Fleet purchasing of supermarket petrol and diesel has fallen by around 15% on last year, following accusations that supermarkets have profiteered on fuel.

FleetCheck said the data shows its users are skewing their petrol and diesel purchasing towards other sources

The figures were reported by FleetCheck using data from across its user base – and indicate a clear change of tack in fuel management as fleets shop around for fuel.

Earlier this year, the UK’s competition watchdog warned supermarket fuel margin hikes cost drivers an extra 6p a litre last year. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) study into road fuels revealed average annual supermarket margins increased by 6ppl from 2019-22. It’s led to warnings for drivers to no longer assume supermarkets are cheapest. The Government is also pushing ahead with plans to make retailers display live prices in response to the controversy.

Peter Golding, managing director at FleetCheck, said there had been much discussion about the pricing of supermarket fuel over the last year or more, with the RAC reporting as recently as last month that supermarkets were failing to pass on reductions in wholesale prices at the pumps.

“Fleets are clearly cognisant of these developments and they appear to have had a direct impact on fuel purchasing among our users. A 15% change such as this over the course of a year is a pretty significant shift and shows that businesses are skewing their petrol and diesel purchasing towards other sources.”

FleetCheck’s data is based on almost 430,000 transactions through its fleet management software during 2022 and 2023 – the firm said the ability to track fuel spending using data from fuel cards is one of the most important uses of such software.

Golding added: “Many of our users regularly examine the outlets that their drivers use and steer them towards cheaper options.

“Since fuel prices began to rise sharply at the start of the Ukraine war, we have seen a more proactive approach as fleets have attempted to use our reporting to minimise the impact of those cost increases. It very much appears as though the move away from supermarkets is a direct result of these strategies.”

The RAC has said that the push for fuel retailers to display live pump prices – while a good move in itself – won’t suddenly make retailers start charging fairer prices. It’s also pointed out that free mobile apps such as myRAC can actually compare prices among all fuel retailers.

Speaking this summer, fuel spokesman Simon Williams commented: “We don’t believe we’re likely to see real change until we have an official price monitoring body, as recommended by the Competition and Markets Authority, that has the power to fine companies that don’t properly reflect significant downward wholesale market movements on their forecourts.”