Supermarkets and petrol station chains are cutting the price of their fuel "too slowly" despite falls in the wholesale price, two of the country's leading motoring groups have claimed.
The wholesale cost of petrol has fallen by 20p since early June according to The RAC. Yet the average pump prices only dropped by an average of 9p during July they said.
The 'big four' supermarkets - Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury's - have in particular been earmarked for cirticism by the roadside recovery firm who says it is currently independent garages that are 'leading the charge' in lowering prices.
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"July has been an unnecessarily tough month for drivers due to the big four supermarkets' unwillingness to cut their prices to a more reasonable level, reflecting the consistent and significant reductions in the wholesale cost of petrol and diesel" RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said, reports Birmingham Live.
"As it was, we saw independent retailers leading the charge with fairer pump prices appearing all around the country which eventually forced the supermarkets to finally implement a more substantial cut late last Friday afternoon.
"What ought to have happened is that the biggest retailers cut their prices more significantly on a daily basis, given the wholesale price of petrol has fallen steadily over the last eight weeks."
AA president Edmund King also criticised major retailers for failing to drop prices, branding it "unforgivable". He said: "Average UK pump prices are down by around 9.5p a litre for petrol and 7p for diesel compared to early July.
"But, since early June, wholesale petrol is down 20p-25p a litre depending on whether or not you factor in VAT.
"In many areas of Britain, a 10p-a-litre drop in pump prices is still a 'pumpdream'. And that is where the fuel trade is forcing struggling drivers to play the pump-price postcode lottery.
"When you consider that many small independents have been slashing 10p and sometimes 15p off fuel, because lower costs have allowed it, the failure of bigger forecourts to do likewise is pretty unforgiveable."
Mr King added: "Drivers have been taken for an expensive ride during the cost-of-living crisis at a time they can least afford it."
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