Tesco customers can save 5p per litre on fuel by spending £60 or more in store, but the deal ends on August 23. The supermarket, which operates around 600 fuel stations across the UK, is offering the discount as petrol prices reach their highest level since 2022.
Fuel prices surge
The average price of petrol in the UK has climbed to 159.89p per litre, the highest since November 2022 when prices were cooling from a peak of 191.55p in 2022, driven by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Diesel now averages 179p per litre, about 37p more than before the Iran conflict began.
Donald Trump this week promised new talks on ending the conflict with Iran would start on Monday, after calling off what he said would have been "massive" strikes. Iran has denied any new talks are taking place, and the situation remains unresolved.
How the Tesco deal works
Shoppers who spend £60 or more in Tesco stores receive a coupon offering 5% off fuel, which can be used on diesel and petrol at Tesco forecourts. The deal runs until Sunday, August 16, and the coupon can be redeemed until Sunday, August 23. The maximum saving is £10, and the voucher must be presented in paper form when paying for fuel.
Rise in fuel theft
Since the start of the Iran oil crisis, drivers have stolen an average of nearly £200,000 worth of fuel from UK forecourts every day, according to analysis. Fuel theft prevention company Forecourt Eye said incidents of fuel taken without payment soared by 20% in the five months after the conflict began on February 28, compared with the preceding five months.
The increase in pump prices has meant the value of stolen fuel rose by 48% over the same period, reaching an estimated daily average of £194,000 across the UK's 8,359 forecourts. First-time offenders saw a 23% increase in incidents and a 26% rise in volume of fuel stolen, compared with 17% and 20% respectively among repeat offenders.
The figures are based on reports from a representative sample of 550 forecourts, including drive-offs and incidents where customers claim they have no means to pay. The average price of petrol climbed to 160p on Friday, about 27p more than before the conflict, marking a three-and-a-half year high.
