Are Supermarket Petrol Stations Cheaper? What Our Data Shows

Published 4 November 2026 · Updated 1 November 2026 · 2 min read · Petrol Prices Today team

People often say supermarkets are the cheapest place to fill up. We checked using our own database of UK station prices, taken from the government's Fuel Finder feed on 27 October 2026.

The result: cheaper, by a few pence

Station type	E10 (average)	Diesel B7 (average)	Stations with a price
Supermarket	170.1p	195.7p	about 1,500 (E10) / 1,400 (diesel)
Other forecourts	172.7p	199.2p	about 3,600 (E10) / 2,900 (diesel)
Motorway services	193.5p	218.9p	about 130 each

On average, supermarkets were cheaper than other forecourts by about 2.6p a litre for petrol and 3.5p for diesel.

What that saves you

Petrol, 55-litre tank: about £1.43
Diesel, 55-litre tank: about £1.93

That is worth having, but it is not dramatic. If the supermarket is a 15-minute drive in the wrong direction, you could easily spend the saving on fuel getting there. See is it worth driving further for cheaper fuel?.

Averages hide big differences

These are national averages. Local competition matters more than the type of station. In many areas an independent garage or a small chain beats the nearest supermarket, and some supermarkets are not the cheapest in their own town. In our data the gap between the cheapest and dearest stations for the same fuel is more than 50p a litre, which is far larger than any average difference between types.

Why supermarkets are often cheaper

Supermarkets can use fuel to bring in shoppers, and they tend to sell a large volume. Neither of those guarantees a low price every day, so check before you go.

What about supermarket loyalty schemes?

Some supermarkets offer discounts if you spend in store or use a loyalty card. These can lower the price below what the pump shows, but terms change, so we do not include them in the prices on this site. We look at the question in are fuel cards and loyalty schemes worth it?

The simple rule

Use the supermarket if it is the cheapest nearby and on your normal route. Otherwise, compare. Search your postcode and sort by true cost to see which type of station wins where you live.

Data: Petrol Prices Today database, stations reporting current prices on 27 October 2026. Prices change daily.

Compare prices in your city: London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, or see petrol prices by city.