New Fuel Finder Scheme helps petrol and diesel price comparison

Drivers can now compare fuel prices from every petrol station in the UK, thanks to the new Fuel Finder scheme. It’s designed to make fuel costs more transparent and to encourage greater competition between forecourts.

Beginning recently, every garage and fuel station must report its petrol and diesel prices to a central government database within thirty minutes of any change. This data is then made available to apps and websites for motorists.

This means that apps such as PetrolPrices, fuelGenie, Waze, MyRAC, My Automate and the AA app, as well as some in-car navigation systems and online map services, can now pull in up‑to‑date pricing. PetrolPrices is generally considered the most comprehensive, covering 1,350 fuel stations and includes reviews. 

Motoring groups say that there can be differences of up to 20p per litre depending on where in the country petrol or diesel is bought. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has also observed that fuel retail prices tend to ‘rise like a rocket but fall like a feather’ in relation to the costs of crude oil, and went on to say that the new Fuel Finder scheme will allow ‘drivers to find the best deals and spur competition as fuel retailers compete for customers’.

If your business involves regular travel, consistently using one of these comparison options could be a simple way to reduce your fuel costs.