Fuel supply: No major issues in the UK, industry body claims

Published 07 April 2022

There are no problems with UK fuel supply, according to Petrol Retailers Association
Sainsbury’s also says it is “not seeing any major issues”
But reports of fuel shortages continue to circulate as protesters target oil depots

There are no major issues with fuel supply in the UK, an industry body has told HonestJohn.co.uk.

Reports of fuel shortages started on 2 April when BBC News reported many protests at fuel depots across the country.

>>> Drivers yet to feel 5p fuel duty cut

According to the BBC report, the campaign group Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion claimed to have blocked 10 major sites, including Birmingham, London and Southampton. As a result, ExxonMobil UK, one of the UK’s largest oil distribution networks was reportedly forced to close a number of its key sites.

The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), which represents around 65 per cent of forecourts in the UK, said they were “aware of protests at a number of fuel supply sites”; however, the PRA says the majority of terminals are currently unaffected.

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“PRA has not had any members contacting regarding supply issues. Some fuel suppliers are having to reschedule deliveries and our members are working closely with them and following their advice,” said a PRA spokesperson.

HonestJohn.co.uk contacted Shell, Tesco, ASDA and Sainsbury’s for comment.

In a statement, Sainsbury’s said: ‘We routinely monitor all our sites and we’re not seeing any major issues. All our sites continue to receive fuel.’

The reported delays spell yet more misery for motorists, who are already battling record fuel prices and long delays for new vehicles.

Road tax VED also increased for millions of drivers on 1 April but drivers were given some restbite with a 5p cut in fuel duty in the Spring Budget.

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Forecourt prices increased throughout March as a result of rising wholesale fuel costs. A barrel of oil cost $112.99 at the start of March before peaking at a 14-year high of $137.72 on 8 March, two weeks after the Ukraine war began.

While the price fell to $109.98 by the end of March, rises earlier in the month had already pushed up wholesale fuel prices, causing drivers to pay even more to fill up.

The RAC predicts that the annual Easter getaway will be the “costliest on record for drivers” with the 5p fuel duty cut having little impact on soaring fuel costs.

“March 2022 will go down in the history books as one of the worst months ever when it comes to pump prices,” said RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams

“Sadly, this Easter – traditionally the biggest getaway time of the year on the roads – is shaping up to be the costliest on record for drivers and there’s very little they can do to escape the high cost of filling up."

Are you experiencing fuel supply problems in your area? Let us know and contact the HonestJohn.co.uk team via the ASK function.

How much is fuel duty tax in the UK?

Fuel duty (52.95p-per-litre) and and VAT (standard 20 per cent rate) account for the majority of the cost of fuel in the UK.

When will fuel prices go down?

A 5p cut in fuel duty was introduced at 6pm on 23 March in an effort by the Government to reduce fuel prices. However, with the wholesale price of oil remaining high, drivers are still paying historically high prices for fuel and this is expected to continue until mid-2022 at the earliest.

Ask HJ

Which petrol cars have the best fuel economy?

Do you have a list of cars of any age that have the best miles per gallon for petrol with auto or manual transmission?

We don't have a list of petrol only cars but we do have a list of the best petrol and diesel cars for mpg. See: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/guides/best-mpg-cars/

Answered by Sarah Tooze

Will I get better mpg in a hybrid than a diesel or petrol?

Would a hybrid non plug-in give me better fuel efficiency over a round trip of 40 miles than a diesel or petrol car?

On paper, the advertised fuel economy for diesel will be higher. But on the road, I'd argue a hybrid's Real MPG is better than a standard petrol car and just as good as a diesel. The Toyota Corolla 1.8 petrol hybrid will return a 61mpg on the road, which is on par with many modern diesels: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg/toyota/corolla-2019 I'd argue the long term running costs of a petrol hybrid will also be significantly lower than a diesel, as you don't have any costly DPF and EGR problems to worry about.

Answered by Dan Powell

Comments

jchinuk on 20 April 2022

The problem is drivers see a filling station closed or with a long queue (for whatever reason) and then stop and fill-up at the next one that they see. That results in the second place running low and it's like a domino effect.

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Samanta Smith on 14 February 2024

The fuel supply situation in the UK has been a topic of concern, with reports of protests causing disruptions at oil depots and leading to delays in fuel deliveries. The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has also contributed to the volatility in fuel prices, with the war leading to fluctuations in oil and gas markets. I was writing a dissertation on this topic a few months ago, and I must tell you that with the help of dissertation service academized.com/dissertation-writing-service I was able to receive support in crafting a well-researched and comprehensive dissertation on this critical topic. When it comes to addressing these complex issues in a scholarly context, it may be valuable to consider conducting in-depth research and analysis with help of professionals.

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