RAC says diesel drivers are being ‘ripped-off’ as wholesale costs cheaper than petrol for months

Diesel drivers are being “ripped-off” on the pumps to the tune of round 16p per litre, in keeping with a motoring group.

The RAC, together with others, has lengthy argued that British motorists and companies are paying over the percentages for the gasoline – the engine behind the UK economic system – fanning the flames of inflation and the price of residing disaster within the course of.

RAC Gasoline Watch evaluation confirmed diesel was 6p a litre cheaper than petrol on the wholesale market on the finish of final month.

The typical pump value, nevertheless, stood at 159.43p whereas petrol was unchanged at 146.5p.

Whereas the report famous a 4p-per-litre drop for diesel at forecourts throughout April it stated costs in Northern Eire, the place there’s a gasoline value transparency mechanism in place, had been extra sensible at 147.47p.

It believed drivers needs to be paying round 143p “on the very most” for a litre of diesel.

Gasoline retailers have lengthy been accused of being fast to boost costs when wholesale prices spike and gradual to scale back them to replicate decrease prices.

UK drivers confronted report gasoline payments final 12 months when Russia’s struggle in Ukraine drove up the price of oil.

Gasoline grew to become a significant driver of inflation, which hit a 41-year excessive final autumn.

Prices have solely slowly eased as oil costs have come down from their June 2022 peak and supermarkets, which used to cleared the path on gasoline value cuts, signalled final 12 months that the times of low-cost gasoline had been over as they focus their firepower on meals worth as a result of squeeze on family budgets.

Nevertheless, gasoline promotions are as soon as extra being utilized by shops as lures for cash-strapped customers.

The RAC stated grocery store diesel was 2.75p cheaper than the nationwide common value whereas the determine stood at 3.5p for unleaded.

Motoring teams and marketing campaign teams have lengthy argued for higher transparency over the value of petrol however a Competitors and Markets Authority report final 12 months primarily gave retailers a clear invoice of well being.

RAC gasoline spokesman Simon Williams stated: “We really feel there needs to be an obligation on retailers to replicate wholesale value actions on their forecourts.

“Sadly, the one place this appears to occur is in Northern Eire the place a litre of diesel is, extremely, being bought for 12p lower than the UK-wide common.

“Our knowledge exhibits that the typical retailer margin on a litre of diesel is a surprising 22p a litre in comparison with petrol which is round 8p.

“The long-term averages for each fuels is 7p which implies retailers are making thrice what they’ve previously for diesel. That is exhausting for them to justify and equally exhausting for diesel drivers to swallow.

“Motion at a authorities stage is badly wanted to cease drivers being ripped off any longer.”

Gordon Balmer, government director of the Petrol Retailers Affiliation which represents impartial operators, responded: “The impartial sector accounts for about 36% market share by gasoline sale whereas the supermarkets are market leaders at 45%.

“On account of their market share, supermarkets are value leaders and in lots of instances our members will use them as markers for pump costs when working in the identical space.

“This dynamic is now shifting, with many commentators noting that impartial forecourts are more and more providing extra aggressive costs.”

A spokesperson for the British Retail Consortium, which represents the key retailers, stated: “The value of diesel has been falling constantly all through 2023 as retailers intention to supply their clients with the most effective worth for cash.”