Sainsbury’s was found to offer the best value for money among the ‘big four’ supermarkets – with Manchester and Coventry the two top cities for cheap fuel
The long queues at petrol stations have finally subsided, but as the fuel shortage passes, another crisis dawns. There are now reports of a diesel price surge for the upcoming month – with costs predicted to hit record highs in November.
In a bid to help drivers keep their tanks topped up without breaking the bank, vehicle dealership Vertu Motorcycles has conducted research into national fuel pump prices to find the most affordable station.
Six weeks’ of price analysis across hundreds of pumps revealed that Costco offered the best value for money – with the brand’s member-only policy allowing for more competitive prices.
Costco is in fact home to the cheapest petrol pump in the whole of the UK: The Birmingham fuel station on Watson Road (B7 5SA) near Coventry.
The cheapest diesel in Britain, however, is actually found further south at Sainsbury’s in Enfield, London along the A10.
Manchester and Coventry are the best places to purchase fuel overall – with 60% of cheap stations located in or nearby these two cities.
| Ranking by cheapest | Fuel station (petrol) | City | Average petrol price* (pence per litre) |
| #1 | Costco Birmingham (Costco Birmingham Automat) | Coventry | 125.8 |
| #2 | Sainsbury’s Northwich | Manchester | 127.0 |
| #3 | Sainsbury’s Bolton | Manchester | 127.2 |
| #4 | Sainsbury’s Staines | London | 127.4 |
| #5 | Asda Barons Quay Northwich | Manchester | 127.5 |
| #6 | Costco Leicester (Costco Leicester Automat) | Leicester | 127.9 |
| #7 | Tesco Northwich | Manchester | 127.9 |
| #8 | Asda Minworth | Coventry | 127.9 |
| #9 | Sainsbury’s Castle Vale | Coventry | 128.0 |
| #10 | Tesco Brent Cross Hendon Way | London | 128.2 |
| Ranking by cheapest | Fuel station (diesel) | City | Average petrol price* (pence per litre) |
| #1 | Sainsbury’s Enfield | London | 128.9 |
| #2 | Costco Leicester (Costco Leicester Automat) | Leicester | 130.2 |
| #3 | Costco Bristol (Costco Bristol Automat) | Bristol | 130.4 |
| #4 | Unbranded Ashton Old Road (St Annes Service Station) | Manchester | 130.4 |
| #5 | Costco Oldham (Costco Oldham Automat) | Manchester | 130.7 |
| #6 | Tesco Brent Cross Hendon Way | London | 130.9 |
| #7 | Costco Birmingham (Costco Birmingham Automat) | Coventry | 131.0 |
| #8 | Sainsbury’s Bolton | Manchester | 131.1 |
| #9 | Sainsbury’s Redditch | Coventry | 131.2 |
| #10 | Sainsbury’s Beckton | London | 131.5 |
Vertu Motorcycles’ data also revealed that the big garage brands, such as Texaco, Esso and BP, are among the most expensive for fuel – consistently ranking among the priciest across the country.
Texaco proved particularly costly – with fuel here priced at 2.7p per litre more than the national average.
Research also showed supermarket petrol stations offer better-priced fuel for Brits overall.
Costco was lowest at 129.9p per litre, and out of the ‘Big Four’ supermarkets, Sainsbury’s emerged best-value at 131.5p per litre.
Tesco is the most expensive supermarket for fuel, with prices averaging at 132.7p per litre, while Morrisons and Asda sit in the middle with 132.5p and 132.4p per litre, respectively.
Cheaper fuel prices can also be found at Murco and independent fuel stations, but these are much rarer than the big garage brands (Texaco has around 800 UK stations, while Esso and BP each have over 1,200 locations).
| Ranked by most expensive | Fuel brands | Average fuel price (pence per litre) |
| #1 | Texaco | 135.1 |
| #2 | Applegreen | 134.4 |
| #3 | Esso | 134.2 |
| #4 | BP | 133.8 |
| #5 | Tesco | 132.7 |
| #6 | Morrisons | 132.5 |
| #7 | Asda | 132.4 |
| #8 | JET | 132.2 |
| #9 | Sainsbury’s | 131.5 |
| #10 | Gulf | 131.4 |
| #11 | Independent | 131.0 |
| #12 | Murco | 130.9 |
| #13 | Costco | 129.9 |
Want to make more everyday fuel savings? Check out these top tips below:
- Shop at supermarkets for the lowest fuel prices. If possible, try to top up locally at independents to help support them.
- Under-inflated tyres require more fuel to maintain movement. A five-minute check every two weeks is all you need to save money at the pumps.
- The extra weight of a full tank will cause your car to burn through fuel quicker. Fill your tank up halfway to stay fuel-efficient.
- Eco-drive. Accelerating smoothly and maintaining a constant speed (rather than erratic speeding up and slowing down) consumes much less fuel, netting you noticeable savings.
A Vertu Motorcycles spokesperson commented: “With the fuel shortage still fresh in people’s minds, it is critical that everyone reassess how and where they buy their fuel from to avoid paying over the odds.
“Of course, it is not viable for those who live near expensive pumps to drive further afield to find cheaper fuel, but knowing which fuel brands are best to avoid could save you a pretty penny at the pumps if you do have the option.
“Hopefully, this is the last time we hear of any ‘fuel crisis’, but it always pays to do your research and exercise cautious purchasing habits.”
For further insights from Vertu Motorcycles, visit the Vertu Motorcycles blog.
