UK petrol and diesel prices: cost of both fuel types drops

Petrol and diesel prices fell respectively by 3p and 4p for each litre in February, adhering to a drop in the wholesale charge of oil.

The regular value of a litre of unleaded is now 124.02p, although diesel is down to 127.04p for each litre, according to the latest RAC Gas View info. This indicates the charge of filling up an regular 55-litre family car or truck with petrol is now £68.21, or £69.87 for diesel.

The reduction in petrol and diesel prices has been pushed by a $10 (£7.73) slump in the regular value of a barrel of oil above the last nine times of February.

The RAC states that of the key Uk supermarkets, ASDA was the cheapest, featuring petrol for 116.78p for each litre – three.5p less costly than its closest competitor – and diesel for 118.8p for each litre – 4p less costly than its closest competitor.

Northern Ireland experienced the cheapest regional petrol fees – 122.00p for each litre on regular – although the north-east of England experienced the most important lower, with regular pump value falling three.25p for each litre there. The identical was legitimate for diesel – Northern Ireland’s regular pump value was just 124.59p for each litre, although north-east England noticed a four.56p for each litre lower.

At the other close of the scale, petrol and diesel ended up both of those most pricey in the south-east of England, priced at 125.13p and 128.31p for each litre respectively.

RAC gas spokesman Simon Williams mentioned:  “While it is good drivers are benefiting from decrease forecourt prices, in reality the wholesale value is these types of that the major 4 supermarkets, which dominate Uk gas retailing, ought to minimize their prices all over again.

“At the second both of those fuels are 6p a litre too pricey which indicates for petrol we ought to actually be looking at a Uk regular of 118p. Regrettably, we really don’t believe diesel will arrive down to the 2017 value of 119p a litre because of to wholesale prices only dropping to 92p a litre briefly as a final result of oil struggling its most important weekly decline in extra than 4 several years.”

Uk petrol prices

The regular Uk value for a litre of petrol was 124.02p toward the close of February 2020. The cheapest supermarket to purchase from was ASDA, which charged 116.78p for each litre. Northern Ireland is the cheapest Uk location to purchase petrol in, although the south-east of England is the most pricey.

Uk diesel prices

The regular Uk value of a litre of diesel was 127.04p toward the close of February 2020. ASDA was the cheapest supermarket to fill up from the black pump at, charging 118.8p for each litre. Northern Ireland is the cheapest Uk location to purchase petrol in, although south-east England is the most pricey.

What makes up the value of Uk gas?

The value of gas can be divided into 3 sections the taxes imposed by the Govt, the fees of drilling, refining and transporting, and the revenue margins for the gas providers.

For petrol, diesel and bioethanols, the Govt will get all around sixty five for each cent of the overall charge through gas responsibility and worth included tax (VAT). The gas responsibility signifies the set value of gas – it stays the identical irrespective how much overall oil prices fluctuate. Presently, the Treasury provides 57.ninety five pence to each individual litre of gas through gas responsibility, and another 20 for each cent through VAT. How much you shell out in VAT relies upon on how much gas you invest in.

The next most important chunk arrives from the wholesale fees of the gas by itself. The wholesale charge is a combination of currency trade fees, world-wide oil prices, and even domestic offer and demand.

Last but not least, the smallest share of what motorists have to shell out for gas arrives from the filling stations themselves. A usual gas station gains all around 2p-5p for each litre, but tough levels of competition can drive this down further more. Supermarkets increasingly use gas prices as a reduction leader to tempt buyers in.

Why is supermarket gas less costly than an independent forecourt?

Grocery store forecourts normally offer the cheapest gas prices and this is simply because of the market electric power supermarkets hold. Corporations like Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons are all in levels of competition with just one another, so they hold gas prices as small as doable hoping that when motorists arrive to fill their tank, they could possibly do their weekly grocery shopping, too. 

There are persistent rumours that supermarket gas consists of fewer additives and is of lesser quality than gas from standard forecourts, but there is minor tough proof of this. All gas sold in the Uk has to abide by the benchmarks set in the Motor Gas Regulation. 

Why is gas so pricey on motorways?

Motorway gas stations argue the purpose their prices are increased is that several of them are open up 24 hrs a day and offer extra providers than a regular forecourt. Motorway gas stations also shell out superior lease prices for the structures they work.

In extra distant spots, gas is frequently extra pricey simply because of the increased transport and offer fees, but according to RAC gas spokesman Simon Williams, this does not use to motorway stations: “We can see no purpose why motorway gas ought to be so much extra pricey. In fact, arguably it is much easier from a shipping point of watch than it is receiving gas to city filling stations.”

Why is diesel extra pricey than petrol?

While diesel and petrol are taxed the identical by the Treasury, traditionally diesel has been extra pricey than petrol, as domestic refineries have struggled to fulfill demand. This has forced the Uk to import diesel from other countries at a better amount than petrol. In addition, diesel prices are pushed up by the charge of the additives that go into the gas.

On top of that, the gap in between Uk petrol and diesel prices widens during the winter. The close of the US “driving season” indicates vendors have a surplus of petrol they can not export, so they market it listed here at a decrease value. Diesel demand, meanwhile, will increase throughout continental Europe, the place the gas is commonly used in heating oil.

On the other hand, the influx of inexpensive diesel from countries like Saudi Arabia has turned the tide, swinging diesel wholesale prices closer to that of petrol, and bringing the pump value down with it.

What’s your watch on gas prices in the Uk? Do we shell out too much for our petrol and diesel? What would you do about it? Sign up for the discussion in our opinions part under…