Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's drivers told to avoid forecourt at 'midday and 5pm'

Motorists can pay “lower prices” at fuel stations across the UK by making an easy change to their schedule. Rebecca Bebbington, personal finance expert at NetVoucherCodes, warned petrol and diesel owners could “take advantage” of better prices by topping up their vehicle at certain times of the day.

Rebecca said: “Petrol prices can fluctuate throughout the day, with prices typically lower during off-peak hours. Try to fill up your tank early in the morning or late at night to take advantage of potentially lower prices. Avoid peak times such as midday and after 5pm when the majority of the country finishes work.”

Martin Lewis explained: “Talk of filling up at night getting you more is a slight urban myth, as the difference is minuscule – pennies at best. Fuel pumps are calibrated by volume, so fill up at night when it's colder and you get a tiny, tiny bit extra.”

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It comes after the UK's largest supermarkets addressed why petrol prices were different at different locations. A Tesco spokesperson said: “We regularly monitor fuel prices throughout a local area to ensure we’re providing competitive prices for our customers.”

A Morrisons spokesperson said: "Morrisons operates a local pricing policy on fuel. This is standard for petrol retailers as is noted in the Competition and Markets Authority Road Fuel Review published on 8 July 2022: 'Competition between road fuel retailers principally takes place at a local level. In particular, retailers typically set prices based on what others in their local area are charging with some aiming to match or undercut their rivals.'"

A Sainsbury's spokesperson said: "Pump prices differ throughout the UK (including outlets owned by the same company) for a range of reasons, including the cost of fuel, VAT, fuel duty and the dynamics of local competition.

“We work hard to ensure our petrol stations remain competitive within their local area. For instance, we run promotions on fuel, including bonus Nectar points and money off per litre when spending a qualifying amount in our stores.”