Why Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury's petrol prices vary at different forecourts

Fuel prices across the country have continued to steadily fall over the past month.

Data from the RAC's 'Fuel Watch' states the average price for a litre of petrol at the end of March was 146.5p, a drop of just over 1p in the month - this signifies the lowest prices since January 2022. Compare this to early November 2022, when petrol prices reached a high of 166p per litre. It means motorists are now saving an average of 20p per litre, or, £11 on the typical 55-litre family car.

Despite this, people looking for the cheapest fuel prices may have noticed that prices vary depending on where you fill up. A quick search on petrolprices.com reveals that different areas have different prices, even when they're both being supplied by the same supermarket.

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For example, when searching for Morrisons prices across Greater Manchester, you will find that one forecourt in Dukinfield is charging 132.7p, while in Eccles it costs 138.7p. A Sainsbury's forecourt in Denton costs 133.9p while in Wigan it charges 142.9p.

Similarly, a Tesco Extra in Gorton is listed at 135.9p while the same store in Failsworth is 137.9p. Many may be wondering why this is the case and if it's entirely fair.

Generally, the price of fuel varies depending on the wholesale price of crude oil, but this is not the only factor. Suppliers often examine the demand for fuel and will adjust their prices accordingly to the competition in any one area.

A Tesco spokesperson said: “We regularly monitor fuel prices throughout a local area to ensure we’re providing competitive prices for our customers.”

A Morrisons spokesperson said: "Morrisons operates a local pricing