Supermarkets forced to publish live fuel prices to cut costs

Supermarkets and different fuel retailers can be forced to publish live prices below a brand new scheme geared toward stopping them overcharging, the federal government says.

It comes after Britons had been discovered to have paid an additional 6p per litre for fuel at supermarkets final 12 months as weak competitors allow them to cost extra.

Under the scheme drivers can be in a position to evaluate up-to-date prices on-line to allow them to discover the most cost effective choice.

Driving teams say the thought, which is used elsewhere in Europe, is overdue.

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps mentioned it might change the regulation to power retailers to share this data.

A brand new “fuel monitor” oversight physique will even be arrange to scrutinise prices on an ongoing foundation.

“We’ll shine a light on rip-off retailers to drive down prices and make sure they’re held to account by putting into law new powers to increase transparency,” Mr Shapps mentioned.

Petrol and diesel prices spiked to document highs within the rapid aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine however have dropped considerably since then.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been investigating the UK fuel market following issues that falling wholesale prices are usually not being handed on to customers.

According to the watchdog, supermarkets had been normally the most cost effective place for fuel however competitors was “not working as well as it should be”.

CMA boss Sarah Cardell advised the BBC: “We’ve seen retail margins increase over the last few years. And that means that motorists are paying more at the pump than they would be if competition was working really well.”

The RAC’s spokesman, Simon Williams, mentioned the additional costs for customers had been “nothing short of astounding in a cost-of-living crisis and confirms what we’ve been saying for many years that supermarkets haven’t been treating drivers fairly at the pumps”.

Asda – which was individually fined £60,000 by the CMA for failing to present data in a well timed method to the investigation – mentioned it was nonetheless the most cost effective conventional grocery store for fuel.

Morrisons mentioned its pricing was “extremely competitive”, whereas Tesco mentioned it was dedicated to offering “great value”.

All of them have welcomed the thought of a worth transparency scheme, of which a profitable instance is already in place and mentioned to be reducing prices in Northern Ireland.

The authorities mentioned that below its new initiative, drivers would find a way to entry live, station-by-station fuel prices on their telephones or satnavs.

At current, retailers solely present worth data at petrol stations themselves, making it laborious to evaluate charges, though some web sites attempt to collate this information.

But the AA mentioned it had been calling for any such worth monitoring since at the least 2012, when it first investigated related schemes in Austria and Denmark.

“Sadly, it has taken more than 15 years for a government and competition watchdog to recognise this and do something about it,” mentioned AA spokesman Luke Bodset.

Nevertheless, Mr Bodset mentioned entry to live pricing could be a “huge leap forward” and wishes to be in place by the tip of the 12 months.

“Drivers will be drawn to the cheaper fuel stations and that will pressure other forecourts to bring down their prices, thus stimulating the level of competition that has been missing for the past three years.”

As of Monday, unleaded petrol costs on common 143.86p per litre whereas diesel costs 145.54p, in accordance to RAC information.

That is down sharply from the document highs seen final July, however nonetheless above pre-pandemic tendencies.

The CMA can be investigating complaints that supermarkets are usually not passing on falling meals prices to customers.