Supermarkets are being slammed for keeping their petrol prices at an all-time high. It comes after petrol prices reached an unexpected record overage high over the weekend.
Motoring company, the RAC said the average price of petrol crept still higher on Sunday to a new record of 191.53p a litre while diesel remains on the brink of £2 at 199.03p, just a fraction of its all-time high (199.09p – 25 June 2022).
It means that the cost of filling the average family vehicle has topped £105, which is piling on the already tight purse strings of many families amid the wider cost of living crisis.
READ MORE: Petrol prices reach record-high but here's how to save money on fuel costs
According to the RAC, as of Friday, July 1, the average unleaded price was 191.43p, with the average price of diesel coming in at 199.07. On Sunday, July 3 this changed to 191.53p for unleaded and 199.05 for diesel.
RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams has said that retailers are slow to react when average prices of petrol fall. He said: "There doesn’t appear to be any sign that retailers are reducing their forecourt petrol prices despite average weekly wholesale costs having fallen for five straight weeks.
"The average cost of delivered unleaded was 145.7p a litre last week which after adding 7p a litre retailer margin and 20% VAT produces a price of 183p."
He said the big four supermarkets seem to be standing firm with high prices and not doing anything to levitate the pressure on customers and match the average costs.
"Despite this the big four supermarkets, which dominate fuel sales, are standing firm with a litre of petrol at their stores costing an average of 190.19p," said Simon.
"We would love to hear their reasoning for keeping their prices so high in this instance, but we’ve never known them publicly defend themselves. Far too often it’s the smallest retailers, who sell far less fuel combined despite having more forecourts, that stand up for the industry."
The RAC say they have been lobbying the Government for months to take further action to ease the financial burden caused by record pump prices. Adding: "It’s time to take action and announce a further cut to duty or to VAT to help hard-pressed drivers and businesses."
Many consumers are looking to take action themselves, amid fuel protests taking place across the country. Many motorists are experiencing major disruption on the motorway network because of this. More on that here. Petrol retailers have denied previous claims of profiteering, and the big four supermarkets and others have been contacted for comment.
