Google Maps could soon show the cheapest petrol station near you courtesy of a fuel crackdown on supermarkets.
In a new ruling, the UK’s competition watchdog is recommending the government force retailers to provide up-to-date petrol pricing information in an accessible format. This would allow drivers to compare prices at different sites through apps or satellite navigation systems, such as Google Maps.
“At present, retailers only provide information on prices at the petrol stations themselves,” the CMA notes. “This makes it hard for drivers to compare prices and weakens competition.”
In the absence of official price comparison data, Brits currently rely on a hodge-podge of third-party websites and apps to track petrol prices. These services either crowdsource their info or obtain it from software providers, which can lead to out-of-date prices or a lack of coverage in certain areas.
Google Maps began showing petrol prices in select regions in 2015, including the US. But, the feature isn’t available in the UK.
After launching an in-depth review of the road fuel market, the Competition and Markets Authority has proposed that retailers should legally be compelled to create an open database of fuel prices.
This information could then be plugged into existing satnavs or map apps, or a dedicated fuel finder app, for drivers to access. The scheme would be backed by a new “fuel monitor” oversight body tasked with tracking prices and margins on an ongoing basis, the watchdog said.
How to check petrol prices near you
Despite a paucity of official information, there are ways you can check the price at your local pump.
These include free price comparison services such as Go.Compare and PetrolPrices.
If you already use Waze - the Google-owned navigation app - you’ll be happy to hear that it also provides user-submitted fuel prices for local petrol stations.
In addition, those who pay for an AA membership or the CoPilot satnav app can also browse prices on those apps, respectively.
CMA rebukes supermarkets over fuel charges
As part of its review, the CMA ultimately determined that supermarkets Asda, Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsbury’s had overcharged customers by around £900 million in total.
The regulator fined Asda £60,000 for failing to provide information on its fuel prices in a timely manner.
“Drivers buying fuel at supermarkets in 2022 have paid around 6 pence per litre more than they would have done otherwise, due to the four major supermarkets increasing their margins,” Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, said.
“This will have had a greater impact on vulnerable people, particularly those in areas with less choice of fuel stations.”
Prices at the pump have fallen of late, but the RAC has said that the cut should have been higher to fully reflect changes in the wholesale market. The motoring services company revealed that the average price of fuel at UK forecourts dropped from 158.9p to 147.0p in May.
