A woman has been criticised after a video showed her filling plastic shopping bags with petrol at a Sainsbury's petrol station amid the ongoing fuel crisis. The clip, which has been viewed over 10 million times online, captures the driver placing the open bags into the boot of her car before driving off.
The incident comes as rising oil costs and supply chain disruptions, exacerbated by the conflict in the Middle East, have sparked panic buying across the UK. Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil passes, has heightened fears of fuel shortages.
Online viewers condemned the driver's actions, with one commenting: "This is just selfish. Just look at her absolute desperation. We're not going to run out of fuel love." Another questioned the safety of leaving open bags of petrol in the boot, writing: "What does she think is going to happen when she goes round the corner?"
Fuel prices have surged, with diesel reaching 181.2p per litre on Sunday, a 27% increase since the war began, and petrol averaging 152p per litre, up 14%. The RAC has advised motorists to use its app to find the best local prices.
A map from investment bank JP Morgan suggests that most Gulf oil deliveries to the UK are expected to cease by April 10, with other regions facing earlier cut-offs. The US may see deliveries stop by April 15.
