The RAC is urging supermarkets to cut the price of fuel by 3ppl following a $5 fall in the price of a barrel of oil.

The wholesale cost of both petrol and diesel has dropped in the last fortnight due to a 7% drop in oil from $70.55 on 25 January to $65.58 yesterday (Wednesday 7 February).

The RAC believes Britain’s big four supermarket fuel retailers now have the scope to cut their pump prices significantly, which currently between them average 119.49ppl for petrol and 122.13ppl for diesel.

The call comes just a week after RAC figures showed that fuel price rises by the supermarkets had outpaced the rest of the market for the past two months

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “We urge the supermarkets to do the right thing and pass on savings in the wholesale cost of fuel they are currently benefitting from to motorists at the pumps just before half-term. The sharp drop in the price of oil gives them a perfect opportunity to reduce their pump prices by 3ppl.

“There is often talk of sudden supermarket price wars over fuel, but in reality we all know they constantly use petrol and diesel prices to drive customers into their stores. Saying that, the fall in the wholesale fuel price gives them a great opportunity to turn up the heat in what has become something of a ‘cold pump price war’ in recent weeks. The question is which supermarket will make the first move.

“We know there is plenty of scope for the supermarkets to cut as we are aware of several money-off promotions tied to certain levels of spend in store as well as some big regional anomalies in price. In Taunton in Somerset, for example, supermarkets are selling petrol for around 112ppl, which is 10ppl lower than the UK average and 7p lower than the supermarket average.”

The recent drop in the price of oil has been caused by an unexpected increase in fuel stocks in the US, sparking fears of oversupply into what is traditionally a season of lower demand. In addition, the North Sea Forties pipeline, which was shut down in December due to a crack, has just reopened. This will bring 450,000 barrels of Brent crude oil a day on to the market.

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