CMA publishes emerging analysis from Road Fuel Market Study - RAC reaction

Following the publication of analysis by the Competition and Markets Authority into rising road fuel prices, RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said:

“While it’s encouraging the CMA has found evidence of ‘rocket and feather’ pricing taking place this year, we believe there was clear evidence of it happening this time last year and in 2018 and 2019. Volatility has unquestionably been an issue in fuel pricing since Russia invaded Ukraine but when wholesale prices trend down for weeks at a time drivers should see pump prices do the same at a similar rate – unfortunately our data shows that this is not often the case. What’s happening now – as it was last December – is a massive downward shift in the price of wholesale fuel with a slow dropping of forecourt prices. Consequently, drivers are set for a more expensive time on the roads this Christmas than it should be.

“The wholesale price of petrol has fallen from 130p a litre at the beginning of October to 109p yesterday – a drop of 21p. Meanwhile, the average price of unleaded at the end of October peaked 166.88p, but has to date only fallen 8p to 158.91p. Even accounting for the accepted lag for cheaper wholesale prices to filter through to forecourts, this is too slow, particularly as the biggest retailers buy new stock so often.

“The situation with diesel is even worse as it has plummeted by 33p over the same period but the average retail price has only come down by 8.4p from 191.12p to 182.71p yesterday.

“We strongly urge the biggest retailers to lower their prices. Unfortunately, we fear they are holding out, hoping for a rise in the price of oil later this month.”

For more analysis of UK fuel prices, see RAC Fuel Watch