Petrol & Diesel Drivers to See Fuel Station Changes
New measures are set to be rolled out in the near future which could help motorists deal with expensive petrol and diesel prices following the Autumn Statement. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has confirmed that a so-called “Fuel Finder” will be introduced in the coming months to help petrol and diesel drivers.
A statutory open data scheme for fuel prices – which will be known as Fuel Finder – will be launched to increase price transparency which will help drivers to compare prices easily and make more informed decisions on where to buy petrol and diesel.
It follows calls from the CMA in July 2023 for major retailers and supermarkets to publish fuel prices to help promote competition and slash prices for motorists.
ew measures are set to be rolled out in the near future which could help motorists deal with expensive petrol and diesel prices following the Autumn Statement.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has confirmed that a so-called “Fuel Finder” will be introduced in the coming months to help petrol and diesel drivers.
A statutory open data scheme for fuel prices – which will be known as Fuel Finder – will be launched to increase price transparency which will help drivers to compare prices easily and make more informed decisions on where to buy petrol and diesel.
It follows calls from the CMA in July 2023 for major retailers and supermarkets to publish fuel prices to help promote competition and slash prices for motorists.
It has now been confirmed that the Fuel Finder will be launched “as quickly as possible” although Parliamentary hurdles could stand in the way.
A new report from the CMA highlights how the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, which would have provided the legislative basis for Fuel Finder, fell at prorogation when the General Election 2024 was called.
Subject to Parliamentary timings, the Government is aiming to launch Fuel Finder by the end of 2025 and give major retailers and supermarkets time to prepare for the reporting requirements.
It is hoped that early 2025 will see the publication of an Invitation to Tender to procure an aggregator to help with the rollout of Fuel Finder.
During 2025, the Fuel Finder will be developed, with hopes the Data (Use and Access) Bill will receive Royal Assent. The report states that Fuel Finder will be launched by the end of 2025.
The Budget documents states: “While fuel price reactions are inevitably uncertain and sensitive to wider global factors, by increasing transparency and encouraging competition between forecourts, scenario modelling by the Government suggests pump prices could reduce by 1-6p per litre as a result of these measures, helping to ensure that drivers get a fair deal for fuel across the UK.”
This will go hand-in-hand with the publication of the CMA’s guidance on Administrative Penalties and a statement on the regulator’s approach to the issue.
The publication of the report follows the delivery of the Budget by Chancellor Rachel Reeves who announced that fuel duty rates would remain frozen for another year.
She confirmed that it would cost over £3billion next year to retain the 5p cut and freeze fuel duty again when it was originally designed to expire in March 2025.
The MP for Leeds West and Pudsey added: “At a time when the fiscal position is so difficult, I have to be frank with the house that this is a substantial commitment to make.
“I have concluded that in these difficult circumstances, while the cost of living remains high and with the backdrop of global uncertainty, increasing fuel duty next year would be the wrong choice for working people. It would mean fuel duty rising by 7p per litre. So I have decided today to freeze fuel duty next year and I will maintain the existing 5p cut for another year too. There will be no higher taxes at the petrol pumps next year.”
