-thirds of the country's service stations, but account for just over a third of all fuel sold. The rest is accounted for on sites owned by the supplying oil company, whose name appears on the brand label (Shell, BP, Esso, Total, etc). As of 2022, Shell reportedly had 1,123 sites in the UK and operated 526 of them, meaning the other 597 were independently run.
How much petrol and diesel is sold in the UK?
The UKPIA reports that 46 million liters of petrol and 74 million liters of diesel are sold in the UK every day.
According to HM Revenue and Customs data for 2019, drivers used 44 billion liters of fuel: 28 billion liters of diesel and 16 billion liters of petrol.
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Would you be better off in an electric car?
Very possible. While electricity prices can, and do, if you're in a pure battery electric vehicle and can charge it at home, oil price changes won't affect the cost of running your car. Check out our comprehensive tips and guides onchoosing, charging and operating an electric car. RAC also established the UK's first price monitor for fast charging for an electric car:RAC Load Clock.
More from RAC Fuel Watch
If you would like more information or have any questions regarding UK petrol or diesel prices, please contact us.email to the RAC press office.
Looking to save money on refilling? read ourdefinitive guide on how to save fuel.
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FAQs
How much is a gallon of diesel in the UK 2022? ›
Diesel prices: We show prices for United Kingdom from 17-Oct-2022 to 23-Jan-2023. The average value for United Kingdom during that period was 1.82 U.K. Pound Sterling with a minimum of 1.71 U.K. Pound Sterling on 23-Jan-2023 and a maximum of 1.90 U.K. Pound Sterling on 31-Oct-2022.
Will diesel prices go down in 2022 UK? ›The CMA report stated: "2022 is the most volatile year for fuel prices since reliable records began. Prices rose by around 50p a litre from January to July, the largest leap in fuel prices ever recorded in one year, before falling by 31p for petrol and 14p for diesel since."
Will petrol and diesel prices go down UK? ›RAC Fuel Watch forecasts that petrol, diesel and super unleaded prices should “fall sharply” in the coming days and weeks, following months of gradually dropping costs. On average, drivers are seeing petrol prices at 152.18p per litre, as diesel remains higher than super unleaded (168.95p) at almost £1.75.
How much is a gallon of petrol UK 2022? ›The latest fuel prices, as of 19 December 2022, are 152.96p for petrol and 175.75p for diesel.
How much is 1 gallon of diesel in USA? ›...
USA Diesel prices, 23-Jan-2023.
| USA Diesel prices | Litre | Gallon |
|---|---|---|
| USD | 1.216 | 4.603 |
| EUR | 1.119 | 4.236 |
...
USA Gasoline prices, 23-Jan-2023.
| USA Gasoline prices | Litre | Gallon |
|---|---|---|
| USD | 0.988 | 3.740 |
| EUR | 0.909 | 3.441 |
Supplies of crude oil are already fairly tight. But the bottleneck is much more acute when it comes to turning that raw commodity into fuels like diesel and gasoline. That's partly a function of the pandemic, after lockdowns destroyed demand and forced refiners to close some of their least profitable plants.
Is diesel in short supply UK? ›The areas most affected by diesel shortages are in the southeast of England, but motorists have reported not being able to find diesel at fuel stations in regions such as Birmingham, the Black Country, Worcestershire, and Staffordshire.
Is diesel going to run out in the UK? ›The new car talk may be all about EVs, but petrol and diesel cars are not going to vanish from the roads anytime soon. We look at the future for filling them up. The UK will ban the sale of new petrol or diesel cars from 2030 and plug-in hybrids from 2035.
Is the UK fuel shortage over? ›Although the UK did not have a shortage of fuel, the panic buying of fuel combined with supply chain issues caused by the media and the HGV driver shortage led to many petrol stations running out of fuel. By 22 October 2021, fuel station stocks were at their highest level since May.
How long will petrol and diesel be available in the UK? ›
All new conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans are set to be banned from sale in the UK in 2030. New hybrids will be given a stay of execution until 2035, on the condition they are capable of covering a "significant distance" in zero-emission mode - a term which the Government has yet to define.
Is the UK petrol shortage over? ›In the UK, there is no fuel shortage. Issues are arising due to campaign groups blocking petrol from being transported to petrol stations - so queues have formed at some petrol stations, and some have run out of fuel, as they have not been able to have their usual regular deliveries.
How much is 1 gallon of petrol in the UK? ›...
United Kingdom Gasoline prices, 23-Jan-2023.
| United Kingdom Gasoline prices | Litre | Gallon |
|---|---|---|
| GBP | 1.482 | 5.610 |
| USD | 1.835 | 6.946 |
| EUR | 1.688 | 6.390 |
Supermarkets. Supermarket prices for unleaded now average 150.7 p/litre. The gap between supermarket prices and the UK average for unleaded has increased to 2.5 p/litre.
Is diesel cheaper in USA or UK? ›Over the past 2½ years diesel prices in the States are on average 54% lower than they are in the UK and petrol prices are on average 43% lower in the US. The reason it is so much cheaper to fill up in the States is they pay less than a ¼ of the tax we pay on our fuel.
How much is gallon of gas in Canada? ›...
Canada Gasoline prices, 16-Jan-2023.
| Canada Gasoline prices | Litre | Gallon |
|---|---|---|
| USD | 1.242 | 4.701 |
| EUR | 1.151 | 4.357 |
In the US, prices are far lower than most large economies because of comparably light taxes at the federal and state level. “It's been a priority of the public for decades now to have inexpensive fuel and gasoline,” said Garrett Golding, senior business economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.
Is petrol more expensive in UK than USA? ›Britain has the sixth most expensive fuel and drivers pay 77p more a litre than in the US.
Is petrol cheaper in Canada or USA? ›Gas is always cheaper in the US than Canada, for a variety of reasons, one of which is taxes. Simply enter the town or city you are looking for prices. Note that gas is sold in litres in Canada. One US gallon = 3.79 litres.
Which country has the highest gas prices? ›...
The Ripple Effect.
Does the US export diesel fuel? ›
Out of the total estimated U.S. 18 million barrels per day refining capacity, just about 3.5 million barrels per day of gasoline, diesel, and other refined products are exported, the U.S. refiners said.
How much longer will diesel be available? ›But the end is in sight, as the government has declared that sales of petrol and diesel cars will end in 2030. Some car industry observers think this is ambitious, but either way, in a few years years, there won't be many diesel cars on sale. They will survive beyond that, but by 2050 they could well be a rarity.
Why is there no diesel 2022 UK? ›From 1 April 2022, red diesel became illegal for most vehicles. The change mostly affects businesses, rather than individual drivers, and is intended to promote the use of more sustainable fuels as part of the UK's 2050 climate change targets.
Is there a shortage of diesel in Europe? ›Europe is especially vulnerable to supply disruption in the coming months because it has so little diesel in storage now. High natural gas prices and rising emissions allowance costs have made oil refining far more expensive over the last year, which gave companies an incentive to use what they had stored.
Why is there no diesel in London? ›All of Britain's diesel cars are allowed to be driven in London, but around 9.5 million of them don't meet the latest Euro 6 emissions standards. These cars will incur the £12.50 daily ULEZ charge if they are driven in the zone. London is looking to introduce a zero-emission zone in 2025.
What year will diesel be banned? ›New models would be zero-emission in 2024, while diesel and gas drayage trucks must retire after 18 years to guarantee that they meet a zero-emission requirement by 2035.
Where does the US get its diesel fuel? ›Most of the diesel fuel produced and consumed in the United States is refined from crude oil at petroleum refineries. U.S. petroleum refineries produce an average of 11 to 12 gallons of diesel fuel from each 42-gallon (U.S.) barrel of crude oil. The United States also produces and consumes biomass-based diesel fuels.
Can I still drive my diesel car after 2030? ›Yes! As this ban will only affect new cars, you will still be able to drive a used petrol or diesel car after 2030. There will not be a requirement for you to scrap or sell your car straight away and move to hybrid or electric cars. Instead, you will only need to change to an alternative fuel car when you're ready.
Why is there no petrol in the UK right now? ›Basically, the petrol shortage kicked off largely because of HGV driver shortages. It's a Europe-wide problem, but the effects are currently being felt especially keenly in the UK.
Why are people panic buying petrol? ›Concerns are growing and panic buying is starting due to worries about fuel shortages due to the expected war with Russia and Ukriane.
Why is there a fuel shortage again UK? ›
UK drivers, fleet managers, and retailers will struggle to forget the fuel crisis of 2021, when the triple threat of Brexit, COVID-19 and the ensuing HGV driver shortage led the British public to panic buy until the pumps ran dry, writes Descartes' Head of Marketing, Andrew Tavener.
Can I still drive my diesel car after 2030 in UK? ›You'll still be able to drive fuel cars
The 2030 ban only affects the sale of new petrol and diesel cars. So you won't find them in showrooms anymore, but they won't be banned from the roads — and you'll still be able to buy them second hand.
Can I still buy a second-hand petrol or diesel car after 2030? Like the above, the ban only affects the sale of new vehicles, so you'll still be able to buy and sell used petrol or diesel cars after 2030. For the same reason, you'll also be able to buy and sell used hybrids after 2035, too.
Is diesel still available after 2040? ›You will still be able to drive a petrol or diesel car following the ban in 2040. The restriction only affects new cars registered after that date. Cars registered after 2040 will have to be 0 emissions vehicles.
When did UK stop selling petrol in gallons? ›Anyhow, there was then a kind of weird mix of petrol stations selling in litres, gallons or both until 1 January 1995, when the old measurement was officially phased out.
Is gas cheaper in UK or USA? ›| Country | Price as of Nov. 21 in USD per gallon |
|---|---|
| Turkey | $4.08 |
| Ukraine | $5.15 |
| United Kingdom | $7.35 |
| United States | $3.90 |
UK gasoline prices are as much as $3 per gallon higher than in the U.S. Taxes in the UK account for 46% of the retail price of gasoline.
How much is $1 US in England? ›1 USD = 0.809243 GBP Jan 27, 2023 15:55 UTC
Check the currency rates against all the world currencies here. The currency converter below is easy to use and the currency rates are updated frequently.
- Venezuela. Venezuela, while overall a rather impoverished nation, is rich in oil reserves and fossil fuels, and uses that particular wealth to provide their people with virtually free gasoline. ...
- Libya. ...
- Iran. ...
- Angola. ...
- Algeria. ...
- Kuwait. ...
- Turkmenistan. ...
- Egypt.
| Price | Day | |
|---|---|---|
| Brent | 86.41 | -1.21% |
| Natural gas | 2.85 | 0.08% |
| Gasoline | 2.58 | -1.19% |
| Heating Oil | 3.27 | -3.86% |
How much is a gallon of gas in China? ›
...
China Gasoline prices, 23-Jan-2023.
| China Gasoline prices | Litre | Gallon |
|---|---|---|
| USD | 1.207 | 4.569 |
| EUR | 1.110 | 4.202 |
| Pence per litre | % of total cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel duty | 52.95 | 31% |
| VAT @ 20% | 28.38 | 17% |
| Average retail price | 170.29 | |
| Total tax | 81.33 |
Diesel is now 17p a litre more expensive than petrol at an average of 180.22p while petrol is selling for an average of 162.96p across the UK. Over the past two decades diesel has, on average, only cost around 5p per litre more than petrol.
Why are UK diesel prices so high? ›Why is diesel more expensive than petrol? Although diesel and petrol are taxed the same by the Treasury, historically diesel has been more expensive than petrol, as domestic refineries have struggled to meet demand. This has forced the UK to import diesel from other countries at a greater rate than petrol.
Is diesel cheaper in USA than UK? ›Over the past 2½ years diesel prices in the States are on average 54% lower than they are in the UK and petrol prices are on average 43% lower in the US. The reason it is so much cheaper to fill up in the States is they pay less than a ¼ of the tax we pay on our fuel.
How much is petrol and diesel in UK? ›| Highest | Average | |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 185.9p | 148.7p |
| Diesel | 202.9p | 171.0p |