Thirty-party fuel-price apps and websites can access data from the Fuel Finder database (Credits: Nicholas.T.Ansell/PA Wire)
A major change is happening for motorists from today – and it all relates to the price of fuel.
From Monday, February 2, all filling stations are required to report their prices within 30 minutes of a change.
This is because UK fuel retailers are now required by law to report pump price changes to a Government scheme, in a bid to make it easier for drivers to find cheaper petrol and diesel.
Thirty-party fuel-price apps and websites can access data from the Fuel Finder database.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said last month that ‘the focus will be on supporting businesses to comply with the new regime rather than enforcement action’ until the start of May.
How does it work?
There isn’t a specific app the government has put out for it. Instead, pre-existing apps – such as PetrolPrices, AA My RAC and Waze – can use the open source data to map out and compare prices across the UK.
Petrol is currently 131.91p per litre, which is the lowest price since July 2021, according to the RAC motoring group. A litre of diesel is 140.97p.
Why is the change coming in now?
Creating a Government-backed Fuel Finder was one of the recommendations of competition regulator the Competition and Markets Authority in July 2023 after a detailed study of the sector.
AA president Edmund King: ‘For too long, UK drivers have been hostage to the whims of fuel retailers and not being able to see that a far-lower pump price could be found just down the road.
‘Fuel station owners who priced below the artificially high levels of nearby rivals but had little way of getting that message out to potential customers now have the means to do so.
People can now find where the best place is to purchase fuel thanks to the new changes (Photo by Anna Barclay/Getty Images)
‘Like in Austria, France and other parts of Europe, the AA believes a shake-up of UK pump prices will happen.
‘Drivers will view them on mobile phones and smart devices … and will eventually choose where to buy cheaper fuel at the most convenient place by looking at the information screens in their cars.’
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: ‘We hope this is the start of the journey to cheaper fuel prices around the UK.
‘The Government has set up this scheme with the intention of increasing competition among retailers to give drivers better value at the pumps.
‘As a growing number of the country’s 8,300 forecourts submit their prices on a daily basis, drivers will be able to easily find the cheapest forecourts near them using their favoured app or sat nav.’
This article was originally published on October 23 and has since been updated.
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