RAC: November makes it four months of lower petrol prices

• Supermarket petrol 4.7p a litre cheaper than UK average as other retailers fail to pass on wholesale price savings
• Unleaded and diesel fall by half a pence a litre in November – but prices should be coming down further

November made it four months of successive reductions in the average price of UK petrol, with a litre of unleaded falling half a pence (0.48p) to 125.93p.

RAC Fuel Watch* data also shows that a litre of diesel fell by a similar amount from 130.27p to 129.83p. Diesel has fallen for three out of the last four months; it increased slightly in September when petrol fell. 

Since the beginning of August (5 August – 129.24p) the average price of petrol across all UK forecourts has dropped by 3.31p a litre. The diesel reduction was a penny less at 2.21p falling from 132.04p.

As a result, the cost of filling a 55-litre family car with unleaded is now £1.82 a tank cheaper than early August and a diesel fill-up is £1.21 less. In November a tank of both fuels fell by 25p to £69.26 for petrol and £71.41 for diesel.

The average price supermarket price of unleaded at the end of November was 121.20p, down 1.74p in the month, and diesel is 125.15p, down 1.41p. Both fuels at supermarkets are now 4.7p a litre cheaper than the UK average. 

At the end of November Asda was selling the cheapest petrol at 119.70p – 1.77p lower than its nearest rival Tesco. It was also the cheapest on diesel with a litre 1.68p cheaper than Tesco. Sainsbury and Morrisons were around 2p more expensive than Asda on diesel.

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “Due to savings in the wholesale price of both fuels Asda led a round of supermarket fuel cuts in late November which the other three major retailers followed. 

“Despite this knocking off about a penny and half from the average price of fuel charged at the four big supermarkets, the UK average only reduced very slightly. This implies that other retailers haven’t followed the supermarkets lead and are not passing on savings in the wholesale price. This is bad news for drivers as it means they are losing out every time they fill up.

“Normally, the supermarkets are about 3p a litre cheaper than other retailers so seeing this go out to 4.7p is definitely a sign something’s different. If drivers are aware of this difference, it’s only going to lead to them heading to the cheaper supermarket forecourts and the smaller retailers losing more market share to their bigger rivals who are already responsible for selling 45% of all fuel.

“Looking at the wholesale price of both petrol and diesel retailers of all sizes should be cutting at the pump. As it stands, unleaded should come down by 5p a litre and diesel by 4p. We would like to think retailers are about to pass these saving on in the expensive run-up to Christmas.”

The price of oil fluctuated throughout November from a low of $61.96 to a high of $65.37 at the start, averaging $62.91. The pound dollar exchange rate changed very little over the month, starting and finishing at $1.29.

Simon Williams added: “As for what’s likely to happen with fuel prices going into next year, much will depend on the outcome of OPEC’s (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) meetings on Thursday and Friday. As it stands the organization’s deal with Russia and other non-OPEC countries to cut supply by 1.2m barrels a day runs out at the end of March. 

“With Brent crude trading consistently around the $60 mark the chances are the current agreement will be extended to the middle of next year when OPEC meets again. But there are concerns about weakened demand, with the ongoing trade dispute between the US and China still not resolved coupled with the US still producing strongly due to the continued contribution of its fracking rigs.”

Regional fuel price variation

Regional average unleaded pump prices

Regional average diesel pump prices

Motorists can keep abreast of the latest fuel prices by visiting the RAC Fuel Watch webpage.