Make the numbers work for your journey
Is supermarket fuel cheaper near you?
Compare the actual nearby forecourts for the same fuel grade. A supermarket name alone does not establish the cheapest stop for your journey.
Compare stations, then account for the trip
Search the area you will actually visit and select one fuel grade. Compare the recent reported prices at the supermarket forecourt and the other stations you can reach. A national average or a chain's name does not tell you the price at one specific site.
Fuel Finder's city pages show the eligible station count, range and average for each available grade. That average describes the stations covered by the page, not a supermarket-versus-other-retailers study.
An illustrative comparison
The cheapest pump can still mean a dearer trip
Suppose a nearby station is 149.9p per litre and a supermarket is 146.9p. Buying 50 litres at the supermarket saves £1.50 at the pump.
If going there adds 12 total road miles and your car achieves 40 UK MPG, that extra driving uses about 1.36 litres. Valued at 146.9p per litre, that is about £2.00 in extra fuel. The supermarket option therefore costs about 50p more on these assumptions, before your time or other costs.
These are invented example prices, not a claim about any retailer today. Use the detour calculator with your own prices.
Five things to hold constant
- Grade: compare E10 with E10 or B7 with B7; a premium product is a separate comparison.
- Area: use the same practical search area rather than comparing unrelated regions.
- Timing: inspect each price report time; two eligible prices need not have been reported together.
- Access: check membership, opening hours and any other restrictions at the actual site.
- Litres: calculate for the amount you plan to buy, not an assumed full tank.
What would support a claim that supermarkets are cheaper?
A useful local comparison would name its area, fuel grade and observation period, count the forecourts in each group, and explain which reports were excluded. A single cheap station or a short list of search results cannot establish an average for every retailer.
For your own fill-up, compare the stations available to you and include the extra driving cost. This guide makes no claim about fuel quality or a guaranteed supermarket discount.
Start with your local reported prices
Search your postcode on the map or open one of these existing city comparisons:
Coverage and report ages vary. Check the station detail before travelling.