Labour has acknowledged issues with its Fuel Finder service just days after it launched, as some forecourts claim to be selling petrol and diesel for pennies.
The Fuel Finder tool was introduced at the start of the year and requires forecourts to publish fuel prices and the unavailability of fuel within 30 minutes of a change.
It is designed to increase competition among retailers to bring prices down, as well as help drivers see the cheapest fuel in their area.
Modelling from the Government estimates that drivers using the Fuel Finder service could save between one and six pence per litre.
Similar analysis showed that households that own a car could save an average of around £40 a year, according to the recent Autumn Budget.
It added that motorists could save as much as £89 when combined with other Government actions, including extending the fuel duty freeze.
There are hopes that Fuel Finder will soon be integrated into map apps in cars to help drivers see the lowest prices in their areas while on the move.
At present, all data is stored on a spreadsheet, showing fuel prices, opening times, and available amenities.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has acknowledged ‘teething problems’ with the early stages of Fuel Finder
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GETTYThe latest Fuel Finder update shows that around 7,000 forecourts are registered with the service, although not all have provided pricing data.
Further issues arise with the pricing of fuels from those who have provided the latest data, which could cause confusion.
A handful of forecourts have submitted incorrect prices, which claim to show that E10 unleaded petrol is being sold for as little as 1.229p per litre, rather than 122.9p.
The same forecourts are also showing impossibly low prices for E5 super unleaded, diesel and premium diesel.
The Fuel Finder scheme could help cut prices by between one and six pence per litre | PA
On the other end of the spectrum, some forecourts appear be selling unleaded petrol for £210 or as much as £1,319 per litre.
Gordon Balmer, executive director of the Petrol Retailers Association, told Forecourt Trader that many retailers had experienced issues with the service.
He explained that the PRA had requested a “high-level meeting” with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to address concerns.
A spokesperson for DESNZ stated that around three-quarters of forecourts have already signed up to the scheme.
Drivers in Northern Ireland already benefit from cheaper fuel prices compared to the rest of the UK
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CONSUMER COUNCIL
However, it acknowledged “early teething problems for individual users”, with work being done to address these.
The Fuel Finder system aims to emulate the success of the Consumer Council Fuel Price Checker in Northern Ireland.
It shows that drivers in Newtownabbey, Cookstown, Belfast, Craigavon and Limavady are all paying less than 123p per litre for petrol – around 8p cheaper than the UK average.