Warning issued to drivers buying fuel at Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, Sainsbury's this weekend

James Rodger
·2-min read
Warning issued to drivers buying fuel at Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, Sainsbury's this weekend
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, Sainsbury's motorists are still paying more than they should for fuel, the watchdog has warned. Drivers are paying more than they should for petrol and diesel even as global energy market prices have fallen in recent months, the competition watchdog has warned.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) repeated its call for the new government to take action “as soon as possible” to end the “persistent” overcharging. The CMA’s latest report, released on Thursday, found that “weak competition” in the market meant that retailers had not passed on the falling cost of energy.

Issuing a warning to Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, Sainsbury's motorists filling up in the coming days, Dan Turnbull, a senior director at the CMA, said: “While fuel prices have fallen since July, drivers are paying more for fuel than they should be as they continue to be squeezed by stubbornly high fuel margins.”

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“We therefore remain concerned about weak competition in the sector and the impact on pump prices,” Turnbull said. The CMA said the persistence in elevated margins emphasised the importance of implementing its recommendations to government “as soon as possible”.

The AA motoring group described the findings as “depressing” and warned that pump prices were beginning to rise heading into winter. The average petrol price climbed to 135.9p a litre this week, or more than 2p higher than the low point in October, according to the AA.

Luke Bosdet, the AA’s spokesperson on road fuel prices, said: “Wholesale costs have gone back up to levels seen in late September yet petrol’s current average pump price has not only increased in line but risen further. The fuel trade clearly faces overhead pressures from higher wages, national insurance contributions and increased electricity bills. However, the key question is what is a reasonable addition to the pump price to cover that?”

“These measures will empower drivers to find the cheapest fuel prices wherever they are in the UK, increase competition and support the economy – the more people save on fuel, the more they have to spend in other areas,” Turnbull said.

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