Wholesale fuel costs have fallen substantially over the last six weeks but the motoring organisation says only a tiny proportion of retailers have cut their prices to accurately reflect this.
Based on the latest wholesale fuel prices, the RAC estimates a “fair” price for petrol is 174p per litre, while diesel should be around 189p per litre. That factors in the wholesale cost to retailers, a 7p per litre margin and VAT.
On average, a litre of petrol is currently around 187p per litre and diesel close to 196p, according to analysts Experian Catalist.
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Fuel prices in Calderdale
Over the past seven days the cheapest place to fill up your tank of petrol within five miles of Halifax town centre was Shell on Bradford Road, Bailiff Bridge at 179.9p.
This information is according to Confused.com updated on July 20.
The other lowest priced stations for petrol were Jet on Stainland Road in Greetland (181.9p), Morrisons on Jubilee Way in Elland (182.7p), Asda on Bradford Road in Huddersfield (182.7p) and Sainsbury's on Wade Street in Halifax (183.9p).
"Do the right thing"
Based on the RAC’s survey of 4,500 filling stations, only 157 are charging between 170.9p and 179.9p for petrol while 250 are charging less than 189.9p for diesel.
The other 90% are charging more than 180p for petrol and almost 1,000 are charging in excess of 190p for unleaded.
RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “In this most expensive of summers, drivers need all the help they can get to keep their spending down so we applaud those retailers who are doing the right thing for their customers and charging a fair price for petrol and diesel, more in line with the lower wholesale costs.
“Weekly wholesale petrol prices – that’s the price retailers pay to buy the fuel – have fallen by a massive 17p a litre, from a weekly average of around 152p at the start of June to just 135p. Yet average pump prices have reduced by a paltry 4p. It’s time for every retailer to do the right thing and cut their prices to more reasonable levels.”
Mr Williams said the latest data showed the days of the supermarket petrol prices wars were over, as the big chains focused on grocery prices instead, adding: “Drivers who fill up at supermarket forecourts have every right to feel let down that they are being charged well over the odds for petrol and diesel right now."