Asda has reintroduced a fuel saving promotion, offering customers 5p off per litre at 262 participating petrol stations nationwide. The offer runs until October 14, with shoppers required to spend £40 or more in a single in-store transaction to receive a fuel coupon.
The promotion comes as diesel prices hover near record highs. According to the RAC, the average price of diesel has reached 198.32p. Simon Williams, the motoring organisation's head of policy, has predicted "the record of 199.09p will almost certainly be surpassed over the weekend", as the Labour Party Conference begins.
How the Asda fuel offer works
Customers who spend £40 or more in a single in-store transaction between September 23 and October 14 will receive a 5p-per-litre fuel coupon in their Asda Rewards app. The coupon is automatically added to the app and is redeemable on a single fuel purchase until October 31 at participating Asda filling sites.
The offer is available at 262 participating Asda and Asda Express fuel sites offering Asda-branded fuel. It could save motorists up to £3 each time they fill up a typical 60-litre family car.
Pressure on the Prime Minister
On the eve of the Labour Party Conference, Prime Minister Andy Burnham faced pressure to explain how he would reduce the cost of driving. When questioned about potential tax reductions on diesel, he told BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire: "People will have to wait for the Budget on this one."
He added: "I am well aware, though, of the pressure on people and particularly the cost of fuel." However, he cautioned that the price increase was "barely in" the UK Government's control, saying: "Obviously, it's driven by world events and the supply of fuel or the restriction on the supply of fuel in the Middle East."
Impact on household finances
Asda has reintroduced its fuel saving promotion at a time when household finances are facing mounting strain from escalating living expenses. The retailer's monthly Income Tracker, which monitors how much money families have remaining after meeting tax obligations and essential outgoings, revealed that spending power growth decelerated to 3.4% last month – the lowest figure recorded since March.
Rachel Eyre, Chief Customer Officer at Asda, said: "The weekly shop and the cost of filling up the car are two of the biggest everyday expenses for many households. Customers told us how much they valued this Rewards offer when we ran it earlier this year. We're pleased to bring it back as part of our continued investment to help keep the cost of feeding and fuelling the family down."
Asda has maintained its commitment to keeping both fuel and food prices affordable for shoppers, with independent assessments by Which? and The Grocer repeatedly acknowledging it as Britain's most competitively priced full-range supermarket for groceries.
Earlier this month, oil prices climbed beyond 100 dollars a barrel for the first time since July following the latest wave of strikes in the Iran conflict. Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: "Six months into the conflict in the Gulf and drivers have paid billions of pounds in 'war premiums' over and above what they might have expected to pay had oil and pump prices remained near the level they were before the war began.
"The bad news is that they are likely to pay billions more before peace is restored. The Government can't end the war, but it can recognise the financial hit to drivers and businesses caused by surging petrol and diesel prices. Surely the Chancellor is considering a cut in fuel duty at the budget to reverse this hike in the cost of living?"
He added: "It's worth remembering that the Exchequer currently receives more than 80p per litre of fuel sold on the forecourts, in the form of duty and VAT."
