Supermarket forecourts are undercutting the national average

Supermarket forecourts are currently cheaper for unleaded petrol than the national average, with drivers saving roughly 1.9p per litre by choosing one over an independent or motorway site. Official UK fuel price data, drawn from readings across 7,817 forecourts, puts the national average for E10 unleaded at 161.3p a litre, or about £7.33 a gallon. Across 1,487 supermarket sites, the average sits at 159.4p a litre, equivalent to around £7.25 a gallon.

On the face of it, 1.9p a litre sounds small, but it adds up over a full tank. Filling a 50-litre tank at a supermarket rather than an average forecourt saves you close to £1 each time. For drivers who fill up weekly, that is roughly £50 a year, simply by choosing where you stop.

Diesel remains considerably more expensive than petrol at any type of forecourt. The national average for diesel is 181.2p a litre, nearly 20p above the unleaded average, which continues to make diesel running costs noticeably higher for drivers who have not yet switched to a petrol or electric vehicle.

Keeping fuel costs down is one part of running a car affordably, but servicing and repair bills are the other. If you want to make sure you are not overpaying for an MOT, a service or a repair, Garage.co.uk helps drivers find a trusted independent garage and book it directly, with no fees or commission charged.