Save money at the pumps: RAC gives drivers the power to find the cheapest fuel … wherever and whenever they need to fill up
The RAC has given drivers the power to always be able to find the cheapest petrol and diesel wherever they are by launching the most up-to-date, freely available fuel finding app in the UK.
The myRAC Fuel Finder*, which stands to save users up to 6p a litre – or as much as £3.30 for every full 55-litre tank** – is available for anyone to download and use, not just RAC members. While anyone can use the app, RAC members can also quickly and simply report their breakdowns.
The RAC’s analysis of possible savings found that by using its app a litre of diesel could be bought for 6p cheaper than the local average price, while petrol could be found at 5p less. This means diesel drivers who fill up once a week could save up to £172 a year by using myRAC while those with petrol cars could benefit to the tune of £143. Those who only head to the pumps every fortnight could save £86 a year on diesel and £71.50 on petrol.***
All drivers have to do to start filling up for less is to download the myRAC app from the App Store or Google Play. Once they have done this, they will be able to make up to five searches a day over a two, five or 10-mile radius from their chosen locations. The app will then show them the five cheapest sites near them. To make sure they are getting a good deal drivers can also compare these to the UK average prices for both petrol and diesel which are displayed in the app. The app also remembers drivers’ favourite searches to make it quicker than ever to check prices the next time they need to buy fuel.
The average price of petrol and diesel reached record levels last summer following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with unleaded peaking at 191.5p a litre and diesel at 199p. This meant filling an average 55-litre family car rose to £105 for petrol and £109 for diesel.
Since then, prices have fallen dramatically to around 143p for petrol and 145p for diesel, reducing the cost of a full tank to under £80, but RAC Fuel Watch data found the big four supermarkets, which dominate fuel retailing, were slow to pass on reductions in wholesale costs, particularly for diesel. As a result, the RAC is warning drivers not to automatically assume the biggest retailers are the cheapest place to buy fuel as their forecourt prices can vary significantly from supermarket to supermarket and from area to area, sometimes even within just a few miles.
RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said:
“Having been monitoring the price of fuel for years, we know how much prices can vary from one forecourt to another, so we were determined to give drivers an easy way to make sure they get the best deal possible at the pumps.
“The myRAC app can help drivers save up to 6p a litre compared to the average prices in most areas. And savings can often be far greater than that, particularly with diesel which has been overpriced on so many of the country’s forecourts this year due to its wholesale price being lower than petrol’s for the last three months, with many retailers sadly not passing this on to their customers.
“We firmly believe that having access to a free app like myRAC, which is always up to date, can be the difference between feeling ripped off at the pumps and satisfied you’ve got the best deal possible near you.
“The more people who seek out the lowest prices using it, the more likely we are to see other retailers nearby lower their prices to compete. And, as we know, proper competition is often lacking in UK fuel retailing everywhere but in Northern Ireland where prices are considerably cheaper than on the other side of the Irish Sea.
“We strongly urge every driver to download the free app and start saving money the next time, and every time, they fill up.”
By visiting the RAC Fuel Watch web page drivers can keep an eye on the UK averages alongside the average price of petrol and diesel at the big four supermarkets and at motorway services. There are also graphs showing average retailer margin and the average prices charged per year since 2000 as well as a daily financial breakdown of the cost of a litre of petrol and diesel.
Everyone who downloads the myRAC app can set up reminders for their vehicles’ MOT, servicing, insurance and tax. Members can also save time by reporting their breakdowns via the Rescue Me feature.
