Top 50 Indies MFG, Rontec and SGN are among 11 participants in the voluntary scheme to provide data on fuel prices, which has been launched by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
Details of the participants were included in a progress report by the CMA with Applegreen, BP, Shell and the Esso/ Tesco Alliance also involved alongside the big four supermarket groups.
The temporary scheme provides pricing data, in a way that is open to third party developers so that it can be used in price comparison apps.
The CMA advised: “Retailers should compile and upload their fuel price data before midday each day. Fuel price data can be uploaded more than once a day to reflect the most recent prices. The prices should always be current prices, rather than future prices.
“When uploading fuel price data, the ‘brand’ field should list the brand name of the fuel that is supplied to, and sold from, the service station, not the owner of the service station.”
The introduction of the scheme follows a CMA report into road fuel pricing which found competition between supermarkets was not working properly. It recommended that daily fuel prices for all UK forecourts should be made available so consumers could make an informed choice.
The government has committed to introducing such a scheme, but it will require legislation, so the CMA has set up the temporary scheme until the new regulations can be introduced.
In its report the CMA acknowledged: “This is not the complete solution that we recommended in our market study.
“We recognise the interim scheme is limited and there will sometimes be a delay between the setting of prices, the publication of price data, and the prices being available in third-party apps. Customers should always check the price displayed at the forecourt before purchasing road fuel.”
“The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has stated it will publish its consultation on the end-state solution in autumn 2023.”
The interim scheme is open to all fuel retailers. Any fuel retailer with questions about how to join the scheme should contact roadfuel.remedies@cma.gov.uk
