I run a petrol station & I’ve slashed 25p a litre off diesel – it pays to be honest & supermarkets should do the same
THE owner of Britain’s cheapest forecourt has slashed 25p off a litre of diesel in a fightback against greedy petrol station giants.
Dave Roberts, 78, backed The Sun’s Keep It Down campaign and put cash-strapped drivers first after the wholesale price dropped.
He accused the big four supermarkets, which dominate fuel retailing, of ripping off motorists, and said: “It pays to be honest.”
Dave’s garage in the village of Grindley Brook, Shropshire currently sells diesel at 131.9p a litre.
The national average is 155p.
Unleaded is 136.9p a litre compared to the 145p most charge.
It comes as the Competition and Markets Authority prepares to give an update today on its review into road fuel pricing — amid calls for a price checker.
Dave said: “If the wholesale price comes down, we put our prices down.
“If they go up, we put them up.
“It’s as simple as that.
“It’s important to be honest and fair with motorists.
“People are struggling as it is.
“I don’t buy the fuel any cheaper than the supermarkets.
“So why aren’t they passing the reduction to the customer?”
In March, wholesale diesel was 6p more than petrol, yet there was a 20p a litre gap between both fuels on forecourts.
Drivers travel up to 30 miles to Dave’s garage — DA Roberts — queuing from 6am to 10pm.
Terry Blaee, 34, said: “It takes me 20 minutes to drive to this garage, but it’s well worth the trip.
“I travel a lot and spend £70 a week, so I’d estimate I must be saving about £550 a year.”
RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “This forecourt is a shining example of how fuel retailing should work.”
The AA said independent forecourts began dropping their prices last month to coincide with the fall in the cost of fuel.
Luke Bosdet, the AA’s fuel expert, said: “The bloated price of diesel is nothing short of a national scandal.”
The Sun joined forces with FairFuelUK to campaign for fair prices at the pump.
For 12 years on the trot, the push has successfully kept fuel duty frozen.
Howard Cox, founder of FairFuelUK, said: “Had pump prices been set like Dave’s across the UK, inflation would be lower and the cost of living crisis lessened.
“It’s why PumpWatch, so ardently called for by myself and the Sun, is so overdue.”
The British Retail Consortium said: “The price of diesel has been falling consistently throughout 2023 as retailers work to provide customers the best value for money.”