Is Fuel Finder actually doing anything?
Hard to say.
Four months have passed since the UK government rolled out the scheme. It lets you check petrol prices across the board via Waze, the AA, or Petrol Prices apps. Covers 95% of stations now, says the Department for Energy Security and Net零.
The Competition and Markets Authority thinks it’s a lifesaver. £9 per tank savings if you hunt for the cheapest spot within ten minutes. Simple math. Geoff Steadman from the CMA isn’t mincing words. He says high prices are bleeding drivers dry. Weak competition keeps the cash flowing away from our pockets.
Transparency is the weapon. Make prices visible, he argues. Force the stations to fight harder. Drop prices eventually.
Is it working?
Not sure yet. The RAC thinks so. The Petrol Retailers Association does not.
Simon Williams of the RAC says the jury is still out. He admits diesel should have dropped faster but holds out hope. Then there is Gordon Balmer of the PRAs. He’s skeptical.
Consumers already knew supermarkets were cheap. You always pay more on motorways. That wasn’t new news.
He claims Fuel Finder hasn’t shifted buyer behavior at all. The panic buying during the Middle East crisis spike? Not because of price visibility. Just old fear tactics.
He wants the government to do the math. He hasn’t seen the app usage data.
But the AA sees movement. Luke Bosdet points to motorway stops. Chieveley on the M4 used to be brutal. Now 176p a liter down from 185p. That happened while wholesale prices were going up.
Why?
They see each other. Retailers cut prices because rivals cut them. They know we have the apps. We see their margins shrinking so they respond. Fast reductions. Unexpectedly fast.
The government won’t tell you if it’s working.
DESNZ dodged the questions on usage and impact. They won’t say if the scheme moves the needle or just moves the goalposts.
So you look at your phone. You drive to the cheaper one. Maybe.
