As the law currently stands, filling stations only need to advertise prices on their forecourts, which means drivers must drive between stations to compare prices. However, the CMA’s recommendation of ‘compulsory open data requirements’ would instead force fuel retailers to provide current prices to drivers in an instantly available format that can be used by satnavs or third party mobile phone apps.
Speaking of which, the government is currently working on a mobile app of its own, called PumpWatch. The result of a collaboration between the government and tech companies, as well as the likes of the RAC and AA, PumpWatch will feature data that’s refreshed every 30 minutes, allowing drivers to find the cheapest fuel in their current vicinity.
There is no set date for when PumpWatch will become available to the public; Auto Express has probed the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on this matter, however, it could not confirm whether the app will be released before the end of 2024.
Why is supermarket fuel cheaper than an independent forecourt?
In the past, supermarket forecourts have tended to offer the cheapest fuel prices and this was because of the market power supermarkets hold. Companies like Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons are all in competition with one another, so they have kept fuel prices as low as possible hoping that when motorists come to fill their tank, they might do their weekly grocery shopping, too.
