Fuel stations should not be charging more than 1.65p per litre for petrol or higher than 1.75p for diesel, a campaign group has said.
Research from FairFuel UK shows that from 2016 up until the Covid-19 lockdowns, the average wholesale price difference to pump prices was traditionally 10p to 12p per litre.
However, since 2019 that yearly average has nearly doubled with recorded profits typically at about 18p to 21p per litre.
Current retail margins, recorded for July 20, shows that it has now hit 35p per litre for both fuel types, which is up to nearly £20 profit per average family car.
Two days ago, the Press & Journal revealed that petrol prices on Aberdeen’s King Street had dropped by as much as 13p per litre in the past six weeks.
However, fuel prices were on average higher here than FairFuel UK‘s price suggestion, with a litre of petrol standing on average at 184.4p and diesel at 194.1p.
Petrol prices continuing to drop
Meanwhile, petrol prices across Aberdeenshire, Moray, the Highlands and islands are continuing to reduce.
This week the Press & Journal spotted Gulf’s Aboyne Service Station was charging 178.9p and 189.9p for a litre of petrol and diesel, while Wick’s Jet was also 178.9p and 192.9p respectively – both cheaper than what has been seen in Aberdeen this week.
And a garage on Lewis reported dropping his price by 15p per litre across six weeks earlier this month.
A member of staff at the Alford garage said: “It’s just the price we buy it in at and our profit we usually put on.”
He added: “I just feel it’s at the right price and that’s where it should be at”.
‘The fuel supply chain has exploited drivers’
Founder of FairFuelUK, Howard Cox has demanded petrol prices are lowered at forecourts across the UK to match the drop in wholesale prices.
The RAC’s national fuel watch shows wholesale unleaded prices have dropped by 20p per litre since June 1, but forecourt prices have gone up by 15p during the same time.
Mr Cox said: “As oil prices have rocketed since 2020, the fuel supply chain has exploited drivers by doubling their profits through record pump pricing. They are directly responsible for making the cost of living crisis even worse.
“I call on the government, once and for all to punish the opportunistic profiteering in the fuel supply chain. This simply cant go on.”
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