Give us our money back! Petrol pump fury erupts as Britons slam ‘false 5p cut’
Petrol prices: Haulage boss addresses supply concerns
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The cut to fuel duty announced by the Chancellor on Wednesday came into effect at 6pm. Fuel duty has been cut by 5 pence per litre for the next 12 months in a move that was widely reported ahead of the spring statement.
However, FairFuelUK, which campaigns for fairer fuel tax, told Express.co.uk that there is a lot of anecdotal evidence on social media that prices were inflated ahead of the announcement to offset any losses.
Founder, Howard Cox, said: “I’m very concerned about that. I’m getting anecdotal evidence of that. To be fair to the retailers it’s probably further up the supply chain.
“We need a body that stops consumers from being fleeced.”
Mr Cox added that he has teamed up with Conservative MP Robert Halfon to call for PumpWatch to ensure pricing fairness for consumers and fuel retailers.
FairFuelUK claims that most of the profiteering is at wholesale level and not by small independent retailers who it says are victims of fuel supply chain greed.
Mr Cox urged wholesalers: “Be honest and transparent otherwise we’re coming for you.”
People have taken to Twitter to share stories of price hikes ahead of the Chancellor’s spring statement.
@AnnaTheMidwife tweeted: “When I left for Coventry this AM, local petrol station diesel £1.76 per litre.
“Just driven past again and it’s now £1.81 a litre. In less than 12 hours. So when the 5p reduction kicks in at midnight the cost will be… £1.76 a litre.
“Almost like it’s been done on purpose.”
Fellow Twitter user @anthonyjgetty claimed a garage in Brigg put the price of diesel up to £1.82 per litre, but the 5p reduction takes it down to where it was on Monday.
They fumed: “We’re being shafted left right and centre by these corrupt profiteers and Johnson will do nothing about it.”
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@brown12008 chimed in: “There should be a nationwide pump watch because these stations are putting the fuel up now so they can take the 5p off and still making the same profit.”
Another Twitter user, @MilenaZP_ claimed: “It’s a false 5p cut. Most petrol stations increased the prices by 5p to get ahead of the 5p cut. Only announcement that was leaked! Funny that…”
The comments come as Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng and Mr Sunak urged major retailers, trade bodies and supply chains to make sure the “historic” cut is passed on to motorists.
In a letter, they said: “The public will rightly expect to see this historic cut reflected quickly in the prices shown on the forecourt.
“To deliver this, the government expects those in the supply chain to pass this cut to consumers as soon as possible.”
AA president Edmund King said: “The AA welcomes the cut in fuel duty. However, we are concerned that the benefit will be lost unless retailers pass it on and reflect a fair price at the pumps.
“Average pump prices yesterday hit new records despite the fall in wholesale costs.
“The Chancellor has ridden to the rescue of UK families and businesses who use their vehicles, not for pleasure, but to function in their daily lives.
“Since the start of the year, the 20p-a-litre surge in pump prices has been the shock that rocked the finances of families, and particularly young drivers, pensioners and lower-income workers who need to commute each day.”
Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, said the duty cut does not go very far to help low-wage key workers who rely on a car to get to work, often at times which are antisocial and when other travel options are non-existent.
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