UK motorists pay 20 pence more for diesel than petrol

The wholesale price of diesel was just 6p more than petrol in the week commencing February 20 (121.06p compared to 115.48p), leaving drivers of diesel vehicles having to pay 168p a litre, compared to just 148p for unleaded.

The RAC calculates that if diesel was being sold at a fairer rate drivers would be paying no more than around 155p per litre, which would make the cost of filling an average 55-litre family car £7 less than it is today (£85.25, compared to the current £92.40).

Retailers are currently taking more than double the margin on every litre of diesel they sell – just shy of a whopping 20p – compared to the 8.5p on unleaded, in effect subsiding petrol prices by charging more for diesel.

The RAC is calling on retailers to urgently cut the price of diesel to fairer levels, following the lead of membership-only retailer Costco which this week lopped 4p off diesel at its sites across the UK.

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