Where to fill up: why the same litre costs different amounts
Motorway services, supermarkets and village forecourts can charge very different prices. Here's how to pay less without driving miles out of your way.
Two forecourts a mile apart can charge noticeably different prices for the same fuel. Knowing why helps you choose where to stop.
Motorway services are usually the most expensive
Motorway service areas have high running costs and a captive audience. If you're planning a long trip, fill up before you join the motorway and plan your next stop just off a junction instead.
Supermarkets are often the cheapest
Supermarket forecourts tend to price keenly to bring shoppers in, and they often push down prices at nearby independent stations too. Loyalty schemes and fuel vouchers can take a little more off.
Rural stations cost more to run
Lower sales volumes mean rural forecourts often charge more. If you live in the countryside, it can pay to fill up when you're already in town.
Don't drive miles to save pennies
A detour to a cheaper station only makes sense if the saving beats the fuel you burn getting there. On a 40-litre fill, a 3p per litre difference saves £1.20. A 10-mile round-trip detour can easily cost more than that.
Use price data before long trips
Every UK forecourt now has to report its prices to the government's Fuel Finder scheme, and our calculator uses that data to show the typical price near your starting point and the cheapest stations close by.
Petrol, diesel and super grades
Most cars run happily on standard E10 petrol or standard diesel. Unless your handbook says otherwise, super unleaded or premium diesel is unlikely to save you money.