# Supermarket fuel prices — are they cheaper, and is the fuel worse?

Supermarket forecourts are 4.0p a litre cheaper than branded and independent ones on average — 169.9p against 173.9p for unleaded. That is £2.20 on every 55-litre tank, or about £57 a year for a driver who fills up fortnightly. The fuel itself meets the same British Standard either way.

Last updated: 18 September 2026

## Supermarket vs branded

| | Average unleaded | Forecourts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Supermarket | 169.9p | 207 |
| Branded & independent | 173.9p | 1264 |
Gap: 4.0p a litre (£2.20 per 55-litre tank).
Diesel gap: 5.4p a litre.

## By supermarket

| Supermarket | Unleaded | Diesel | Forecourts |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sainsbury's | 165.5p | 187.5p | 30 |
| Tesco | 169.9p | 192.7p | 121 |
| Morrisons | 171.1p | 195.0p | 18 |
| Asda | 173.0p | 196.3p | 38 |

## Is supermarket fuel worse for your car?

No. All UK petrol must meet BS EN 228 and all diesel BS EN 590, regardless of retailer.
Supermarkets and branded retailers often draw from the same refineries and terminals.
The real difference is the additive package — and that is a premium-vs-standard difference, not supermarket-vs-branded.

## Why it is cheaper

1. Fuel is a loss leader that drives store footfall.
2. High throughput per site spreads fixed costs across more litres.
3. Buying power on very large volumes.

## Important caveat

Supermarkets price each site against its local competition, not nationally. A supermarket forecourt with no nearby rival can be dearer than a branded site in a competitive town.

## FAQ

### Is supermarket fuel cheaper?

Yes, consistently. Supermarket forecourts average 169.9p a litre for unleaded across 207 sites, against 173.9p at 1,264 branded and independent forecourts — a gap of 4.0p a litre, or £2.20 on a 55-litre tank.

### Is supermarket fuel worse for your car?

No. All road fuel sold in the UK must meet the same British Standard — BS EN 228 for petrol and BS EN 590 for diesel — regardless of who sells it. Supermarkets often buy from the same refineries and terminals as the branded retailers. The genuine difference is the additive package: branded premium fuels carry more detergent additives than standard supermarket fuel. For a car in good condition that is not a problem.

### Which supermarket has the cheapest fuel?

Right now, Sainsbury's averages the least for unleaded at 165.5p a litre. The ranking shifts week to week, and local competition matters more than the chain — check the table above and your [local town page](https://cheapestfuel.uk/cheapest-fuel/).

### Why is supermarket fuel cheaper?

Fuel is a footfall driver rather than a profit centre for the supermarkets — a cheap forecourt brings people into the car park, and the margin is made inside the store. They also buy in very large volumes and run high-throughput sites, which spreads fixed costs across far more litres than a small independent forecourt can.

### Do supermarket fuel prices vary between branches?

Yes, significantly. The chains price each site against its local competition rather than nationally, so two branches of the same supermarket twenty miles apart can differ by 5p a litre or more. This is why checking the specific forecourt matters more than picking a brand.


Canonical page: https://cheapestfuel.uk/fuel-prices/supermarket-fuel-prices/
Live UK fuel price map: https://cheapestfuel.uk/map/
UK average prices: https://cheapestfuel.uk/how-much-is-petrol/

Prices are indicative. Always check the price displayed at the pump.