Have you ever seen photos of the queue at Costco’s petrol station? Cars backed up down the road as they wait for cut-price fuel .
With bills rising , any savings will be a huge help to families feeling the pinch. But is petrol and diesel actually any cheaper at Costco as opposed to other supermarkets and stations?
According to PetrolPrices.com , in places where there is a Costco, petrol is the cheapest in the area. Gateshead is no exception.
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At the time of writing, the RAC says that the average fuel prices in the UK are 159.47 pence per litre of unleaded, with super unleaded coming in at 174.20 pence per litre. Diesel currently costs 183.40 pence per litre.
Meanwhile, in Gateshead unleaded is priced at 147.9p per litre, super unleaded at 157.9p, and diesel at 175.9p. Other supermarkets in the area are much more expensive with unleaded at Sainsbury’s Team Valley (155.9p), Tesco Extra Newcastle (157.9p) and Morrisons Byker (158.7p).
These are huge savings if you live close enough to a Costco to reap the benefits. However, the ability to shop there comes at a price as it’s members-only.
Membership costs from £26.40 a year for a trade member, up to £74.40 for an individual executive membership. Only those who meet certain requirements are allowed to become members.
According to the Costco website: "The fuel station is open to Costco members only. When a customer scans a membership card the system reads the barcode/membership number on the card and confirms the membership is active.
“Only members with valid membership cards may purchase fuel at Costco. Our approach to fuel is the same as inside the warehouse - high volume and low prices.
"One-way traffic makes it easier to get in and out of our stations quickly. Our extra-long hoses allow fuelling from either side of the vehicle, so there is no need to be concerned with which lane to choose."
Costco says it also ensures its fuel is high quality, adding: "Good station operation and maintenance means the fuel is filtered and that contaminants, such as sediment and water, do not find their way into our members' vehicles.”
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