Anyone planning to fill up their car at a major supermarkets has been warned by the RAC that the big chains are "cutting prices too slowly" following a 9p fall in July.
The multi automotive services group was very critical of the pricing policy of the the big four supermarkets - Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury's. RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: "July has been an unnecessarily tough month for drivers due to the big four supermarkets' unwillingness to cut their prices to a more a reasonable level, reflecting the consistent and significant reductions in the wholesale cost of petrol and diesel.
"As it was, we saw independent retailers leading the charge with fairer pump prices appearing all around the country which eventually forced the supermarkets to finally implement a more substantial cut late last Friday afternoon"
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BirminghamLive reports that an RAC fuel spokesman added ""What ought to have happened is that the biggest retailers cut their prices more significantly on a daily basis, given the wholesale price of petrol has fallen steadily over the last eight weeks."
AA president Edmund King also criticised major retailers for failing to drop prices, branding it "unforgivable". He said: "Average UK pump prices are down by around 9.5p a litre for petrol and 7p for diesel compared to early July. But, since early June, wholesale petrol is down 20p-25p a litre depending on whether or not you factor in VAT.
"In many areas of Britain, a 10p-a-litre drop in pump prices is still a 'pumpdream'. And that is where the fuel trade is forcing struggling drivers to play the pump-price postcode lottery. When you consider that many small independents have been slashing 10p and sometimes 15p off fuel, because lower costs have allowed it, the failure of bigger forecourts to do likewise is pretty unforgiveable."
Mr King added: "Drivers have been taken for an expensive ride during the cost-of-living crisis at a time they can least afford it."
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